Chapter 0: Prologue

“If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that—for that—I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!”----The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde




“Come on, this has to fit” Lillian fumed; she gave a deep sigh and gave up as the skirt was just not going to fit. Lillian looked at her reflection and sighed,
“I hate my genetics” she said. Lillian White was 23 and was graduating college as of today. Lillian sighed and then stepped on the scale. She was 141 pounds and was starting to get chubby and put a hand on her belly. She had started College at 110. Lillian was 5 foot 5 and had long light brown hair with dark eyes. She was considered very attractive despite her weight but she was overly self-conscious about it, especially owing to the fact that all women in her family seemed to naturally get fat it seemed as her mother, aunt and grandmother were not small women.


They had too started slim or slightly chubby like Lillian, had but sooner or later had begun to balloon, usually through college, to giant sizes. Her mother alone had ballooned to 470 odd pounds by the time she was 30 and her aunt Helen had ballooned to 530 pounds by 30, as well as her grandmother who was 600 pounds currently and from what Lillian could see, she was looking to be going the same way as them all.
“Why do all the women in my family get fat, like we’re cursed” Lillian fumed as she threw the skirt on her bed. Lillian had been finding she had begun to gain weight very easily lately like they all had, only unlike them she didn’t just except it.


Lillian didn’t want to be obese but she was just so hungry lately as she looked up at the time and sighed; she grabbed a pair of sweatpants she had thrown on the bed and put them on as she was already late to meet her friends. Today she and her two friends were picking up their graduation pictures and were heading back to the campus office to pick them up. She walked hoping the small amount of exercise might just change anything, even though she knew it wouldn’t. After a 30 minute walk she arrived at the campus gate and saw her two friends standing outside the campus office.
“Hey Lil” Heather said and Molly smiled at her waving. Lillian waved and smiled weakly at them as she looked at them both.


Molly O’Hara was short and stocky with a plump figure herself. She had Dark brown hair and green eyes with freckles across her cheeks. She had the biggest bust size out of the three friends with E size cups. She also had wide hips.
“Hey you were late what happened?” Molly asked.
“Wardrobe issue” Lillian said and sighed as she looked at Heather. Heather Green was the perfect example of the girl all the boys want. She was skinny and slim with all the right curves and had a figure many boys lusted after. She was a little taller than Lillian and had dyed blond hair and blue eyes. Lillian hated one thing though about her friend. Heather was a big eater, ate more than she had over the three years she had known her, and had not gained a single damn pound at all.


“No worries Lillian, Shall we head in then?” Molly asked as they nodded. Being next to Heather was another reminder of how self-conscious Lillian was over her weight and body. She wished she could eat all she wanted and like Heather could not gain weight and get fat like her family. They entered the office and saw a few people there ahead of them where a woman was stationed to hand out the pictures. When they stepped up the woman smiled at them,
“Hello how may I help you?” she asked.
“Hi we’re here to collect graduation pictures for Lillian White, Molly O’Hara and Heather Green” Lillian said. The woman looked at her list and then at their student IDs before she looked through two large boxes before she pulled out the three pictures.
“Here you three are and good luck in the real world” the woman said with a smile.


The three girls were walking back down the street as they looked at their pictures,
“How’s the job hunting going anyway?” Molly asked Lillian and Heather.
“Not good, I can’t really find anything” Heather sighed. Heather may have been popular but she wasn’t the best academically and had just managed to pass all her courses.
“Too bad you can’t make a job out of that appetite of yours” Molly quipped as she grinned,
“Just because you’re envious that I can eat like a pig and not gain weight” Heather said as Lillian flushed red. Molly rolled her eyes,
“Mark my words one day that metabolism won’t be enough and you’ll balloon up too I bet” Molly said still grinning as Lillian saw Heather blush and go quiet.


“That will never happen if I have anything to say about it” Heather scoffed under her breath as they continued to walk. Lillian had known Molly since they were kids and both had known Heather since they were all 15. Molly and Heather often butted heads as both were friends with Lillian rather than each other but got on well enough with one another. Back then there had been four of them as Lillian had also known a boy named Kevin since they were kids too. Kevin had moved away when he was 17 and had not got on as well with Heather as Molly did. Kevin was sweet as Lillian had loved hanging out with him but Heather didn’t care for him that much as she often called him a bookworm and a nerd but Lillian liked that about him.


