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Director Rose sent me on reconnaissance today. Spiral Hill Village - north of the fallen HQ that was overtaken by the enemy. The post office had a few stowaways. As did the town hall. Being a small rural town, we didn’t have to worry much about scaling large buildings. Although we could get trapped if we didn’t have a spotter. My bell wispon came in handy more times than I’d like to admit. Maggie’s still uninfected. For now. I can’t overuse my wispon. Maggie’s not just a weapon. She’s a friend.
The metallic clinks and clanks of these bastards make this quiet country retreat sound like an industrial hell. I’ve seen it all. Allies turn on allies. Friends on friends. Family on family. We can’t keep running forever. But we can damn well can try. Anything to save every innocent life we can.
I don’t know how I missed her. Her fur was as red as a rose in bloom. But perhaps more importantly, it was an organic red. She lacked the metallic sheen that the infected had, though the refrigerator pinning her to the ground did not.
“Don’t worry, citizen! I’ve got you!” What a dorky thing to say. I could have done better than that.
I crouched down and began to wrench the fridge upwards. Luckily, because of the dirt floor, the Mobian trapped underneath the fridge didn’t appear to be crushed. She was merely caught in a miniature cave-in, where the dirt was the cave and the fridge was the ceiling.
With the assistance of another recon worker, we were able to get the fridge back up and help the Mobian out. I was able to get a closer look at her now. She was a fox. Tan muzzle. Blue eyes. White jumpsuit. Yellow boots.
“Thanks. I owe you one.”
“No time for chat, citizen! You have to evacuate!”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Wha-”
“Citizen. I’m not some background character you can write off in your next report. Remember my name. Fiona.”
“Well, Fiona, you need to evacuate. Sonic is preparing a chokepoint for-”
“And what makes you think I trust him?”
“Huh? Miss, Sonic is…”
“Fiona.”
“Right. Fiona, Sonic is the beacon of hope for the Restoration! You have to follow his lead!”
“He might be your beacon of hope. But that’s just because he hasn’t burned you yet. I’ll carve out my own beacon.”
That’s when I saw her take the leap.
“W-wait!”
My cries fell on deaf ears. I saw her run straight into a horde of the bastards. What the hell was she thinking?! She wasn’t carving out anything but her own suicide note! And I wasn’t about to let that sit on my conscience.
I ran after her towards the crowd of Zombots, but it was too late. Her fur was already beginning to turn a pale salmon color. But something odd happened. The metal spread fast and even, but her voice remained steady. Throughout it all, she was giggling. Then, she was cackling.
“Sonic’s here, you say? Where to, lambchop?”
The fox said as she stared directly into Lanolin’s eyes with her own, turned black as obsidian by the virus.
“I want to have a little chat with him. Heheh.”