Chapter 3
Nathan sat on the couch, staring at the barrage of comments, his expression grim.
"These broke losers," Nathan spat the words out.
"Come on, you gotta put on a good show," Nathan said.
"Give me a smile."
He aimed his phone at me.
"Smile for our top supporter," he added.
I forced a stiff smile.
The comments instantly flooded the screen.
[That smile looks worse than crying.]
[This is boring. I want something more exciting.]
[I heard this pig used to dance. Let's see her dance.]
Nathan's eyes sparkled.
He said, "Oh right, babe, didn't you used to do those traditional dances?
"Come on, give the top dogs a show and spice things up."
I clenched my fists.
"I can't. My legs feel like jelly," I said.
Nathan shot up from the couch and slammed his foot into the coffee table.
He barked, "Doesn't matter if you can't. You're dancing!
"Do you have any idea how many points I'm in the hole for?
"If I don't hit a thousand points tonight, I'll get turned into a pig.
"And then I'm the one on the chopping block."
He was hysterical, yelling at the top of his lungs.
So that was how it was.
Turns out, the butcher and the pig could switch places.
If he didn't have enough points, or broke the rules, that was all it took.
I got it.
"Fine, I'll dance," I said.
I slowly walked to the center of the living room.
"But I need to change first," I added.
"Go on, hurry up," Nathan said, waving his hand impatiently.
I went back to the bedroom and locked the door behind me.
I quickly rummaged through the closet.
But I wasn't looking for clothes.
I was hunting for whatever Nathan had hidden in here.
If Nathan owed money, there had to be an IOU or some kind of record lying around.
If this app had a points system, there had to be a way to top up or buy and trade points.
I felt something hard under the mattress.
It was an old black phone.
I pressed the power button.
Surprisingly, the battery wasn't dead.
It was unlocked.
The screen lit up instantly.
There was just one memo saved.
The title read: "The Breeder's Handbook."
I opened it, and cold sweat instantly broke out all over me.
[1. Pigs can't be scared. Fear taints the meat and costs points.]
[2. Pigs have to eat on their own. Force-feeding costs points.]
[3. If a pig kills its breeder, it takes over the breeder's role and debt.]
[4. Only if the pig hits the target weight before time's up can it be sold.]
[5. Emergency: If a pig tries to fight back, you can cut out some non-vital organs and it won't affect the selling price.]
Turns out he was been holding himself back all along.
That kick at the coffee table was as far as he could go.
He didn't dare to really hurt me.
At least he didn't before I hit the target weight.
I stared at that third rule.
If I really killed Nathan, did it mean I'd become the butcher?
But the price was that I'd inherit all his debt.
Just then, Nathan started pounding on the bedroom door.
"Are you done changing yet? What's taking you so long?" Nathan yelled.
I quickly stuffed the old phone into my bra, hoping Nathan wouldn't notice.
Then I slipped into a loose nightgown, something that wouldn't draw too much attention.
"Coming," I called out.
As I opened the door, Nathan was waiting right outside, his face gloomy and impatient.
"What took you so long?" he snapped.
"Just looking for something to wear," I replied, trying to sound steady.
"Nathan, I'm hungry," I said.
Nathan froze for a second.
"You just ate," he said.
"I'm still hungry."
I stared at him.
I said, "Didn't you say you wanted me to put on weight? That tiny bit of meat isn't enough.
"I want some meat.
"And I want it... cooked."
The suspicion in Nathan's eyes started to fade.
In its place, a bit of joy showed up.
Nathan said, "Alright, alright.
"As long as you're willing to eat, you can have anything you want.
"I'll whip up some meat for you."
Nathan was about to head into the kitchen again.
"Wait," I called out, stopping him in his tracks.
I said, "I'm not eating any meat from your body.
"That's disgusting.
"I want meat from the fridge."
Nathan paused, his back stiffening.
"There's... no meat left in the fridge," he replied.
"Then go buy some," I said, pointing at the door.
"You're the breeder, right? Isn't it your job to get me some feed?" I said.
Nathan turned around and fixed his gaze on me.
"Babe, did you notice something?" he asked.
I flashed him a faint smile.
I replied, "What could I possibly find out?
"I just don't want to die.
"If I'm gonna get sold off anyway, at least let me have a good meal before I die, right?"
Nathan went quiet for a few seconds.
He said, "Fine, just wait."
Nathan walked over to the door and unlocked it with his phone.
To my surprise, the front door actually swung open.
"Don't even think about running," Nathan said, shooting me a warning look over his shoulder.
"If you go more than ten meters away from this room, your collar will explode."
I reached up and touched my neck.
There was nothing there.
But I knew he meant the invisible collar from the app.
Nathan walked out the door.
The moment the door clicked shut, I bolted straight for the kitchen.
I need a weapon.
He'd already taken the cleaver with him.