Can't Say No

Chapter 1

Marlee lifted to the bottle to her lips and tipped it back, trying to get every last drop into her mouth. She only felt the barest trace of moisture drip onto tongue. Groaning, she replaced the empty canteen in her backpack, then shouldered it again. Taking a deep breath, Marlee set off again in the direction she’d been walking.

Logically, she knew it was a bad idea to keep moving. If someone was searching for her, it would be a lot harder for them to find a moving target. But she also hadn’t been gone long enough for anyone to worry yet. Plus, she knew these woods as well as anyone and was confident she could find her way back to the trailhead on her own.

The problem was that Marlee only had the vaguest idea where she was, which was incredibly frustrating. She’d been on this trail more times than she could count. She should have been able to follow it in her sleep. But here she was, still walking long after the point that she should have been back at her car, with no sign that she was even close.

Being lost wasn’t the only thing weighing on Marlee’s mind. Everything else about the situation was on the cusp of going from bad to worse. The absolute last drops of her water were gone, as were all the trails snacks she’d brought. Her phone battery was in single digits, not that she had enough signal to do anything with it. And her clothing—a simple tank top and shorts—would quickly prove inadequate once the heat of afternoon gave way to evening’s chill.

What am I gonna do?

There was nothing for it but to keep moving while she still had the energy. And that was one thing in her favor: Marlee could keep walking for a long time. Not that she considered herself particularly athletic. It was just that a lifetime of hiking had prepared her for this exact situation.

Even so, Marlee could feel herself near the end of her reserves.

Just keep going, she told herself. One foot in front of the other. Just gotta make it to the trailhead, then I can go home for a drink and something to eat.

The thought of food made Marlee’s mouth start to water. She’d eaten her last snack—a handful of trail mix—several hours ago, and she was starting to feel a little woozy.

I should have made myself another sandwich, she thought. Or grabbed another granola bar. Maybe that bag of chips, too, or some hard candy to suck on.

Marlee started to smile as she kept thinking about what foods she should have brought, which transitioned into what foods she was going to eat when she got home. As her celebratory meal plans grew ever more elaborate, she put a hand to her flat stomach and wondered if she’d even be able to eat it all. She’d never had a particularly hearty appetite, but she promised herself she’d find a way.

Maybe I’ll even manage a bit of dessert!

Tearing herself away from her introspection, Marlee forced her eyes to focus on her surroundings. She realized with a start that she’d stopped in the middle of the trail. Her cheeks started to burn. It was bad enough she’d gotten lost in a forest she knew like the back of her hand. Now she was getting lost in her own thoughts. If she wanted to reach safety, she needed to keep walking before…before…

She sniffed at the air. Was that cake?

Sure enough, the unmistakable scent of something sweet and warm filled her nostrils. Marlee turned her head this way and that, trying to determine what direction it was coming from. Realizing it was stronger to the left, she took a step into the underbrush, then hesitated. Maybe leaving the trail wasn’t such a good idea. After all, what if she was just hallucinating the smell?

Will it really make a difference? she thought. I’m still lost.

Feeling marginally better, Marlee ventured deeper into the woods. Dead leaves crunched under foot and brambles grabbed at her as she pushed forward, following that intoxicatingly sweet scent. With each step, the smell strengthened and her reservations diminished.

With unexpected suddenness, Marlee pushed through a thick stand of trees and emerged into a near-perfect circle devoid of anything taller than her knees. At the very center of it was a smooth, flat stone, upon which sat…something. Curious, Marlee moved closer.

The object had a name, though Marlee wasn’t sure what it was. Based on the smell and look, cake was sufficient but not good enough. The flaky crust said it was some kind of pastry, and the hints she could see of a gooey filling made her think of a pie. Whatever it was, Marlee’s mouth started to water. She didn’t know why something like this would be in the middle of the forest, but she was also too hungry to care. She started to reach for it, then stopped herself just shy of taking it.

It has to belong to someone, she told herself. I mean, it’s still warm.

Turning where she stood, Marlee ran her gaze along the clearing, checking to make sure she really was alone. Seeing no one, she put a hand to her mouth. “Um…hello?” she called softly. “Can anyone hear me?”

The clearing was just as quiet as it had been, with only the expected sounds of the forest: wind through the tree branches, the hum of insect wings, the musical tones of a nearby bird. Nothing to identify the mysterious owner of the baked good. She looked back down at it.

I really shouldn’t, she thought unconvincingly. It belongs to someone. It has to!

