Chapter 1 My Life Is Hell

Amanda’s POV My tummy was making loud noises like a growling engine. I felt super hungry, and the cold was making it worse. I hugged the factory wall to try and get warm. I felt like my bones might crack from how hungry I was. I knew I had to do something, fast. Tears filled my eyes as I thought about how hungry I was. I went to check the dumpsters behind the factory. Maybe I could find some food there. I sighed, feeling the ache in my belly grow stronger with each passing moment. "I'm so hungry," I whispered to myself. "You and me both," a raspy voice replied from behind me. I turned to see an old man hunched over a pile of trash, his hands digging through the debris in search of something edible. He looked up at me with tired eyes, and for a moment, our gazes locked in shared desperation. "Are you okay?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The old man shrugged, a weary smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Just looking for something to eat, kid," he replied, his voice hoarse with hunger. I felt a pang of guilt wash over me. Here I was, complaining about my own hunger, while this old man struggled just to survive. Without a word, I turned and walked away, leaving him to his search. But as I made my way back to the factory, his words echoed in my mind, reminding me of just how dire my situation had become. I felt sorry for him and decided to leave him to it even though I was eyeing a discarded takeaway with remains of chips and some leftover bones of chicken wings that he was holding. Back at the factory, I mustered up the courage to approach the manager. He was a stern-looking man, with a no-nonsense attitude that intimidated a lot of the factory workers. "Excuse me, sir," I said, my voice shaky with nerves. "I was wondering if there's any food available in the cafeteria. I'm... I'm really hungry." The manager glanced at me with a mixture of pity and annoyance. "We don't just give out food for free, you know," he said, his tone clipped. "I-I understand," I stammered. "But I don't have any money..." He arched an eyebrow. "So what do you propose?" I hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. But hunger pushed me forward, forcing the words out of my mouth. "I'll do anything," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just need something to eat." A flicker of something crossed the manager's face, something dark and predatory. "Anything?" he repeated, his eyes lingering on me in a way that made my skin crawl. I swallowed hard, my stomach churning with unease. "Y-yes," I replied, my voice barely audible. "Anything." A cruel smile twisted the manager's lips. "Well then, how about we make a deal?" he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I'll give you some food from the cafeteria. In exchange, you do something for me." I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew where this was going, and I didn't like it one bit. But hunger clouded my judgment, pushing me to agree to terms I would later regret. "O-okay," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "What do you want me to do?" The manager's smile widened, revealing yellowed teeth that sent a shiver down my spine. "Let's just say... I have needs that need to be met," he said, his eyes lingering on me in a way that made my skin crawl. I felt bile rise in my throat, disgust warring with hunger for dominance. But in the end, hunger won out, drowning out the voice of reason in my head. "Fine," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do it." As tears streamed down my cheeks, I followed the manager into the less busy depths of the factory. I knew that I had made a deal with the devil himself, but hunger, it seems, can drive even the strongest of us to do unspeakable things. But as we reached the secluded corner of the factory, I found myself unable to go through with it. Tears blurred my vision as I pleaded with the manager. "I can't do this," I sobbed. "Please, I just want to eat. I don't want to die or get sick." The manager's expression hardened, his eyes cold and calculating. "Looks like you're not really hungry then," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Or maybe you're just not ready to do what it takes to survive." I felt a wave of despair wash over me as I realized just how desperate my situation had become. But even in the face of such cruelty, I refused to give up hope, there should be something I can do but it’s already late at night. And so, with tears still streaming down my cheeks, I turned and walked away from the manager and his empty promises. I may have been hungry and homeless, but I refused to sacrifice my dignity for a mere scrap of food. As I walked away from the manager, I felt really sorry about what I'd agreed to. Tears kept rolling down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop them. I was mad at myself for getting into such a bad situation. Why did I let hunger make me do something I didn't want to do? But then my head started hurting really bad, like it was going to explode. I felt sick and dizzy, like I was going to pass out. I held my head, hoping the pain would go away, but it just got worse. That's when I knew I couldn't go on like this. I needed food, or I was going to get really sick. So, even though I hated the idea, I went back to the manager. I knew I had no other choice. As I got closer, I felt really scared and angry. I didn't want to do what he asked, but hunger was making me desperate. I took a deep breath and told him I'd do it. The manager grinned, but it wasn't a nice grin. It was creepy and mean. "I thought you'd change your mind," he said, sounding all smug.