From Murder to Dust

10 - Family

It had been a month since I joined Nightmare's gang; Papyrus was the best timekeeper. We were a happy trio of psychopaths; actually, make that negative trio of psychopaths. We were spreading negativity, after all. We were becoming somewhat of a family, if that was even possible. We spent so much time together that we actually liked having eachother around. Killer was like another brother to me, and Nightmare was the father figure; we wouldn't tell him that, though. I still hadn't been directly identified by anyone on the other side that we know of, so I was still running through trees with my trusty slingshot. I heard them actually nickname me 'The Tree Guy'; I didn't think I'd ever live that down. Papyrus thought he was happy - ghosts had different types of feelings, so he couldn't be sure - so I was happy too. He's the best. At the moment, Nightmare was off trying to convince Error to join us again, and Killer and I were in his room, playing with knives.

"That one isn't even sharp: try this." Killer handed me a kitchen knife.

"Can't we just use scissors?" I wondered.

"Scissors are boring! Knives are so much more fun!"

"We're cutting paper."

"Yeah, but would ya rather say we cut paper with regular old scissors or with knives?"

"I guess that's a valid point."

"Brother, what is the point to this?" Papyrus questioned.

"This is a game, Paps. There doesn't have to be a point."

"Yes, O invisible ghost Papyrus! Games do not need points, unless they're the points of your knives!" Killer joked. Papyrus laughed, so I did too.

"Do you know how to juggle, brother?" Paps asked.

"Paps, I'm not juggling anything. I can barely hold a knife sometimes." I stated.

"Ooh, I can juggle!" Killer started throwing his knives up and down. "It's easy!"

"That's awesome!"

"Yeah, but it's easy to get cut a lot. Lots of practice, startin' with sticks, is the way to learn this. I stupidly started with the knives, and, well, you've seen the scars."

"I was wondering how you got those.."

"Well, now ya know. Learnin's fun, ain't it?"

"You said it like that just to annoy me, didn't you?"

"Yup!"

"Welp. At least Papyrus doesn't do that; do you, Paps?"

"Ain't." Paps replied. Killer could tell from the expression on my face that Papyrus took his side.

"You've been told, haven't you?" Killer giggled.

"Ain't isn't even a word - it's slang!" I complained.

"Well, if ya ever wanna conceal your identity, you can just say 'ain't,' and nobody'll think it's you."

"You're right, but still!"

"Heh. Someday you'll warm up to it. Someday."

"Doubt it."

"Anyways, how long has Nightmare been gone?"

"Not sure. How long, Paps? Generalize it, please."

"Three quarters of an hour." Paps replied.

"Thanks, Paps; you're the best. Paps says three quarters of an hour."

"Ya know, at first I didn't believe ya had a ghost followin' ya, but dang, that timekeepin' is amazin.'" Killer complimented, making Papyrus beam with pride.