Chapter 1

Way under. Maybe nowhere near gaunt, but still decidedly a little plush, ok...too plush for her taste.

Sure, maybe his blood pressure had been through the roof and now with meds was near normal; and granted he was terribly out of shape, and perhaps he did feel a bit better with the weight gone .... but he sure missed his big belly and all the erotic sensations it gave him.
But did it change their love life? Not a chance.

"Loose another 20lbs and come see me" his wife said, lip curled up in mild disgust. "You still have a sloppy body. You're soft all over and there's no way you're touching me with it. Maybe if you quit eating so much, get off that fat butt of yours and just maybe take a jog through the woods daily for a couple of months to work off that lard...maybe."

So here he was...again... on his daily jog, his emotions and thoughts running wild as usual. How he hated this and hating what was outside, and so he disappeared inside himself, mindlessly waiting for the pain to end as he ran. Instead he daydreamed of a time and place where he was loved for who he was.

Ankles sore from disuse, every 280lb step of his 6 foot frame pounding on the trail was pure agony. "I'm getting too old for this" he thought to himself, his still ample flesh shuddering at every pace.

Soon he realized that he was on an unfamiliar trail and that the sun was definitely going down. Not good, he thought, despite the evening forest being so darn magical as the setting sun highlighted the fall colors of the trees.

Unsure of where to go and unable to recognize where he was, he shrugged once and started off in a direction he felt was homeward, enjoying the scenery. But it wasn't long before his stomach began rumbling from way down deep and he knew he was lost. He had only had a salad today and it clearly wasn't enough for a man of his stature.

It was surprisingly warm as he looked around trying to orient himself, his stomach growling yet again, sounding angry for being neglected. Even though his stomach had shrunk from his years of forced dieting, it DID need refueling.

A movement of some bushes at the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning towards it, he spotted what seemed to be an animal trail shrouded by dense foliage.
Where there are animals, there will be water, and possibly food. Yes he thought, water will ease the pains... So he followed the barely visible path, keeping his eyes open for any sign of something to relieve his hunger. The light was golden around him, haloed by the setting sun lancing through the trees as he worked his way through them. Suddenly one single ray behind him lit up a wonderful glen in front; a secluded opening in the forest sheltering a pristine pond, its banks inviting with long soft grasses and ferns.

He could hear the lapping of the water against the creek rocks. And he thought he heard something else...a voice....but no. That was just his imagination. He focused on the water as he made his way to the bankside.