Benny: An Executioners Story

Benny, Part 3

Benny went to bed exhausted and slept. When he woke up, someone was hollering in front of the door.
"Ey! Vis'ter bedda rise and shine! Miz Masta done asked fo ya to accompany her durin breakfast, believe or not."
It was Theysha. Great, Benny thought, get to embarrass myself some more.
He got up. He realized he felt a little better. His fever had lightened up and his headache was gone, though he still felt a bit dizzy. That and his stomach hurt, but he figured it was probably because he was hungry. He felt a lot more alert and anxious today. When's the last time I ate? He wondered.
"Wells hurry it up in there! Ain't got alla mornin!" Theysha yelled.
Benny looked at himself in the mirror. "Luking bad as efer." He muttered.
"Wus that?" Theysha asked.
"Nuthing, I coming." Benny said, stumbling slightly to the door and roughly opened it.
Theysha stood nose to nose with him, looking down into his eyes. Hands on her hips. "Now, iz real special when's the Masta askes us ta eat wid her, so 'members to show some r'spect, got it?"
He nodded.
"Thena come on! She be waitin!" She said and motions for him to follow. He had trouble keeping up. He kept stumbling, and it was obvious she didn't want to try and help him. She walked surprisingly swiftly. Is felt like the walked a long ways until they got to a hallway with two huge doors at the end. There were two people at the front of the doors. One was tall and only had one eye, which seemed to be blinded and glazed over. The other was short- but looked muscular. When they got they got to the guards, Theysha looked the short one in the eyes. "I'a be bringin the Masta's vis'ter. Mind movin for us?"
He snorted, "Isn't that one of those... eh... USS people?"
The other cringed, "USS? I thought they were all died out? Yeesh, never thought I'd see onna them! Never wanted too."
The short one flexed his hand. "Ey, how far you bet you could stretch? Way back to that hole you done died in? Heh, you disgrace." He mocked.
Theysha looked like she was about to snap at them. But the door opened.
Memby's amazingly postured figure appeared. "Oh! I was just about to go check on you guys- you were taking so long." She looked at the two guards. "Mmm, so what was all the yelling?" She said, voice tight. The tall one laughed, "Oh, haha, nothing ma'am! Just joking around with our new friend here! Isn't that right Ben?"
Benny's eyes widened.
"Jokin aroun mah ass! They be tryina make the poor boy feel bad!" Theysha yelled surprising Benny. Memby eyed the two. "Is that so...?" She said, voice even tighter. The short one chuckled weakly. "We were just having fun..."
"No-! I will not hear another peep from you two." She looked at the tall one. "Melody,you should be ashamed! You're usually so well rounded! I'll let you off with a warning, but next time I won't be so leisurely." She looked at the short one. "And you, Malachi! Please, your putting me at the last line here. I'm aware of how many times you've been sold, most unpleasant. I wouldn't want that upon you, but I just don't know what to do." She looked at both of them. To Benny's surprise, they looked utterly terrified. Then he noticed the scars on their arms and necks. Have they been beaten? Oh Gee, is Memby abusive? He thought. His back suddenly burned. Memby's eyes softened, "You are dismissed." She told Melody and Malachi. They nodded then shuffled away, whispering to themselves.
Memby looked at Benny and smiled. "You look better. You must be a real survivor." She said. Benny felt his face get hot. "Mmm, guess." He muttered. Memby giggled. "Well come on, foods waiting." She smiled and held out his hand. Benny looked at it. It looked so graceful. Why is she holding her hand to me? He thought. He knew it was probably obvious, but he hadn't been outside enough to know proper gestures. He felt stupid.
