We Are Alone - A Short Story

We Are Alone - By Darkflamewolf

Trevor reached out his paw to try and touch her face, but was met with nothing but a distortion of the image. It carried on as if nothing had happened, "Nobody knows why or how it started. You were one of the first. For a while, I was hoping I would turn too and grow some fur and a fluffy tail. It...it was kind of hot." He smiled as he saw the hologram blush.

His brow furrowed as he saw her fluster a bit, as if some unseen person off camera was directing her to carry on with it. "Ah...um...Well, the scientists asked you and several others to come in for testing to see what the cause was. Things were getting a bit heated and..." There was more distortion before garbled voices could be heard.

Within moments, it cleared up and the woman was back, crystal clear. She seemed different, as if she had been crying and quite distraught. "I'm so sorry, Trevor. They can't fix you or anyone else, but I don't care what they say, I know that I love you. Do not forget me...remember me, please. Sarai Grissom loves you, and all that you are!" It felt like there was more to the message, but it abruptly cut out and dissipated.

Trevor sat there in silence as he stared through the space of air that was once occupied by his wife. Yes, he remembered now. He had a wife. Was she his still? He placed a paw to his head, riffling it back through his hair, between his ears. A movement he had done in what seemed like a past life whenever he was nervous or agitated. Just what was going on, and what had happened? He wasn't always like this, that much was clear. He was as smooth and bare skinned as his wife was...or still is.

Resolving to get to the bottom of this, he stood up and was ready to walk out the door before realizing he was stark naked. Granted, he had fur covering the majority of his body, but that did nothing to hide his masculinity. He spied the hideaway closet just to the left of the door. A push of a button was all it took to elongate the clothes hanger into the room. After spotting what looked like an agreeable pair of pants and t-shirt, he awkwardly placed them on, snapping the button of fabric above his tail to let it through.

Placing his paw on what looked like an access panel, he was pleasantly surprised to see the door sliding away with a very satisfying sound, quite like the Star Trek days of old. Trevor really did love watching that show, as ridiculous as it got. Looking up and down the white-washed corridor, he noted several glowing light pathways in the corners where the floor met the wall. A sign across the hall from him gave color coordination for each path of light and where it led. He found the cafeteria and decided to follow the light that would lead him there, there must be crowds of people that could help explain to him what was going on.

His paw pads were making only the slightest of sounds as he paced down the sanitary corridors, passing room after room of what he could only assume were more people just like him. Were they all fox-like in looks and shape? Or were that all more or less the same? He was actually kind of excited to find out, almost like heading towards meeting old friends or family.

Slapping his paw on the access panel just outside the double sliding doors to the cafeteria, he anxiously awaited the sliding doors to open. As they slid open with a hiss, he bounded into the room, eager to meet with any others who shared his predicament. His mouth stood agape at the empty room. Rows upon rows of empty tables and benches. There were several huge pillars with monitors with various food item pictures, presumably where one would get their meal. Several hanging TV monitors were sporadically placed around the room, but none were on. It's as if the entire operation was in suspended animation.

Trevor morosely walked over to one of the food pillars and pressed a claw to one of the images of bacon and eggs. He was feeling a bit hungry right now and he would tackle his current situation on a fuller stomach. He waited a few moments before trying again. Nothing was happening. No whirring of gears or anything. He tried pressing other food pictures, all with the same effect. Within a few minutes, the screen dimmed and 'Out of Order' flashed.