Karoshi Archives

Day 4 - sixteen hours shift

The fourth day ascended gracefully. A sharp alarm sounded from the bushes, cutting the air with their insistent urgency, and the five prisoners hurried to gather around the point where they were waiting for food.

This time, the wait seemed longer and more tense, as if they were on the edge of an invisible abyss, waiting for the next step in their uncertain destiny. Finally, the meal arrived: a roast of chicken with rice and curry, a reassuring but strange mixture that offered a momentary break in the midst of the chaos surrounding them.

As they shared the meal, the questions of the day before continued to resonate in the minds of the protagonists, as a persistent echo of the incognitoes that harassed them.

Just as the tension threatened to envelop them completely, the auditor's voice spilled through the bits, his cold and mechanical tone resonating in the room with an indisputable authority.

"Welcome everybody, it's time for a little test," the voice announced, its clear and direct pronunciation cutting the air of expectation. Every word that came out of the thunderstorm resounded in the room with a force that eclipsed any other sensation, forcing the prisoners to pay attention to every pronounced syllable.

"Today you will have a double working day, more intense than usual," the voice continued, its unstoppable tone increasing the anxiety in the environment. The gazes of the prisoners met, reflecting the concern and dismay that had taken hold of them at the auditor's words.

"If everyone manages to pass it, a really handy mystery box will be given as a reward," the voice added, acting as a lightning bolt of hope in the midst of the darkness that surrounded them. However, the tone of the voice did not leave room for complacency; the test they were facing was a challenge that they should not underestimate.

And then came the ominous warning: "If everyone fails to fulfill it on time or the quota isn't fulfilled, you will be deprived of 50% of the pay... permanently." The mere fact of hearing those words sent scourges through the backbone of the prisoners. The auditor was not just talking about reducing the amount of money they would receive; he was talking about cutting food rations in half, a perspective that echoed the empty stomachs and worried minds of the prisoners.

A heavy silence settled in the room, filled with a mixture of determination and fear. Each of the captives knew that they were about to face a challenge that would test not only their psychological endurance but also their inner strength and will to survive in an increasingly dark and ruthless world.

With their hearts beating strongly in their chests, they prepared for what would come next, aware that the day ahead would be a test of endurance and determination like no other they had faced before.

The atmosphere in the room became even more tense after the auditor's words. The prisoners exchanged concerned and anxious gazes, each processing the implications of the test that was being brought to them. However, before they could gather their thoughts, the accumulated tension erupted into a storm of emotions and discussions.


"This is absurd!" exclaimed Ryoma, whose voice resonated with indignation and frustration. "How do they expect us to work twice as much and still take away some of our food? It's inhuman!"


Ryoma's challenging tone resounded in the room, awakening a choir of voices expressing concern and discontent. The prisoners began to argue with each other, each expressing their own opinions and fears about the situation.

"We must do something about it," Hanzo said in a firm and determined voice. "We cannot allow ourselves to be treated like this. We need to unite and find a way to face this challenge together."

However, not everyone agreed with Hanzo's proposal. Riota, with a dark look in her eyes, shook her head with unbelief. "And what do you suggest we do? Do you think we can challenge the auditor and go unpunished? We're trapped here; there's no way out."

Riota's words cast a cloak of despair on the room, leaving the prisoners sinking into a shady silence. Each of them faced the brutal reality of their situation, struggling with the overwhelming feeling of powerlessness and helplessness.

The discussion continued, with divergent opinions and heated arguments filling the air with a cacophony of voices and emotions. In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, the prisoners clung to the fragile hope that, together, they could find a way to overcome the challenges facing them.

Kosuke looked at his colleagues with a mixture of discouragement and concern. His eyebrows folded in a gesture of frustration as he passed a hand through his messy hair.