A Berry Cure? Rough draft (Updated)

A Berry Cure?

Christen tapped her hands on side of the counter as she watched the customer leave, rushing to the doorway with their sandwich in hand. “I hope you like your food.”

The lady turned her head and narrowed her green eyes. “If I catch your blueberry cold from this I am going to sue this establishment.” She pushed the doors open and rushed out into the falling snow.

Christen sighed as she rubbed her round belly, feeling the juice sloshing around inside. “Can I get through one day without someone thinking I am going to turn them into a blueberry?” She rolled her eyes. “This town is going insane. Insane I say.”

“Christen!” She turned her head to see her boss Paxton tapping his fingers on his arms. “We need to talk.”

She turned around, her blimp of a belly pushing him back. “What is it?” He narrowed his eyes. “Ohh I am sorry. Having to live with all of this fluchiating juice inside of me is a bit rough.”

He pressed his hand on her stomach. “That is what I want to talk to you about. You are starting to chase the customers away. Look at how that lady just bolted out of here.”

“I know my blue frame is a bit of an issue. But people can turn big and blue from anything around town.” She laughed. “I don’t think I am the sole issue here. We are becoming known as the blueberry town for a reason.”

He formed his hands into fists. “I don’t care if you can pick up some random blueberry bug while walking down the street. I don’t want this in my store. People come to Diner Dash to have a nice wholesome experience. To be greeted with the best food in town. Not to feel like they might swell into a blueberry because one of the people making sandwiches might be sweating juice.”

“But why would. . .”

“The first time you showed up to work like this you turned a customer into a blueberry remember.”

Christen’s cheeks turned violet. “Ohh. Sorry about that.”

He snorted. “Look I don’t care if you are sorry or not. Let’s get into what you can do to fix the siuation and how you can keep your job.”

“What?” Juice surged into her hips as the shock flooded her system. “What are you talking about keep my job.” She gripped the sides of her hips to try and stem the flow of juice. “This is all I have. I can’t be fired.”

Paxton sighed. “Look you are a good worker. Better then some of the others on staff that is for sure. But I can’t have a blueberry working here. Even if you are not that big most of the time.” He looked at her expanding frame. “Most of the time.”

Christen took a deep breath. “Well I told you I have it under control. I can keep the juice at bay.” She ran her hands through her blue hair. “I just need to stay calm. Ughh.” She felt the juice surge through her body. “Ughh damnit why can’t I take my own advice right now?”

Paxton rubbed his forehead. “Ugh I didn’t mean to make you inflate. Look I am giving you to the end of the week to find a way to cure yourself. If you can find a way to cure yourself then the job will still be yours. Otherwise you can roll yourself out onto the street with the other blueberries.”

Christen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Slowly the juices inside of her stabilized and she felt her big round body stop expanding. “Fine, fine I will try and find a cure.” She rested her hands on her blimp of a chest. “I don’t think I could find another job anyways.”

Paxton smiled. “Good luck.” He rubbed her squishy round chest. “I have faith in you.”

“I don’t know exactly why you do. It has been months and no one is close to a cure. The only place that is close to such things is that juicing statation and all they do is expel the juice from your body.” She sighed. “And that just let’s you swell up again later. Most of the people who went in there are content being blueberries.” She shivered. “I am not turning into fruit.” She rubbed the side of her body. “Look can I have the rest of the day off? I need to figure out how to tackle this issue.”

Paxton sighed. “I guess. You are a bit too big to be here now. And I don’t just mean that you will scare people off.” He poked Christen in the belly. “You are too round to reach the food that you need to assemble. I can’t have you in this state.”

“You are right.” She moaned. “It is hard for me to even stand with this much juice inside of me. Thank you for understanding.” She turned around. “I will try and find that cure.” Christen wobbled towards the doorway.

“Remember you have until five p.m. on Friday. Then you can kiss this job goodbye.”

She rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. “I know. I know.” She squeezed through the doorway. “You don’t have to remind me.” Christen smiled as the falling snow touched her skin. The colder temperatures didn’t bother her as much anymore, she didn’t even have to wear a jacket, her stretched berry stained shrit and leggings sufficing. “There are at least some perks for being a blueberry.” She threw her swollen arms out. “I will miss this part at least. If I find a cure I will have to make sure to order a new wardobe, especially seince winter is coming and I ruined all of my jackets with swelling issues.”

“Escuse me. Miss.” Christen turned her head to see a young reporter rush up to her. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”

Christen shook her head. “Sorry. I am not really in the mood.”

“Please it will only take a moment.” He smiled and blinked his blue eyes. “I promise it will be worth your while.”

She sighed. “I guess. But please make it quick. I have some really important things to do.” She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. “And if you use me for some crazy blueberry fear mongering I am going to make you know what it is like to be big and blue. You hear me?”

He laughed. “I hear you. Don’t worry. I am not about that.” He turned to his camra woman. “Are you ready to roll?”

She shivered as she held up the camra. “Yes. Let’s make this snappy. I want to get back into the van where it’s warm and I have my hot coco waiting for me.”

“You don’t have to remind me.” He shivered and looked at Christen. “Ok in three, two. . .” He took a deep breath. “Hello out there dear viewrs. I am coming to you live here on the corner of Saint Kelliontons and twenty third street with some exciting news. So exciting that I am braving this bone chilling cold weather.” He walked over to Christen. “As you all may know many of our neighbors have been slowly turning into blueberries like this young lady here.” He smiled. “What is your name miss?”

