Chapter 1 - the eating contest

"Alright, line up. We've got a camera so we can all count after it's over, and it's already rolling. Let's get going." I took my seat, taking full notice of each curve and roll in my belly, how my love handles were overstretching even my maternity pants. Fat just doesn't hold up fabric the way bones do, and my clothes had probably been increasing in weight in proportion to my own gut. Maybe it was time to tell the other girls about the virus? How this was all my fault? I looked around at them, and they seemed thrilled to consume thousands of callories of hot dogs, saturated in saturated fat. I shrugged, and tried to play along. It was a lot easier than I thought.
Maybe it was having had the virus twice. I was left to wonder, as I sped past my roommates, easily taking the lead and holding it, only stopping when there were no more hot dogs left. Some quick math put me at around 32. Breathing was tough, and I was left huffing and puffing, holding my painfully distended gut, stretched out as much as I could to ease pressure on it. My roommates just stared at me.
"I didn't realize that would go so easily." Anna said quietly.
"Yeah, I almost expected her to need some encouragement." Kristie giggled. I just stared at them, waiting, hoping for some explanation.
"Oh come on. You don't really expect us to believe that we all suddenly got fat for no reason. You've been egging it on. Anna's told us about what's going on at the college. You know we all have had dates there recently." I truly began to feel horrified. What were they telling me? Just because I won an eating contest, they felt they had gotten revenge for my accidental release of a virus? Why were they... were they suggesting this could be sexually transmitted?!
"You already had the virus, of course. Probably gave it to all of us. But now our boyfriends are getting fat. I know this isn't what you wanted, but when you play with fire... well, maybe that isn't the best metaphor. Every one of those hot dogs you just wolfed down had about a week's supply of bovine growth hormone. That's a week's supply for a cow." I was confused.
"But.. but you ate them as well." I thought they were enjoying their weight gain. They seemed to be celebrating it, almost. I didn't want to mention that, though, as it would clearly indicate my guilt. They all just smiled at me, devilishly. "But why?"
"Only yours had the hormone. And it's a newly devised one, made for more fat than muscle gain. To be honest, we only recently figured it out. We don't pay much attention to your research. It's... well, it's kind of scary, really. But then Anna kind of let the cat out of the bag. She's fine with the weight gain, and to be honest, it's been great to have an excuse to really let go. But I at least have known you long enough to know that you don't want to be fat. It terrifies you. You spent more hours at the gym in college than studying. So I feel it's fair revenge to make you face that fear as hundreds, maybe thousands of college students become obese for some sick experiment of yours." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wanted to get up and run, but I had nowhere else to go, and suspected that moving would be very difficult with how incredibly stuffed I was. And the most ***ed up part, I was already hungry again.
"So. It seems we have a pretty solid plan for your torture, by the look on your face." Sylvia cooed, showing a malicious side I'd never seen from her before. She leaned in close to me, and tapped my belly twice. I winced in real pain each time. "I also think we might have some willing compatriots. Personally? I was rather happy maintaining the figure I had. Sure, it wouldn't last forever, but.." she pulled up her shirt and patted a round protrusion, at least 40 pounds more than she had been, and let it jiggle. "I didn't want this. And a lot of sorority girls didn't want that. Sure, the virus could have just happened naturally, but I suspect if we go through your notes, we'd find enough evidence to convince them it was your fault." I just gaped, feeling like if I spoke, I'd belch, and not wanting to give them that satisfaction.
"I'd never intentionally infect-"
"We've already gone through your journals. You knew you exposed yourself, and then you knew you exposed us and those students. You were studying us." Anna said, saying the most damning words in an almost cheerful tone. I found myself stammering, trying to think of some way to defend myself, when my stomach rumbled, loudly. My roommates all laughed. "I think she's ready for more."
"Let's use a few more of those tricks and toys we already bought. Maybe let her sleep for a while, and get those college girls over for a proper feeding." Sylvia had always seemed so nice, and now seemed to be filled with hate and malice. Tricks and toys? They must have seen her quizical expression. She still felt too full to speak, though amazingly hungrier than she thought she had ever been in her life. Kristie giggled loudly.
