chapter 14

Brandon's eyes widened in terror as his door swung open. Harvey walked in with a grin on his face that quickly turned into shock and then anger.

"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded.

Brandon could see disgust and fury in his friend's face. Harvey didn't recognise him. Even if he looked like himself at all, it was logically impossible for him to have gained so much weight in such a short amount of time. Brandon didn't know what to do. Either he could come clean and tell Harvey who he was, which was a mortifying prospect, or he was going to be in some deep trouble.

"Bro... it's me," Brandon said quietly.

Harvey frowned.

"Who?" he asked.

"It's me, Brandon," he said. "I know this is weird but something really fucked up happened, okay? Ask me anything and I'll prove it."

Harvey did. He asked all sorts of questions and Brandon answered them as best he could. He felt Harvey's judgement the entire time. He had to be 300 lbs, maybe even 350. He was pouring out of his clothes and he was trapped in a chair. Harvey had every right to judge him.

Harvey stopped with his questions when Brandon's stomach rumbled loudly through the room.

"Wow," he said. "Even now, you're still thinking about food, huh?"

Brandon wanted to tell him he couldn't help it but there was no point. He knew what Harvey must think of him. He was powerless as he watched his friend walk over to him, eyes scrutinising him with every step.

Brandon grimaced as Harvey reached his hand out and poked him hard in the belly. His flesh quivered and Harvey laughed harshly.

"Such a pig..." Harvey said under his breath. "How much did you even have to eat to get like this?"

Harvey looked around the room and spotted the piles of food in Brandon's closet.

"Don't tell me you've just been here eating this whole time," Harvey said. "Is that it?"

Brandon shook his head and tried to explain but he couldn't. He just couldn't get the words out. Any time he tried to mention Meadow or what she'd done to him, it was like his mouth glued itself shut. He had no doubt that she'd left a spell on him to keep herself safe.

He hoped it was the only magic still in place.

Harvey stood over Brandon and looked down at him. Brandon felt himself flush with humiliation as he still struggled to free himself from the chair. There was something wrong with how Harvey was looking at him. There was disgust there, sure, but Brandon thought there was something more. Fascination maybe?

"Harvey, please," Brandon begged. "Can't you help me out here?"

Harvey shook his head.

"Oh, no, I'm not going to do that," he said. "I want to see how you got into this mess."

Brandon's heart sunk as Harvey walked over to the closet. He began lifting boxes of food and carrying them over to him. As soon as the first one was in reach, Brandon felt the familiar urge. He didn't know if it was magic or just his twisted need to consume everything in sight but he tried to resist. It didn't work.

Within moments, Brandon was tearing into boxes of doughnuts, giant candy bars and cold pizza. Harvey watched in horror curiosity as the floor was rapidly littered with containers and wrappers. Brandon tried to ignore his company as he groaned in pleasure, filling himself to the brim as quickly as he could. He could feel the confines of the desk chair getting tighter and tighter as his stomach bloated outwards but there was nothing he could do.

Time had no meaning to him; he measured it in food. As soon as he was out, Harvey passed him something more. Before long, Brandon had made his way through a large pizza, two dozen doughnuts, six large bars of chocolate and a litre of coke.

His belly hurt. He was more than full and the sides of the chair were squeezing him painfully. He was sure that his sweatpants wouldn't be able to hold him for much longer; the waistband felt like it was cutting into him beneath the swell of his stuffed stomach.

Brandon was scared. Meadow had always taken some sort of precautions because she had known that he had no control. Could he actually burst? Harvey kept handing him pastries and Brandon could see another few boxes of pizza along with a multitude of other snacks.

"Please..." Brandon managed to get out between bites of cake. "I can't help it, please give me a break."

Harvey didn't speak. He looked like he just wanted to see how far Brandon would go. It was a sick curiosity and Brandon couldn't blame him. He sort of wanted to know how far he'd go, too.

After he finished the cake, Brandon could feel himself crying. It hurt and he was actually scared. He hoped more than anything that Meadow's curse wasn't still in place. He had no idea how many calories he'd already consumed.

"Please..." Brandon said. "Just two minutes, let me breathe."

Harvey didn't say anything but he didn't move to get any more food. Brandon took the opportunity to take shallow breaths try to relax.

Harvey just stared at him, slowly shaking his head. Brandon watched as a frown deepened on his face. Tingles of pain spread through Brandon's waist and he understood. The curse wasn't gone.

He sat there in horror as he felt and saw his body expand. It wasn't as slow as it had been before, no doubt due to the number he'd gotten up to. His sweatpants were the first victim as the fabric loudly ripped, spilling his flesh into his lap. His shirt just continued to ride slowly up his torso and Brandon knew he needed to get out of the chair.

He struggled, groaning with exertion but it was no use. If he hadn't been fully wedged in there before, he was now. He could hear the plastic creaking as he grew and then there was an almighty snap before he tumbled to the floor.

Brandon hissed in pain as he lay on the broken remains of his desk chair, practically naked. He couldn't move; he was too full and Harvey just stared at him.

Brandon couldn't even read his face, but he didn't blame him. What would he have thought if he'd seen someone eat themselves out of a chair?

Brandon couldn't do anything but the only thing he ever did when he was too full to act: he slept.