chapter 3

A skeletally thin woman emerged from the True Directions building.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome," she said, giving Megan and her family a smile that looked more like a grimace. "I'm Mary, the founder of True Directions and you must be Megan."
"She is," Megan's mom said with embarrassment as Megan stood scowling silently.
Mary continued with forced politeness, "Well, Megan, looks like we caught you just in time. How old are you? 18?"
Megan gave a reluctant nod.
Mary tsked, "Almost lost her to college. You know, it's so difficult once they've gained that freshman fifteen and the bad eating habits are so ingrained but still, we've saved a few."

Megan barely looked at her parents as they kissed her goodbye and she didn't look back to see their car pulling away as she trudged behind Mary into True Directions.Mary led her to a dark room that contained only a projector and a single chair.
"Before you begin the programme I'd like you to watch this film about the dangers of the lifestyle that you've chosen and the work we do at True Directions so that you can better understand why you're here," Mary said.
"But I -" Megan began to protest but Mary had already left, locking the door behind her.
The projector whirred into life and Megan knew she had no choice but to sit and watch.
"No one would have guessed what would happen to this little girl," the narrator ominously intoned over childhood photographs of an average looking girl. "She had such a bright and promising future: mommy's little helper, the prom queen. Kelly even had hopes of being a model one day. That was until she was recruited into the fat lifestyle."
The camera cut to an interview with Kelly, now a morbidly obese adult.
"It all just started with sneaking snacks between meals when I thought mom wasn't looking but it spiralled out of control. My appetite is just insatiable now. I've eaten my way to over 400 lbs," Kelly's massive shoulders began to shake as she let out a sob that made her whole body jiggle. "I know what I've done to myself is wrong but I can't stop going back for more food."
The narrator began to speak again in a lighter tone over footage of Kelly looking much thinner and happier, "But it wasn't too late for Kelly, thanks to True Directions rehabilitation programme she has lost over 250 lbs and it back on the road to health and happiness.
Megan sat stupefied with disbelief. I mean, it was great that True Directions could help people and all but if her parents and friends thought that she had a problem like the woman in the film then they had to be crazy.

After the film Megan was summoned to Mary's office. She was sitting behind her desk tapping her bony, talon like fingers together.
"Ah, Megan, take seat," she said, giving her another smile that seemed to strain her face. "The others arrived yesterday so let's get you up to speed. I'd like to concentrate on the first step: admitting you have a problem with your weight and relationship with food."
Megan stared back at her blankly.
Mary persisted, "Are your thoughts ever consumed with your lust for food when you should be concentrating on something else? Do you secretly hoard food so that you can enjoy it alone? Do you ever lie about ho much you've eaten to others? To yourself? Do you have any other behaviours involving food that might be considered disordered?"
"I don't think it's disordered..." Megan said innocently.
"Aha!" Mary cried. "You don't even see that it's wrong! Until you can admit that you have a sickness you will wear these. You will earn the right to wear civvies once you have completed the first step."
Megan took a grey bundle from Mary that she realised was the kind of gown that patients wear in hospital.
"It's a long path back to being healthy again and there's a battlefield of temptation that you're going to have to fight, Megan. Until then I'd like you to meet one of our soldiers. Hilary!"

A girl came quickly scurrying into the room at Mary's command. 'Scurrying' is perhaps an inaccurate word as she moved with a slight waddle. Hilary was a large girl, pleasingly plump all over. She had short black hair cut into a bob and wore thick black rimmed glasses, her nose turned up at the end giving her face a cute but slightly piggish quality. She wore a pastel pink blouse, the short sleeves cutting cruelly into the soft flesh of her chubby arms. She also wore a skirt of the same lurid pink colour. Pink wasn't a flattering colour for Hilary because it was also the colour of her cellulite dimpled thighs and the colour her round cheeks flushed when Mary barked orders at her.
"Hilary will show you around and help you get acquainted with True Directions," Mary said, nodding her dismissal.