“We still on for the club tonight?” Lillian asked as both nodded.
“You bet we are, one last girl’s night to end it before we all leave our college days behind us forever” Heather said. Every weekend whilst they had been students they had done Girls night at the simply named Red Club to relax and get drunk together and talk before heading to one of their flats to pass out in. The Club wasn’t far from the college campus and was just a 10 minute walk. It was a well-known place on campus among the current students and the recently celebrating college graduates too.
“See you girls later” Heather said as they all separated to go home and get ready as it was already getting late in the afternoon.


Although Lillian loved the idea of one last night out she fretted about what to wear as she had out grown her nice pair of jeans and pale blue top she always wore a month ago and all three of them had been so busy with final exams they hadn’t gone out to the club in a good 2 months. Thankfully Lillian found a red dress that had enough stretch to fit her but made her look very plumped out as she paired it with a black cardigan to try and use the black to make her look a little slimmer. She was thankful that the combo hid her slight belly as much as it did before she headed out.


She was the second to arrive as Molly was already there as she was standing outside. Molly had gone for a simpler look as she had jeans on and a black dress over it with a pale blue short sleeved cardigan.
“Hey is Heather here yet?” Lillian asked,
“No I got here just a few minutes ago, you know how she fusses over what she wears to make sure she gets the most attention from the boys” Molly smirked and half sighed. By the time Heather arrived they both knew Molly had been right on the money. Heather had opted for her pair of `look at me boys` jeans that made her perfect ass stand out and a tank top that showed her impressive D cup boobs off too.


“Ready girls? Let’s head on in” Heather beamed before she led the charge inside. It was clear quickly they weren’t the only ones celebrating tonight. They saw many familiar faces around them in the packed club as they had to push through to find a table to sit at.
“Oh good it’s still free” Molly said as she spotted their usual spot in the corner by the bar and quickly made her way over and sat down.
“First round is on me” Heather smiled as she walked to the bar as Lillian joined Molly. They watched as Heather went to the bar and within minutes was being talked to by guys,
“Must be nice to be the popular girl and not the slightly cubby friend” Lillian sighed, only a couple of months ago she was being talked to like that until she started to get chubby and now it was like she didn’t exist. Molly audibly sighed,
“Stop trying to compare yourself to her, you’re fine just the way you are” Molly said with a serious tone as Molly hated how Heather’s attitude had affected Lillian’s self-confidence lately.


“You sound just like Kevin” Lillian sighed as Molly nodded,
“Yeah and I happen to agree with him” Molly softly smiled as Heather arrived back with the drinks. Heather handed three full pint glasses of beer around and sat down.
“To the future and to us graduating” Heather called,
“Cheers!” the three said as they raised their pint glasses and downed the beer. They chatted and talked more as they drank as both had forgotten just how much Molly could drink.
“Another round” Molly called as she looked passed tipsy already. Heather and Lillian watched her walk away to get the next round before giggling.
“God that girls knows how to drink, then again she is Irish” Heather giggled. Lillian giggled to before Molly came back and put three more pints of beer down.


Lillian and Heather gave up trying to keep up with Molly as they kept to their own pace as Heather was bought drinks by a few guys too. Not a single guy had done so for Lillian at all as the small knot of envy she had towards Heather pulsed. Once all three decided to call it a night they staggered out onto the street both trying to support Molly’s weight.
“That….wash a ghud night” Molly said slurring as the three walked slowly and unsteadily back to Heather’s flat, hers was the closest and given Molly was a heavy 215 pounds they didn’t want to carry her any further.
“You shaid it……hic……….” Heather slurred as she gave a drunken giggle.
“Uhh Huh” Lillian agreed as she wasn’t as drunk as either of them but still fairy so. Slowly they made their way towards Heather’s street and then made their way up and inside by nearly half past midnight in the morning.


Heather fumbled with her keys before she finally got it into the lock and opened the door staggering in.
“Welcome home girlsh” Heather slurred as they lumbered into the living room. Molly looked to be out of it as she was barely able to stand anymore as both Lillian and Heather had to help her to an armchair and make sure she was okay. Lillian closed the front door once Molly was settled as Lillian got a bin ready in case Molly vomited anything but it was rare that she did as she held her drink well.
“There we go” Lillian said as Molly moaned and turned in the chair, she looked like she had passed out already.
“Aww she’s shhhoooo cute when she’s slheeping” Heather slurred as Lillian giggled. Lillian dropped onto the sofa next to Heather and sighed heavily.
“I hate to think how much fat this alcohol is going to turn into tomorrow” Lillian said as Heather sighed.


