chapter 3 - the american way

- 1 WEEK LATER -

“You can’t beat Americans at their own game!” George exclaimed as he jogged along with his wife.

“Isn’t it odd though that one week Britain gets way fatter, and the next week we find out that America has gotten way fatter? Like aren’t those connected in some way?”

“Listen, Isabelle, the numbers are skewed. Maybe some people have lost weight. It’s obviously not a national issue as you and I are still thin as can be.”

“We take good care of our bodies. I guess as long as we stay thin, who cares? And we know that we’re doing everything right, so there’s no concern for us.”

“I guess so. But even smaller countries, ‘skinny’ countries in Africa are getting fatter. That’s weird.”

“This is a global trend, but it’s to be expected, right? I mean that’s why we are what we are. Trainers and nutritionists are more necessary than ever as more people get more access to more food and they forget to exercise.”

As they’re jogging, Isabelle spots a runner from her CrossFit gym jogging in their direction across the street.

“George, hold up. Trish! It’s Isabelle! How’re you doing?”

Trish pulled out her ear buds and waved.

“Hey Isabelle! I’m doing good, just going for a run!”

Isabelle noticed that something didn’t look right about Trish. Her abs were gone. In their place was a small belly that poked out of her leggings.

“What happened to your abs? Don’t tell me you’re part of the problem!”

“I don’t know. I haven’t changed my habits but I’ve put on 10 pounds in the past two weeks. I’m working extra hard to lose the weight and get my abs back!”

“Okay, well if you need help just let George and I know!”

George and Isabelle continued jogging. The more runners they saw, the more apparent it was that there was a noticeable trend of weight gain.

Once they made it home, Isabelle turned on the news.

“At the current rate of growth, it’s estimated that the U.S. will hit a 40% obesity rate by the end of the month, and a 50% rate by the end of February. At this point, the doctors’ consensus is that this sudden weight gain for many people is out of their control. Experiments and studies are being conducted to find the cause of these issues.”

“George?”

“Yes, Honey?”

“Don’t drink the tap water. The government is putting fattening chemicals in it.”

“Isabelle, have you gone off the rails?”

“No, but I’m scared of what’s going on.”

“Don’t worry. It’s all one coincidence. I’m sure in a week we’ll all look back and realize how silly we were.”

- 1 WEEK LATER -

“Coined MDD-20, or Metabolic Disruption Disease-2020, this virus attacks the body by increasing fat retention at an astounding rate. The range of effects can be from a simple 5-pound gain to a monstrous 100-pound gain or more in certain cases. This disease travels through saliva and bodily fluids and can be easily transmitted through the air. Once you have it, you’ll experience lethargy and potentially an increased appetite. If you suspect you have this disease, please self isolate until further instruction. If the entire population contracts this disease, in a few months or weeks time, clinics and hospitals could be overloaded with weight-related issues. States have already implemented social distancing measures and will continue to do so.”

“MDD-20... So we weren’t crazy.”

“Nope, Isabelle. You were right.”