Chapter Five: Hungering Shadows

I thanked her, feeling a strange mix of excitement and trepidation. That evening, as Will and I shared dinner, I discreetly poured the liquid into his drink. He didn't notice, and we continued our meal as usual, laughing and chatting about our day.

Later, as we got ready for bed, I felt a thrill of anticipation. What could his deepest desire be? Whatever it was, I felt confident it would only bring us closer.

Days passed, and I watched Will closely, waiting for any sign that the spell had taken effect. I imagined all sorts of things, from a hidden talent he wished to pursue to a dream vacation he longed to take. Each night, as we lay in bed, I wondered if tonight would be the night.

Then, one evening, I noticed a change in Will. He seemed distracted, his thoughts far away. As we prepared for bed, he was unusually quiet, his brow furrowed in concentration. I felt a flutter of excitement—was this it?

As we lay down, Will turned to me, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion I had rarely seen. "Vanessa," he said softly, "there's something I've been thinking about a lot lately."

I took his hand, my heart pounding. "What is it, Will? You can tell me anything."

He hesitated, looking away for a moment before shaking his head. "It's nothing, really. Just some things on my mind."

I squeezed his hand reassuringly. "It's okay, Will. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm here."

He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thanks, Ness. I appreciate that."

As we lay there, the room growing quiet, my mind raced with possibilities. What could his deepest desire be? The witch's warning echoed in my thoughts, but I brushed it aside. I knew Will, or at least I thought I did. Whatever his desire was, it couldn't be something that would change how I felt about him.

In the days that followed, I couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation. Every time Will seemed lost in thought, my curiosity grew. I wondered if he was on the brink of revealing his deepest wish, and what it could be that he hadn't shared with me yet.

Despite the unanswered questions, I felt a sense of excitement. The spell had been cast, and whatever came next, I was ready to face it with Will by my side. The love we shared was strong, and I believed it could withstand anything, even the revelation of his most intimate desire.

As the weeks passed leading up to Will's birthday, I noticed something strange happening to me. My usual lack of appetite had been replaced by an insatiable hunger. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and I couldn't seem to get enough food. It started subtly at first—a second helping of dinner, a late-night snack—but soon, my cravings became overwhelming.

I found myself constantly thinking about food. At the shop, I couldn't wait for lunch breaks, eagerly anticipating the moment I could devour my meal. Customers would come and go, and all I could think about was what I would eat next. I tried to keep my growing appetite in check, but it was impossible. The hunger gnawed at me, relentless and unyielding.

One evening, Will suggested ordering pizza, a treat we both enjoyed. I eagerly agreed, already fantasizing about the cheesy goodness. When the delivery arrived, I found myself ravenously devouring slice after slice. By the time I finished my third pizza, I felt uncomfortably full, my stomach bloated and distended. I looked down at my midsection, shocked by how round and tight it had become.

"Wow, Ness," Will said, his eyes wide with surprise. "I’ve never seen you eat so much."

I tried to laugh it off, but the truth was, I felt self-conscious and confused. "Yeah, me neither. I guess I was really hungry."

As the days went by, my appetite only grew. I found myself eating constantly—snacks between meals, large portions at every sitting. My body was changing, and it was becoming impossible to ignore. My once-flat stomach now bulged, a constant reminder of my newfound hunger. My clothes, which had always fit loosely, were now tight and uncomfortable. Buttoning my pants became a daily struggle, the waistband digging into my bloated belly.

One morning, as I was getting dressed for work, I realized my favorite pair of jeans no longer buttoned. I tugged at the waistband, trying in vain to make the button meet the hole, but it was no use. Frustrated, I opted for a pair of sweatpants, the elastic band providing some relief to my swollen stomach. I stood in front of the mirror, examining my reflection. My normally slender frame looked unfamiliar, my once-bony stomach now soft and protruding.

I felt a mix of emotions—confusion, frustration, and a tinge of embarrassment. What was happening to me? Was this some bizarre side effect of the spell I had cast? I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a connection, but I didn't dare voice my suspicions to Will. He had enough on his mind with his birthday approaching, and I didn't want to add to his worries.

At work, my colleagues began to notice the change. Jenna, always blunt, commented on my appearance one afternoon. "Vanessa, are you okay? You’ve been eating a lot lately, and you look... different."

I forced a smile, trying to brush off her concern. "I'm fine, Jenna. Just a little hungrier than usual, I guess."

She looked unconvinced but didn't press the issue. I spent the rest of the day feeling self-conscious, my bloated stomach a constant distraction. I couldn't concentrate on anything but the discomfort and the insatiable hunger that continued to gnaw at me.

In the evenings, Will and I continued our routine of shared dinners and quiet nights in. He seemed oblivious to the extent of my discomfort, though I noticed him glancing at my swollen belly from time to time. I tried to act normal, but it was getting harder to hide how I felt.

One night, as we sat on the couch watching TV, I found myself absentmindedly rubbing my bloated stomach. The sensation was strange, my skin stretched tight over the fullness beneath. Will noticed and placed a hand on my leg, concern etched on his face.

"Are you sure you’re okay, Ness?" he asked softly. "You’ve been eating so much lately. It's not like you."

I sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "I don’t know, Will. I can’t explain it. I’m just... hungry all the time."

He looked at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Maybe we should see a doctor or something."

I shook my head, not ready to take that step. "Let's give it a little more time. Maybe it’s just a phase."

But deep down, I knew something was wrong. As the weeks went by, my hunger showed no signs of abating. My belly continued to grow, the bloating more pronounced with each passing day. My clothes no longer fit, and I resorted to wearing loose, stretchy garments to accommodate my expanding stomach. Every meal left me feeling uncomfortably full, yet the hunger persisted.

The approach of Will's birthday filled me with a mix of anticipation and dread. I was excited to celebrate with him, but I couldn't shake the feeling that my own issues would overshadow the occasion. As I lay in bed each night, my stomach bloated and tight, I wondered what his deepest desire could be and how it was connected to the spell.

And as his birthday drew closer, I couldn't help but hope that whatever it was, it would provide some answers—or at least a reprieve from the relentless hunger that had taken over my life.