chapter 2

Cindy woke up strapped to a gurney in the doctor’s laboratory.

“Like, where the hell am I?” She uttered as she struggled against the bonds on her wrists and ankles “Hey! Let me go you weirdo, whoever you are!” she called out in a panic.

“Oh be quiet!” scolded the doctor “Don’t make me use the gag, I heard enough of your yammering in the coffee shop!”

“Please! Let me go! My parents are filthy rich, they’ll give you whatever you want” pleaded Cindy but it fell on deaf ears.

“Of course they are Cindy but only you can give me what I want and you will do so there’s no need to worry.”

“What is it that you want?” asked Cindy, fearing the worst.

“An end to this obsession with pumpkins and pumpkin spice!” roared the doctor as lightning and thunder crashed ominously outside.

“What?!” laughed Cindy in spite of her fearfulness “Pumpkin spice is like, totally awesome! What’s your problem weirdo?”

“It is not!” spat the doctor as he spun around to face Cindy “It is a stupid fad and you will be the end of it my sweet Cindy!”

“So what, you want me to stop buying pumpkin spice and tell everyone to do the same?!” she asked incredulously.

“Oh no Cindy, it will be your undeniable fondness for consuming anything pumpkin related that will be the downfall of this fad” laughed the doctor as he prepared his equipment.

“God, I was scared when I woke up here but you’re just some crazy old guy, right? Just let me go and I won’t send my dad round here to kick your ass ok?”

“Not before you get your shot!” The doctor laughed maniacally as he pricked Cindy with a syringe full of a thick, neon orange liquid.

“Hey! What the fuck man?!” cried Cindy as the doctor began to unveil his plan.

“You see Cindy, I’ve studied pumpkins, I know everything there is to know about the damned Cucurbits! I know what makes them so damned popular and I’ve toyed with the chemical reaction they release; I’ve made them totally irresistible to anyone who comes into contact with that little cocktail I just administered to you, well, that and another little thing that we’ll get into later.”

“Yeah, whatever dude” laughed Cindy

“Don’t believe me? Then, behold!” shouted Doctor Preigh as he pulled back the cover on a table off to the side.