Fast Food Furries Book 1

Chapter 8b: The General

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Dorothy

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I kept my distance for the rest of the day, figuring I had caused enough trouble with Ramona for now. I joined the rooftop patrol to pass the time and watched the streets carefully. It felt quieter than it should've been. I wasn't sure why Big City Mouse hadn't come knocking since I'd arrived, but it put me on edge. There was a stillness in the air that one only ever felt before a war.

It was late morning the next day when I stepped outside. The humans were out in the yard, and one of the furry civilians was showing them the garden they were working on. Several armed guards watched from all directions. Ramona was out there too, leaning against the wall and watching from a distance. Beside her, Michael and another soldier were sitting in lawn chairs, watching the scene as well.

"Sorry about yesterday," I said sheepishly.

"Who is she, actually?" asked Ramona. "The kid."

"I don't know," I answered. "She was with Mach when I joined up with him. Before we got separated."

Ramona flinched. I could see Michael's eyes widen, although he averted his gaze and pretended he hadn't heard anything.

Ramona moved on. "I was thinking about what you said the other day. About how we might be redundant."

"I don't think we are. I think our roles are," I clarified. "We don't have to do... this anymore. The Resistance never wanted the furries completely gone."

Ramona sighed, and stepped inside. After a minute, I followed. But as soon as the door shut behind me, I pressed my ear up against it.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Michael.

"You think Ramona's gonna go for it?" the other asked. It was the same voice as yesterday.

"I hate to say it, but it sounds like she might," said Michael. "We both know that can't happen."

"A bunch of the others are with you. The second she crosses the line, just say the word."

I didn't know what to do. If I ratted on him, there'd be hell to pay, and it sounded like he had already covertly rallied several soldiers. This was exactly the kind of fight that you wanted to avoid. That was a fuse I'd have to extinguish later, even though it was already lit. I took a deep breath and thought rationally. At this point I figured Mach wasn't arriving anytime soon, probably not at all. The best I could do was keep pushing Ramona, and hopefully settle whatever Michael was attempting when the time came.

Later that day, I found Ramona on the roof, gazing out at the surrounding blocks. This place had been built up following the Great Furry Takeover. The neighborhood buildings, including the school, had tall, gentle windows and welcoming light brick facades. Vines crawled off trellises and onto brick. Fruit trees waved in the breeze. Window planters sprouted flowers of any colour you can imagine, draping down to dangle overtop murals that had been painted along the streetfront. One was an abstract zig-zaggy paint salad. I didn't quite get it, but the colours were nice. One depicted a serene landscape, untouched by industrial civilization. One a couple blocks down was a series of flowers of identical shape but mismatched colours, kind of like, that uhh, oh what's his name? You know... the soup thing...? I guess you wouldn't. Now it's gonna bug me. Anyway, another depicted a neighborhood not unlike the real one in which it was painted—a market, with furry and human patrons depicted in such a quantity they were hardly distinguishable from each other.