But the heady scent wafting up from the stone made it impossible to think straight and her stomach was starting to growl insistently. Well…maybe just a small bite, she told herself, picking up the morsel. Just a bit to help get my energy back.

From the first nibble, Marlee felt her knees grow weak. It was, without doubt, the most delicious thing she had ever tasted: warm and flaky, with hints of apple and cinnamon in a honeyed sweetness. She tried to restrain herself, to savor her one bite, but before she could stop herself, she had shoved the rest of it into her mouth, chewing rapaciously. All too soon, the pastry was gone, and Marlee was licking her fingers in search of any remaining trace.

Incredible! I wonder where it came from.

“You insufferable cow!”

The shrill voice made Marlee jump. Jolted from her reverie, she looked around to try spotting whoever had spoken. The clearing just was empty as before, though she could see…something that seemed to be hovering just inside the trees. It was the size of a bird, but it moved more like an insect. She took a few nervous steps backward, trying to find something to swat at it with just in case it…

The thing zoomed straight at her. Marlee flinched, though it stopped just short of her nose, hovering there. Marlee felt herself go cross-eyed as she tried to bring the thing into focus.

It wasn’t a bug.

“Wha…what…”

Hovering in front of her, wearing what looked like a dress made of leaves and being held aloft by the rapid flutter of iridescent wings, was a small, human-shaped figure. Human-shaped, but the blueish color of its skin and the glowing points of red in its eyes convinced Marlee that it wasn’t human.

“What are you?” she finally managed to splutter. She felt a sudden sharp pain and clutched her nose. Through watering eyes, Marlee realized the tiny creature had kicked her.

“Ignorant human!” the thing screeched in a thin, shrill voice. “Do you not know one of the fae folk when you see one?” Still holding her nose, Marlee shook her head. The creature scoffed. “Of course not, you ignorant fool!” she said. “That would account for your rudeness. What are you? A faerie, obviously! Indeed!”

“I…I’m sorry,” Marlee said. “I didn’t—”

“Why did you eat my tart?” the faerie demanded, pointing to the empty stone. “It was here, and now it’s gone! Disappeared inside your greedy mouth, no doubt!” The faerie glared at Marlee.

“Hey!” Marlee said, annoyed. “I am not—”

“Enough!” the faerie shrieked. “You have stolen from me, and you must pay!” She smiled at Marlee, showing very white, very sharp teeth. “And I know just what to do with you. The best way to repay you for your greed.”

“But I didn’t—”

The faerie ignored Marlee’s protests, instead moving close enough to place her small hand right between Marlee’s eyes.

“Since you ate my food, from this moment on you will never be able to refuse it! Whatever someone offers, you will be compelled to accept! No matter how full you may be, only one word will forevermore pass your lips—yes!”

“Now, hold—”

Marlee yelped as an electric shock hit her in the forehead. Wincing, she shook herself, trying to clear her vision. “Hold on a minute!” she yelled, looking around for the small fae, but the creature was already darting away, her tinkling laughter filling Marlee’s ears.

“You come…back…” Her eyes began to grow heavy and her shoulders started to droop. “Come…back…here…” she said slowly, her thoughts muddled. “You can’t…can’t…” Her eyes started to slide shut.

No!

“You can’t do this!”

She forced her eyes open and looked around for any sign of the faerie. But the creature wasn’t there, and neither was the clearing. Instead of the woods, Marlee was standing in front of a door, hand resting on the knob.

She was home.

How did I get here? Wasn’t I just somewhere else, or…did I imagine it?

Feeling dazed, Marlee opened the door and was immediately hit with the smell of something savory. Whatever it was, it made her mouth water and drove all other thoughts out of her mind.

“Marlee? That you?”

“I…uh…yeah, it’s me!”

“You want something to eat? I just made a bunch of mac and cheese.”

Marlee’s stomach growled hungrily. “Yes!”

She walked along the hall and entered the kitchen, where her roommate Blake stood in front of the stone. Blake was blonde and slim, usually with a good-natured smile on her pretty face and a mischievous light in her green eyes. Many people said there was a strong resemblance between the two—they were often mistaken for sisters—but Marlee didn’t necessarily agree.

“That smells incredible!” Marlee said.

“Take as much as you want,” Blake said, turning towards her. “I may have gone a little overboard. Hate to see it wasted.”

Nodding, Marlee grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and began filling it with warm, gooey pasta. It looked as good as it smelled, and as hungry as she felt it was all Marlee could do to make it to the kitchen table before she started eating.