She tapped her fingers on the boubous body. “Umm. . . Christen.” She gripped her squishy skin. “I don’t really like being on television like this so can we get. . .”

“Of course Christen.” He smiled. “I promise your fears will be put at ease soon.”

“Ray can you hurry this thing up?” The camra woman shivered. “I think the temperature is dropping.”

Ray smilled and looked at the camra. “Well as I was saying dear viewers our town has had some unwanted berry fever. But what if I told you that there was someone working on a way to reverse this blueberry nonsense?”

Christen rolled her eyes. “Let me guess. Red’s Juicing Station? Not interested.”

Ray laughed. “Never heard of the place though you have put me in the mood for some blueberry buckle when I get home now.” He tapped Christen where her shoulder used to be. “No I was talking about the newly reopened blueberry research factory. Place is almost as old as the town and has some odd rumors to boot. But in the early days it helped to build our little slice of heven.”

Christen raised an eyebrow. “So we are quite litterly a blueberry town?”

Ray narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. “Look can you stop trying to ruin my interview lady?” He smiled and went back to his cheerful voice. “So miss would you be interested in hearing where to possibly find this cure? I am sure you could benefit from it.”

She sighed. “Well I. . .”

“Please. . .” The camra woman groaned. “Just say yes so we can get out of this cold.”

Christen shook her head. She already had exerince with a possible cure that had turned out to be a fake. And what did she get for her naivite? Turning into a giant pear. I am not just going to rush into this and have something injected into me that could turn me into an even bigger blueberry or possibly a watermelon, a pear or a rasberrie. She shuddered. I don’t need to go down the list of fruits and check them off in my life time. I am not going to be known as the fruit girl.

But she also needed to have a cure so she wouldn’t be fired. And she wasn’t going to be another blueberry living at the juicing station, becoming nothing more than a pampered human fruit. Christen took a deep breath and forced a smile. “I would love to know where to find this cure. Where this factory is.” She could feel her body start to bubble and the juice slowly push herself outward due to her internal struggle.

Ray smiled and looked at the carma. “Well you can head down to Irvine Lane. Look for the giant factory you can’t miss it. If any of you blueberries at home are watching this offer is excended out to you. Head there without delay. Cure time is upon us. Let us no longer be known as the blueberry town. Let us be known as. . .” He tapped his chin. “Umm. . .”

His carma woman turned around. “That is good enough.”

Ray threw his hands up. “Carman. What the hell! I was wrapping things up.”

She rushed down the street. “You were making us freeze is more like it. Just think of it like this. You will get more ratings. The only way it could have gone better is if you turned blue on screen.”

He turned to look at Christen. “Hey can I trouble you before you go to—

Carman grabbed him by the arm. “How many times do I have to tell you. You are not intentially swelling yourself up for ratings. That poor anchor lady did not do it because she liked it so get over it. If you turn into a blueberry it will be because of an accident and I will make sure of it.”

“Dammit I was just. . .”

“I know what you were thinking. Now let’s get inside where it’s warm.”

Christen scratched at the side of her juice soaked skin. “Is everyone in this town going off the deep end? Why are they so obsessed with blueberries?” She shook her head as she waddled down the street. “I have spent the last few weeks trying not to be a big blue balloon but I feel like some other people would just be. . .” She closed her eyes. “Ughh.”

***

It took Christen most of the day to make her way over to the other side of town where the supposed blueberry factory was. “I wish I hadn’t freaked out so much when Paxton gave me that ultimatum.” She took a deep breath as juicy sweat dripped down her body. “I would have been able to get here hours ago.”

“You must be here about our promotion.” A young man in a blue and purple uniform walked up to her. “Looking to be cured are you?”

Christen’s eyes went wide as she spotted all of the blueberries on his uniform. “What is going on?” She took a few steps back, her feet almost coming out from under her. “You are not going to make me inflate even more are you?”

He laughed and tapped one of the blueberries on his outfit, his fist making a sound thud. “Nope. These things are just metal. Worst they can do is cut you on the edges.” He laughed. “Nothing to worry about beyond piss poor disgen.”

Christen took a deep breath. “Well that is a relief. I am not really in the mood in becoming so big and round I can’t stand today.”

He scratched at his chin. “What do you mean by that? Have you been a blueberry for long?”

She sighed. “Umm that isn’t important is it? Look you said there might be a cure waiting here for me?”

“Ahh yes. Of course.” He turned around. “If you would be so kind if to follow me inside?” He turned his dark skinned head. “Or I could roll you in if your prefer. You do seem a bit juicy. . . I mean umm sweaty.”

“I am. . .” She put her hands on her chest. “I am fine. I just need to catch my breath a miunte. Phew.” Christen blinked her eyes. “I didn’t expect to do this much walking with all of this juice inside of me today. Ok I think I am ok to head inside.” She stepped forward, her steeping on a patch of ice and flying out from under her. “Wohhh!” She bounced on her side and slid on the ice. “Help!”

“Hey!” The young man jumped out of the way as Christen rocketed by. “I said I would help roll you.”

Christen winced as her body squeezed through the doorway, bouncing into the factory before slamming against a wall. “Owww.”

“Can I help you?” A young recepisonist tapped her finger from behind a desk. “Do you have an apooitment?”

The man who had greeted Christen outside ran through the doorway. “She is with me Marie.”

Marie narrowed her green eyes. “Jake I don’t want our blueberry guests to flatten me.”

He laughed. “You are fine. She didn’t come anywhere close to hitting you.”

“I have juice covering my desk.”

Christen flailed her arms about. “Umm can I have some help here. I can’t move.”