"Ah... sorry..." he said, feeling his face heat up more. She tilted her head questioning. Then she realized what he meant. "Oh~! It's alright! Here, I'll help." She laughed and softly grabbed one of his hands. He jumped at the sudden gesture, not feeling comfortable with someone touching him. But he let it be. She led him into the dining room. She motioned for him to sit down in a chair, which he stood by for a few seconds, wondering what he was supposed to do. Memby went over and sat on the other side of the table. When she sat in her seat, she tilted her head. "You okay?" She asked. He looked down at his seat and nodded, then sat down. Once he sat down Memby pulled out a little bell and shook it. Then a few people came in and laid down some delicious looking food down. Benny looked at it all. "What's hat?" He pointed at different foods. "Salad, pancakes, stew, bacon, sausage, hamburger, pork, and cheese." She smiled.
He breathed in, it smelled good.
"What wouldya like?" Came a familiar voice. He turned his head and saw Daveed standing over him. He looked tired, his yellow eyes droopy. "Uh- uhm...  Pancake... bacon.... cheese... and.... pork." He stammered, trying to remember how Memby pronounced the names.  When, it was all set in front of him, he smiled. He started eating his pancakes with his hands, then looked up to see Memby was using a weird, four armed spoon to eat hers. She looked at him, swallowed her food, then laughed. "Silly, ever used a fork before?"
Benny felt his face get hot. "It's okay. Something tells me you haven't had the usual life. You don't have to use it if you don't want to." She smiled.
Benny looked down. He ate his bacon, pork, and cheese instead. They tasted wonderful.
After he gobbled his food down, Memby was staring at him. "So..." she began. He tilted his head. "Yeah?" He asked.
She looked down for a moment, Then looked up. "Are... Are you a runaway? Runaway slave? Runaway indenture?" She asked. Benny tilted his head. "Runaway slave? Indeatur? What is them?" He asked. "Well I mean...." she said. "Are you running from somone? You aren't anywhere in the system... and you're quite a mystery to everyone. Heh, I mean you're a USS. The last of your kind for all we know." She looked down. "I just want to help you if you're in trouble." She said.
Benny thought a moment. If I told her that I was running from my mother, she might send me back. Besides, I still want to leave it all behind. I don't want to remember...
"I don't know."
so what better way then to act like I forgot.
Memby looked at him with concern. "What do you mean?" She asked.
"I don't remember. I no remember any befor I woke up here...." he lied.
Memby gasped. "Oh you poor thing! You must be so confused. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to..." She cut off. She took a deep breath. "We will help you here. I promise you. I also promise no one will pick on you here. Or hurt you. Or beat you... I promise." She said. Benny nodded wearily. He heard Daveed scoff at the doors. Memby looked at Daveed with warm eyes. "You alright, dear?" She asked. Daveed nodded. "Fine ma'am. Just had a cough." She smiled. "Alright. Just making sure." She looked back at Benny and smiled. Benny tried to smile back- but he didn't. He'd never smiled before.
~
Benny fell onto his bed and sighed. He heard a knock on the door. He inwardly groaned and went over to the door. He opened it. It was Daveed. "Uh, can I come in?" He asked. Benny nodded and let him get past. Be shut the door and walked over to Daveed. "You're a liar." Daveed declared. Benny's eyes widened, then narrowed. "No, I'm not. I really don't remember." He stuttered. Daveed growled. "Hope you know that I can see inside your head. But even without magic, anyone could tells that you just been lying from the last things you's said ta me last night."
Benny lowered his head for a minute. "Well if you se inside mind, you ca tail why I lie." He muttered. "I sees why you's lied, don't mean it's a good reason." Daveed growled, taking a step towards him. "You know, Masta just wants the best fors alla us! Evens you's. Why's you so scared she take you to ya home, I's will probably never knows!" He continued making crazy hand gestures. They frightened Benny. The gooey haired Daveed finally looked calmer. "She a good person, Benny. We indenture are lucky we got her. You's is lucky she found you, remember dat one." He said, weakly smiling. He turned around and started to walk away, then fell down. Benny ran over to him. "Y-you k? All right?" He asked. Daveed pushed him away and got up. "U-yeah. Why wouldn I be?" He whispered. He walked out if Benny's room.
Benny stared after him. He looked around. He held his stomach. "Oh noooo..." he breathed. He then ran over to the nearest trash bin and threw up.