Chapter 2
"Honey, tough luck. You ended up as a pig," Nathan said.
I still didn't understand.
"So what happens when the countdown hits zero?" I asked.
"That's when you're sent out of the pen," Nathan replied.
Nathan flicked the blade with his finger.
"Either a buyer will come to collect you, or... we'll just butcher you right here," he said.
I was really starting to get scared now.
"I'm calling the cops," I said.
"Go ahead," Nathan said.
Nathan tossed his phone over to me.
"See if you can get a signal," he said.
There was a big red X where the signal bars should've been.
I rushed to the window and yanked the curtains open.
It was really dark outside, not the usual gloomy weather kind of dark.
A thick, gray mist blanketed the whole neighborhood.
The streetlights downstairs were red too.
I couldn't see a single person out there.
It felt like the whole world had shrunk down to just this room.
"Stop looking," Nathan said.
Nathan's voice sounded right behind me.
"Once you're inside the Are You Dead's Domain, nobody from the outside can get in, and nobody inside can get out," Nathan's voice came from behind me.
"Unless..." he paused.
"Unless what?" I pressed.
"Unless you turn into a butcher," Nathan said.
He moved closer and said quietly, "But you don't get that chance.
"You're only fit to be a pig."
The phone vibrated again.
[Task 2: Eat.]
[Eat at least 500 grams of the food your keeper gives you.]
[If you refuse: you'll lose your hearing.]
Nathan turned and went into the kitchen.
He soon came back out with a plate in his hands.
On the plate sat a slab of dark red meat.
It was raw.
Blood was still dripping down from it.
"Go on, honey," Nathan said, handing me the plate.
"Picked out the best part just for you."
The meat had a strong, pungent smell.
I gagged.
"I'm not eating raw meat," I said.
Nathan's face darkened.
He said, "You have to eat.
"If you don't, you won't get strong or fat, and the buyer won't like that.
"If the buyer's upset, I don't get paid.
"If I don't get paid, I can't clear my debts."
Nathan suddenly lost his cool, his anger boiling over.
He slammed the plate down on the coffee table.
"Eat it!" Nathan barked.
I stared at that chunk of meat.
The texture was all wrong; something about it just seemed off.
It wasn't pork, and it sure wasn't beef.
If anything, it looked more like...
Suddenly, I noticed a patch of skin still clinging to the edge of the meat.
There was a tiny black mole on it.
The spot and the shape was unmistakable.
I jerked my head up, staring at Nathan.
There was an identical mole on the back of his left hand.
Now, there was a Band-Aid covering it.
"Is this... your flesh?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Nathan froze for a moment.
Then he suddenly cracked up, laughing uncontrollably.
He said, "Not bad, you actually noticed.
"Yeah, that's my flesh.
"What's a little meat off me if it helps fatten you up?
"That's the cost of feeding you."
He'd gone completely insane.
The countdown on the app suddenly flashed red.
[Warning: 59 seconds left to eat.]
[If you don't finish in time, you'll be punished.]
I stared at the meat.
My eyes flicked to the knife Nathan was holding.
I grabbed the meat, shut my eyes tight, and took a big bite.
The metallic taste of blood exploded in my mouth.
I forced down the nausea, barely chewed, and swallowed it whole.
I nearly gagged as the raw meat slid down my throat.
Nathan gave a satisfied nod.
He said, "That's it, good job.
"Keep eating; the fatter and plumper you get, the better price you'll bring."
As I chewed, I was secretly plotting in my head.
No doubt about it. This app wasn't just controlling me; it had Nathan on a leash too.
He was the "butcher," but he still had to slice off his own meat to feed me.
That meant he was bound by some twisted rules as well.
If I could just find a loophole in those rules, that'd be my way out.
After I finished that chunk of meat, I bolted to the bathroom and threw up until I thought I was going to pass out.
But I didn't dare stay in there too long.
Because the phone started buzzing again.
[Mission accomplished.]
[You've earned 10 points.]
[Current weight: 48kg. Goal: 55kg.]
[Remember: stay happy and get enough sleep.]
Nathan knocked loudly on the bathroom door.
He called out, "Honey, come out and watch some TV.
"The buyer wants to check your mental state."
I thought, my stomach dropping.
Was there a live stream, and were they watching me right now?
I washed my face and stared at myself in the mirror.
I looked pale as a sheet, with blood still stained on my lips.
I wiped the blood off my mouth and walked out.
The TV in the living room was on.
Instead of any regular program, the screen was split into two panels.
On the left was a live feed of me.
On the right, bullet comments were rolling nonstop.
[This one's way too skinny—no fat to speak of.]
[The meat's probably gone sour.]
[500 points, that's the max.]
[Hey, that's a natural breed—never been modified. Tons of potential.]
[The keeper's useless. Feeding her his own flesh? That's low-grade feed. How can you expect her to grow well on that?]