Chapter 1 - Intro

Without even thinking, the obese girl stuffs another sweet breadroll between her greedy lips. Chews, gasps for breath, groans and swallows heavily. She barely even registers the sharp pain as it lands in her already overstuffed stomach, the grumbling in her hugely swollen abdomen. A healthy swig of beer, to keep the light buzz she needs to get through the ordeal, a pat on the shelf of her lardladen upper belly and a discreet belch, then she rings her bell, a sign for them to send in the next admirer. That’s what they call them, the spectators that stay on after the show, and pay handsomely for five minutes alone with her. Double, if they want to cop a feel.

She’s a sideshow spectacle, a human curio, a freak. She’s the fat lady.

She’s part of a touring theatre company, the kind with just enough real talent to draw a crowd in shabby little towns and backwards villages, stuffing the bill with cheap spectacle where talent is lacking. Too shoddy to ever make it big in the cities, but eking out a decent enough living off simple country folk. She’s part of the spectacle, although certainly not cheap – indeed, her act keeps half the troupe in gin and tobacco. As to whether eating is a talent, well, she neither knows nor cares. But she certainly practices a lot.

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