The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!
Sustenance
by Scarlett R. Algee
At Processing Site 17, on Wednesdays, we feed dissidents to the Machine.
It’s a simple process: their crimes are read, they’re dropped from the platform, they scream until they meet the crushing, gnawing metal teeth below. Later, when they’re paste, when they’re liquid…well, the residents of Housing Site 49 don’t care what fertilizes the gardens, so long as they get to eat the results.
It’s economical this way.
I got over the screams early on. The usual sound of the Machine at work is a steady, patient rumble; at my desk, thirty meters away, it muffles conversations and vibrates the floor beneath my feet. It’s soothing in its way, that constant growl of hunger.
That’s my job, keeping the Machine fed. And sometimes the sins of its prey are real, mundane and small, but sometimes, if I’ve had a particularly good day, they can become quite creative.
Because on Wednesdays we feed dissidents to the Machine, even if we have to manufacture them.
Fiction © Copyright Scarlett R. Algee
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
More from author Scarlett R. Algee:
The Lift: Nine Stories of Transformation, Volume One
The hall is dark and the overhead light flickers. Sounds echo, and there’s a creaking and clanging that gets louder as you stand in the semi-dark. The elevator opens and you’re offered a ride. Step inside and ride it to the story chosen for your transformation. Don’t be afraid, for Victoria, the mysterious girl who operates The Lift, waits to guide you. Set in the same world as the award nominated audio drama, The Lift’s first written anthology features nine all new stories by fan favorite writers and special bonus content by creators Daniel Foytik and Cynthia Lowman. The collection is brought to life with beautiful illustrations by Jeanette Andromeda for each story.
Spreading the Writer's Word 
Well done for a super shortie!
A most menacing and darkly excellent story.