“Sucks we can’t stay looking like that forever, you’ll blow up like all the women in your family and I’ll no doubt end up a blimp too like Molly said. But I hate exercising and love food too much” Heather sighed. Lillian nodded as she was the exact same.
Yeah well we all have to deal with what the future may hold, can’t outrun it forever” Molly slurred from the armchair, this surprised them as they thought she was passed out already.
“I thought you were asleep?” Lillian asked as Molly groaned. Heather was still staring at her Picture on the coffee table. Lillian sighed and looked at Heather,
“Sucks there’s nothing we can do though, I’d give anything to not get fat and be able to eat and not blow up like a balloon” Lillian said.


“Don’t joke about that Lil, it’s not good to tempt fate” Molly said sternly. Molly had sat up and was looking at her seriously.
Heather and Lillian often forget Molly and her family were religious as her parents were devout Catholics. “Sorry, I know you are superstitious about that stuff” Lillian said as Molly nodded.
“For good reason” Molly said as she groaned. Heather looked dismissive as she always did about Moly’s faith. Molly gave her a stern look and spoke again, “I’m serious Heather, nothing is worth selling just to not get fat” Molly said before finally she passed out for the night.


Heather looked uncomfortable and put a hand to her flat belly,
“Easy for you to say, you’re not afraid of being a fat blimp who hates her body, so maybe it is worth it to stay slim” Heather said as Molly snored.
“I mean maybe she is right….” Lillian murmured as Heather sighed,
“So you’d happily blow up till you’re as big as your grandmother or Aunt?” Heather asked as Lillian squirmed on the spot.
“I don’t know Heather, what if Molly is right and we are tempting fate?” Lillian asked, but Heather scoffed. Heather stood up and walked over and picked up her graduation portrait and held it up.
“I wish I would stay slim and beautiful like I am in this picture, I think it would be worth anything, even my soul” Heather said.


Lillian stared as she was stunned,
“Heather what are you….” Lillian was shocked but Heather turned to her and walked over to Lillian,
“Come on not like it’s real. Come on you yourself said you’d give anything right” Heather said as Lillian stayed silent. At that moment a cold chill swept the room as they both shivered a little. “I bet I left a window open” Heather said as she found her living room window was a little ajar and pulled it closed. Heather yawned as she went to go curl up on the bed and wished Lillian good night. Lillian sat there as she found it hard to sleep that night. She was thinking of what Heather had said and what Molly had warned. She didn’t want to blow up and she hated the idea of even being chubby but what if Molly was right and they were tempting fate?


She managed to get a couple of hours sleep before the sun rose and Heather came walking in yawning.
“Morning you two, I’ll make our usual hangover breakfast” Heather said. Molly was coming around and groaned loudly as Heather pulled open the curtains and light flooded the room making Molly put her head under a cushion to block the light out. After they had the light breakfast they all felt a lot better as Molly was the first to leave and thanked them both as she had to go and finish packing to move for her new job.
“Thanks for breakfast Heather, hope you find something soon” Lillian said with a smile.
“Me too girl, I have to move back in with my parents after this, my lease is up in a few weeks” Heather sighed. They hugged and promised to stay in touch before Lillian left to head back home too.


Lillian was still tired when she got back to her flat a she decided to try and get a few more hours sleep. She headed into her bedroom and stripped off down to her bra and panties and caught her reflection and stared at it carefully. Looking down she gave a sigh at her belly that was sticking out a few inches. She put a hand to it and pinched a clear couple inches of fat on her chubby middle.
“I Really don’t want to get fat” she whispered under her breath before she caught the sight of her graduation photo on her desk by the bed. She walked over and picked it up and stared at it, “I really do wish that I could be slim and stay slim no matter how much I eat, even if it did mean my soul” she sighed in frustration.


There was another chill as she shivered a little and then felt a sense of dread before she looked around and saw her bedroom window was open.
“Just…Just the wind” she sighed as she walked over and closed it. She grabbed her t shirt and closed her curtains and tucked herself in under the bed covers and curled up to get comfortable as soon enough her tiredness kicked in and she was fast asleep.


Looking on at this from the shadows unseen to her or anyone else there sat a figure as he sat back in a chair and was playing with a pack of playing cards, his left leg crossed over the top of his right leg.
“Deal accepted but you should have really listened when your friend warned you about tempting fate. Well then Miss Green, Miss White time to see how this plays out when I come back to check on you in 10 years’ time” he said before he vanished.