What’s gotten into me?

The fleeting worry vanished like smoke as that first bite hit Marlee’s tongue. Moaning with pleasure, she began shoveling the mac and cheese into her mouth. She couldn’t remember ever having tasted anything so incredible as this perfect medley of cheese, garlic, and salt. What seemed like only a moment later, she was scraping the last remnant of sauce out of the bowl with her finger.

“Oh, damn!” Blake said, eyes wide. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat like that. Are you okay?”

Marlee felt her cheeks start burning. “I was hungry,” she said quietly.

“I can see that.” Blake glanced towards the stove. “There’s more left. You wanna finish it off?”

Clutching her tight stomach, Marlee tried to shake her head. But for some reason she couldn’t explain, eating the rest of the macaroni was the only thing she wanted to do. “Yes,” she said, pushing herself out of the chair and walking over. Her eyes widened a little when she saw exactly how much was left, but she was committed now and had no intention of backing down.

As Marlee started eating straight out of the pot, she wondered why she was still eating. She was well past full now, having reached stuffed and working towards gorged. She needed to stop, to put down the fork and walk away, but doing that with macaroni still in front of her seemed like such an impossible task.

Just…keep…going…

Whatever hunger Marlee had felt earlier had long since been stated. She wasn’t eating for sustenance now, but instead to satisfy a deep psychological need that even she didn’t understand. Her stomach was growing round and distended, pressuring the button of her shorts so much that she was mildly surprised it hadn’t popped. Sweat prickled her face and her vision started to swim. But she still couldn’t stop. Not while there was food in front of her.

What’s wrong with me?

Finally, with one final scrape of metal on metal, Marlee put the last forkful into her mouth, chewed, then swallowed. She collapsed back in the chair, hands clutching her distended stomach and breathing like she’d just run a marathon. Everything hurt, and she couldn’t understand why she’d just done that to herself.

“Wow!”

Marlee looked over at Blake, who was staring at her with quiet awe.

“What was that all about?” she asked.

“I…hic…don’t know,” Marlee replied tiredly. “I just…hic…couldn’t help myself.”

“Do you…” Blake licked her lips. “Do you want me to make you something else?”

Marlee whimpered softly. Her stomach was so tightly packed with food that she was certain one more bite would make her explode. She had to refuse, she wanted to refuse, but when she opened her mouth to tell Blake she needed sleep and to ask for help in getting to her room, only one word came out.

“Yes.”

Blake grinned eagerly. “How about some dessert, then? I think maybe there’s some ice cream in the freezer.” She practically ran to the refrigeration and threw the door open. Marlee tried to protest, but something—exhaustion, maybe—stayed her tongue.

I just won’t eat anything, she told herself. But when Blake put a massive bowl of ice cream, smothered in chocolate sauce, Marlee dutifully picked up the spoon. She tried to stop herself, to resist with every fiber of her being, but her hand moved with deliberate inevitability. She accepted the bite into her mouth, swallowed, then groaned.

It hurts so much! Why can’t I stop?

A sudden impression of glowing red eyes and a sharp-toothed smile came to mind. With rising panic, Marlee recoiled from the mental image without really understanding why. But then the moment passed, and she was back to laboriously eating the ice cream that Blake had given to her.

Each time she put the spoon into her mouth, Marlee told herself it would be the last. But instead of putting it down, she went in for another bite. Her attention started to drift, until she sat in a stupor, only vaguely aware that she was still eating. Time lost all meaning, and all physical sensations faded to the background, subsumed by repeated motions of scoop, bite, swallow.

Scoop.

Bite.

Swallow.

The spoon was halfway to Marlee’s mouth when she realized there wasn’t anything on it. In her fugue state, she’d managed to finish off the entire bowl of ice cream. She suddenly became aware of her body again as her packed gut started to throb. Whimpering softly, she reached for it gently and began to rub.

“Whoa,” Blake said softly.

Marlee’s eyes drifted tiredly over to her friend who, in the midst of her mindless glutting, she’d forgotten was still there watching. She opened her mouth to speak, then covered it with a hand, unsure if she’d be able to keep all the food down.

“What?” Marlee finally managed.

Blake stared at her in wide eyed wonder. “How did you do that?”

Marlee shook her head. “Don’t know,” she whispered, fading fast. It was already a struggle to keep her head up and her eyes open.

“Do…do you need anything else?” Blake asked.

“No!” Marlee replied quickly. “Just…bed…help.”

She remembered nothing after that.