Feeling Blue in the Inventing Room

Chapter 1 - Feeling Blue in the Inventing Room

I feel a strange sensation in my stomach. It's like a swirling or bubbling. Little by little I can feel more pressure build as the swirling intensifies. I almost feel ill, like nauseated, but there's also something that feels good about it. Maybe if I wasn't wearing my belt I wouldn't feel so weird. I'm distracted by the sensations that I miss the talk of my skin turning blue.

Because my stomach still feels strange I rub it with my hand and that's when I saw the blue color spreading.

"Why is my skin blue?!"

"I told you I didn't have it quite right yet..." says Mr. Wonka calmly.

Just then the pressure and swirling sensation turns up a notch and I can feel my stomach growing.

"Violet, what are you doing now?" cries my boyfriend, Charlie.

I can feel my body growing, puffing up as if I'm having a major allergic reaction. The swelling in my limbs experience the same type of pressure and swirling sensations.

My blue maxi dress and leggings are stretchy, although I can feel my body grow within its confines.

My middle looks ridiculous as the swelling has grown proportionately bigger and is being contained by my belt. I can't believe this is happening.

"I feel funny!" I cry out loud.

My belt starts getting tighter around my waist and the material digging into my skin is painful. I hear the belt groan and creak. I feel like I can't breathe as the swelling carries on throughout my body, especially in my abdomen.

My arms and legs continue to grow, and I’m thankful my long sleeves and leggings have been able to contain my limbs thus far. I can't move or bend my arms to take the belt off.

In desperation, I decide to create more pressure against the belt and push my stomach out to make it break.

"ARGH!" I yell as the belt makes a big explosive sound, popping off my body finally.

I feel relieved to breathe again, however it feels like a tsunami crashing within my stomach. My midsection is massive. With the belt breaking I'm caught off balance and I almost fall over due to my sheer size and weight.

"What's happening to me?!"

"You're blowing up like a balloon!" exclaims Charlie.

"Like a blueberry," Wonka says quietly and calmly. Someone may see his demeanor as bored and apathetic.

A blueberry! I'm blowing up like a blueberry! The pressure and swirling continue and I realize this must be blueberry juice.

"Someone call an ambulance," cries one lady.

"Stick her with a pin," says one snarky girl and she throws her head back with a laugh.

"No, that'll make her pop!" says an older gentleman.

"Mr. Wonka, please! Please deflate her!" Charlie begs.

"She doesn't need deflating." Wonka says poignantly. Charlie looks over at me with confusion. I feel helpless as my form continues to morph and fill out more. I am so heavy. I feel a strange sensation of the swelling increasing so much that my arms and legs are becoming a part of my spherical shape. I hear some stitching pop here and there as I continue growing. Somehow I’m lucky enough that I’m still covered. My maxi dress keeps getting shorter and shorter though.

"Blowing up like a blueberry." Charlie says more to himself than anyone else. Then his face lights up.

"Mr. Wonka! If she's blowing up like a blueberry... she needs to be... I feel crazy saying it, but juiced or something!"

"My boy, I knew you were catching on!" Wonka says excitedly.

"HELP! HELP!" I scream. I'm not taking in any of the words between Wonka and Charlie. The pressure is getting to be too much. It feels like this is never going to end. The guests on the tour are just staring at me agape. The older gentleman is shaking his head, disapproving of me not listening to Wonka. The snarky girl's face reveals shock and also a smugness. A teenage boy slowly walks up and reaches out his hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask nervously. I can't run away from him and I'm not sure what he's trying to do. His hand makes contact with my midsection. Well, what used to be my midsection. He rubs his hand against me with a look of surprise on his face. My maxi dress is closer to becoming a shirt if I don’t stop inflating.

"Don't do that!" I feel embarrassed and violated in a way. The teen ignores me, makes a fist, and pumps it against my body. It feels strange and I can feel the juice sloshing inside with the movement.

"Stop!" I yell. His mother steps forward and pulls him back to the main group. She's scolding him quietly. I think I hear her say "stay away from that thing!" THING?! I don't know how much more I can take.

