From Murder to Dust

SD - 3 - Conformity

Shattered had taken over our lives a week ago. We rarely saw eachother without having to pass by due to his orders..I hadn't been allowed to speak to any of the others, and I doubted that the others had had any more luck. From the limited eye contact we had, I had figured out that the others had grown accustomed to their positions, as had I. Just as Shattered had said, Killer was the executioner; he gave the quickest deaths he could, but he hated the killing. Horror was in charge of making the meals, but he wasn't as good of a cook as Nightmare was..we missed him; Horror also wasn't allowed to leave his kitchen unless it was to request ingredients or by orders. Cross was the most mobile of our group, having to accompany Shattered on his runs, which were daily. I didn't know what happened during them, but judging from Cross's expressions when he returned, it wasn't good. As for me, I did a lot of stuff. Shattered liked to keep me near him, just in case he needed me to do something, which he often did. At the moment, he was checking in with the others, and I was forced to follow him, despite my wishes to be anywhere else. He liked to use me as a notepad sometimes, since I had a good memory.

"Dust?" He asked. 

"Yes?" I responded.

"Dust, what have I said about addressing?"

"T-to address you every time I speak, master."

"Correct. Dust?"

"Y-yes, master?"

"Remind me to do a performance check in three hours."

"Yes, master."

"Do I have any engagements after these check-ins?"

"You are planning to go on a negativity run directly after, the performance check would take place after that, and p-punishments are scheduled for five hours from now, master."

"Right. Who is on the list today and why?"

"C-Cross, for a reason you haven't revealed, and m-me, for whatever reason you'd like, master." I hated that he punished me for no reason, but I was too scared to fight back.

"Right, right; perfect. When was the last time anyone slept?"

"Killer slept one day ago, master. Horror slept ten hours ago. Cross slept one day ago. You slept two days ago. I slept three days ago."

"Ah, that must be why you're slowing. Go to sleep during the run, and I'll wake you when we return."

"Yes, master."

It went silent after that; I wasn't allowed to start conversations unless I was reminding Shattered of something, and I didn't want to talk to that monster. It didn't take long for us to reach the kitchen that Horror had been confined to, where he was cooking, as always. Shattered was a bit more lenient on him than the rest of us, but he did only regard him as a food source..I felt bad for him, and I could tell that he felt the same way for me. Shattered walked over to him with an air of negativity.

"Chef." He addressed.

"Y-yes, master?" Horror looked up from his job.

"Do you require any ingredients?"

"N-no, master.."

"Very well. Is there anything that should be brought to my attention?"

"No, master.."

"Good. Carry on."

"Yes, master."

"Come along, Dust." Shattered began to leave the room.