"We managed to get just about every substance known to man to cause weight gain. Specifically abdominal obesity. We're only gonna use a couple to kick start the process tonight, but we'll probably let those sorority girls have pretty much free reign tomorrow."
"Wha-... why? I thought we were friends. Anna, we... we got so close. This is just cruel. Please, I beg you-"
"The only way this isn't going to happen is if you cure us. All of us." Sylvia pounded a fist on the table for emphasis.
"A cure would.." I wanted to say it might not be possible, especially for one lone researcher that couldn't just devote everything to that project, but thought the better of it. "A cure could take some time." Just then, I felt a hand under my chin, and another on my forehead, tilting my head back and forcing my mouth open. Liquid was being poured in. A bitter tasting liquid. My mouth was then forced shut and my nose pinched.
"That wasn't the answer we wanted to hear. You have your controls for your experiment, now we have a variable. Until you make the cure, we're going to make you as fat as possible. I believe from your research a 20% gain in body fat is typical? Let's see what we can do." Anna was enjoying this way too much. I was about to demand to know what was in the liquid I had just had to drink, when my stomach rumbled painfully. I felt exhausted by all the eating, and knew I couldn't fight back effectively as I felt my hands being tied to the chair I was sitting in. I began to get worried when they tied my feet as well.
"How much do you know about factory farming?" Sylvia demanded of me.
"Um... it's cruel and inhumane?" I knew she at least used to be a vegan, and a rather militant one.
"I used to never touch that stuff. Then your ***ing virus changed me. So I'm going to show you what it's like to be factory fed. First off, there's the hormones. Check. Next, caffeine, so you're up longer and eating more. We'll get there. Then there's a special dietary mix. We've made yours so it blasts your glucose levels up immediately, setting the stage perfectly for fat storage. We've also added a few other things. Basically anything Amazon sold that was supposed to cause weight gain." Sylvia grinned. "You've just tried some. We even managed to get some anti-psychotic prescription drugs that should help keep you nice and sedated and apparently can cause amazing weight gain. We've already given you a pretty good dose, you're probably feeling it now. Just think. The next time you come to full consciuousness, you'll be the fattest victim of your virus on record!"
"I can't..." I started to try to explain that I couldn't work on a cure in this state, but she was right. The drugs had a hold on me. I remember practically nothing of the past few days- only brief glimpses of random people spoon feeding me.
I woke up in what seemed to be a hospital room. I tried to get up, but even my arms were too heavy to lift. I looked down and felt the resistance of at least a few chins fighting me. I was enormous. I had no idea how long the torture had lasted, but I apparently required a specially wide hospital bed. I just sobbed, and couldn't even wipe my tears away.
"Ms. Williams?" a chubby young doctor was approaching with a look of concern.
"It's Dr. Williams. But yes." I wanted a new identity. Dr. Williams wasn't the whale in this bed.
"Sorry. I just wanted to tell you that you're going to be fine. You were a bit dehydrated when your friends brought you in, and we were initially concerned about your weight, but your cholesterol levels and blood pressure are all in the normal range. Any weakness you feel is probably the result of some of the psychiatric medications we've been trying on you. Apparently the last ones you were on may have caused the problem."
"I'm not supposed to be on any psychiatric drugs." I said it simply, it was just a fact for me. I had never needed them before, and I didn't need them now. Unless they were for dieting or something.
"Dr. Williams, I'm afraid a court, based on the advice of a medical pannel, has found you to be suffering from advanced anorhexia nervosa. We're attempting to treat this here." I was blown away. Could he not see all this fat? Anorhexia?!
"Doctor, that can't be right. I'm a victim of torture. I was force-fed by my roommates, and more, I was infected with a virus that causes weight gain. I'm probably close to 3 times what I weighed about a year ago." I patted my spare tire, now fit for a tractor, for emphasis.
"Miss, we've been over this. This is a symptom of the disease. The police duly investigated these claims, and found your friends innocent. They've been remarkably helpful in your recovery even despite those accusations."
"Doctor, just... just tell me one thing. What do I weigh?" I accepted my powerlessness. I just wanted to know the damage.