Charlie is still talking to Wonka. I can't hear them anymore. What are they saying?

I start to cry because there's nothing left I can do. I close my eyes to shut out all the staring eyes and hope this is all a nightmare.

"Violet!" Charlie says. I open my eyes after what seems like a couple minutes. He's standing in front of me. "They're going to roll you to the juicing room. It's just you're not... ready yet." He says carefully.

"What do you mean? Please, please make it stop. I feel like I'm going to... going to..." I can't say the word.

"Explode, my dear?" Mr. Wonka says behind Charlie. "I told you not to."

Tears are flooding from my eyes. I'm going to explode because I didn't listen.

"Violet, that's what we're trying to tell you," says Charlie calmly. "We aren't going to let you explode. Mr. Wonka was telling me about the juicing process." Charlie looks over at Mr. Wonka.

"Yes, it's a rather simple operation. We have to wait for the right time to juice you." Mr. Wonka reaches out his hand and pushes gently against my side. "Which will be soon." By this point my arms and legs are all but gone, leaving my hands and feet sticking out of my humongous body.

Before I can respond, Wonka takes out a small flute and plays a very short tune. What is that for?

"Please, everyone, back up and lend some space." Wonka uses his cane to push the group back, including Charlie.

"Space for what?!" I still don't understand what's going on and now I'm so puffed up I can feel my body pressing up against my chin.

"Violet, it's going to be okay. I promise!" Charlie replies. His eyes are showing worry though. I wish he wasn’t so far away.

A group of oompa loompas step forward and are quietly chatting amongst themselves. I can't hear what they're saying although I swear I hear a giggle here and there. I can't see all of them since my body is so large and in my line of sight. I start hearing chatter around me instead of just in front of me. I try to look around to figure out what they’re doing.

A couple of them are standing right in front of me where I can see them. They're gesturing and it seems they're judging my size. Suddenly the oompas are walking slowly around me. This makes me more uneasy and I try to take a couple steps to gauge what's happening. I hear one oompa laugh outright after I fail to move very far. They’re taking in more of my shape based on the gesturing I see and the small pushes I feel against my huge body. I feel violated again. They are pushing in so many places. Their hands press into me for a moment and I can feel my skin indent. When they let go my skin bounces. The oompas in front of me are also pushing into me. I can't quite see them since they're standing directly underneath what would be considered my stomach. I start feeling overwhelmed with all the touching and a small whimper leaves my lips. One of the oompas steps back in response and he looks me in the eyes. I feel like I'm going to start crying again. The oompa nods and says something to his companion. Then he gives a command and I sense the message being sent around me.

All of a sudden I feel lots of hands on my back and sides. The two oompas standing in front of me are directing the others. To do what, I'm not sure until I can feel myself moving, as if the goal is to tilt me on my back.

"Please don't!" I yell out. I start flapping my hands in distress. Charlie's words about rolling me have escaped my memory. I feel so helpless as the oompas tilt me back without issue even though I'm flapping about. Once my feet leave the ground I start kicking. I know it is futile to do, but it's a natural instinct to keep fighting. My leggings have overall stayed intact, which is surprising and I’m very grateful.

I hear Charlie call my name. I'm on my back now and I can't see anyone. It's very disorienting since I'm spherical. Only a bit of my back is on the actual ground and I feel even bigger now than when I was standing. I start hyperventilating.

"Charlie! Mr. Wonka!" I yell out, and then I give another yell as the oompa loompas start pushing me about. I can’t quite see where I am in the Inventing Room at any given moment and at times I don’t see any people around as I roll across the floor. Eventually I make it back to the area where we started and the oompas turn me one more time. For one second I can see Charlie and then I’m rolling through a set of large doors.

"They know what they're doing, Violet. They're going to help you!" I can hear Charlie's voice.

"Don't worry, my dear. I take good care of my guests," adds Wonka. He doesn't sound as indifferent as before. Or maybe I'm delusional.