A Very Berry Night

A Very Berry Night.

Mona put her head in her hand as she stared at the monitor. “Huh. What a dull night.” She didn’t even bother to laugh at the sitcom on television. “Very, very dull.” It had been one month since she had made an ill-fated bet with her friend Greg to see if a curse at Goodman’s Friendly Market was true. A curse that if she stole from the store, she would turn into a blueberry. Not only did she lose the bet, but she had to go through something she wished she hadn’t.

She threw a potato chip into her mouth as she watched the show. “I still can’t get the thought of them juicing me out of my head.” She shivered. “They waited until I was so full and ready to burst, juice leaking out of places I am not exactly proud of. Then they pressed me over and over, getting every last drop of blueberry juice out of my body. I don’t know what was worse. Thinking I was going to explode or turned into a human pancake.” She sighed. “Oh, I know. Seeing Greg’s “I told you so” look.” She rolled her eyes. “And having to have blue skin for a week. My boss thought I was on drugs.”

Mona sighed. “I am not going anywhere near that place again.”

Greg walked into the room. “Hey,” Mona grunted in response. “I am going to a Dungeon Delver’s group tonight. All night thing. You want to come?” Mona shook her head. “Oh, come on.”

She turned her head. “I said no.” Mona sighed. “I have never played that silly game in my life. I wouldn’t even know how to get started.”

Greg sighed. “Well, do you have any plans besides watching. . .” He narrowed his eyes. “What in the world is this nonsense?”

“It’s umm. . .” She shrugged. “Well, truth be told, I don’t know. I have been just killing time before work.”

“Work? What on earth could you be doing at this hour?”

She sighed. “My boss needed some people to come in as Cassidy and Ophelia were sick.

So, Mark and I were the unlucky ones selected.”

“I didn’t even know the candy shop sold anything this late at night.”

She stood up. “Jamerson’s Sweet Tooth doesn’t. So, I have to take over for security. Something I never thought I would do.” She sighed. “Apparently, there are some candy bandits, so I have Mark to watch my back.”

Greg laughed. “Candy bandits?”

She sneered. “It is a serious thing. Especially this time of year. The store can lose a lot of money, and kids can get full up and in pain. We don’t need anyone going to the hospital because they raided our store.”

He held his hands in the air. “Or possibly become a blueberry because they stole the wrong piece of candy.”

She clenched her hand into a fist. “Not funny.”

“What? Scared you might turn big and blue again?”

“I am not going to. It was a one-time thing.”

“But what if you have a blueberry allergy now? Or what if it’s a full moon berry thing?”

He laughed. “You know last time it was on a full moon and tonight. . .”

She pushed him towards the door. “That is enough blueberry fearmongering for tonight.

I have to get ready for work, and you have to go to delvers dungeons or whatever it’s called.”

He laughed. “Yes. Go get ready for berry security.”

She shoved him out the door. “Out!”

“But my. . .” She slammed the door in his face.

Mona took a deep breath. “It will be ok. Just get dressed. Go to work and get through the shift.” She entered the next room, where her new grey uniform lay on the bed. “You are not going to turn into a blueberry again. There is no reason for it. Everything will be fine. Fine.” She slid her t-shirt and pants off. “It isn’t like Greg has any idea on how that stuff works.” Next, she slipped on her jacket. “It was a one-time curse from that stupid store.” Finally, she slipped on her slacks. “How could I possibly inflate again?” She laughed. “That is right. I have nothing to fear.”

She grabbed her flashlight and nightstick, attacking them to her belt. “Ok, I am ready.” She smiled. “Time to get this over with.” Her phone rang as she walked to the door. “Ahhh!”

She shivered and picked her phone up from the table. “Ugh, get a hold of yourself, Mona.” She took a deep breath. “Hello?”

“Mona? Where are you?”

“Mark? I am on my way down.”

“You should have been here an hour ago.”

“Mark.” She looked at her watch. “Our shift doesn’t start until five minutes from now.”

“What?” There was a pause. “Oh my god. How did I get that mixed up? Like shit.”

“Mark. Can you not yell into the phone?”

“I’m not yelling. You’re yelling.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What is wrong with you.” He hung up. “Ugh, please don’t tell me I am going to have to babysit him as well as watch the store.” She sighed as she opened the door to her apartment. “That is the last thing I need tonight. A crazy partner to keep me company. I live with a crazy man. I don’t need one at my job.”

She walked to the elevator and sighed. “I do wonder, though. Could Greg be right? Could I have a blueberry allergy?” She rubbed her chin as she walked inside. “Nah. That sounds outlandish.” She crossed her arms as the elevator traveled downward. “Maybe I should have a blueberry tonight to prove it.” The doors opened, and she walked out into the lobby. “Nah. I think I will wait for another day to prove that. Sometime when I am not at my job.”

She walked outside and looked up at the full moon. “Oh hey, it is a full moon out tonight.” She waved at the moon in the sky. “Hello up there. How are you doing.” She laughed. “Do you really think you will turn me into a blueberry because my friend Greg does?”

She giggled. “How silly.” She whistled as she walked down the street, the glowing sign of Jamerson’s Sweet Tooth at the end of the block. “I think if that moon was going to cause any wereberry issues, I would feel the effects by now.” Mona shivered. “It is unusually warm out, though. I thought it was supposed to be in the low forties. I am glad I have to wear this uniform. I am sweating.”

A few moments later, Mona found herself at the candy store. She slipped the key out of her uniform pocket and unlocked the door. “Ok. Time to get this damn shift over with.” She creaked the door open. As she walked inside, she was immediately blinded by a beam of light.

“Stop right there, you varmint.”

Mona cried out as she was hit on the side of her body. “Oww.” She reached out and grabbed the arm of her assailant. “Mark!”

“Huh?” He blinked his eyes as Mona forced his flashlight to shine on the ground. “Oh, Mona. I thought you were some punk breaking into the store.”

“With a key?” She held it in front of his face.

“Umm. . . you never know with such crafty devils. They stalk the night. Searching for their sugar high of the night.” He scratched at his neck. “They are the true devils of Halloween. Not the monsters of terror movies, but candy-crazed kids.” He shrieked. “Ahh! Save the taffy!”

She switched off his flashlight. “What is with you tonight?”

His eyes twitched. “I have been up for three nights straight prepping for tonight.”

He laughed. “I won’t let these kids get by me. No sir ree.” He turned around. “Hey, you.

Stop!”

Mona sighed. “Umm, no one is there, Mark.”

“Oh yes, there is.” He wandered off. “Hey, kid. Come back here.”

She rubbed her forehead. “It is going to be a long night.” She blinked her eyes as she looked at her hands. “Huh.” She narrowed her eyes and looked at her fingertips. “Is that a blue dot on my index finger? It can’t be.” She squinted her eyes. “I think my eyes are playing tricks on me just like Marks are.” She reached down and grabbed her flashlight. “Well, I better go and chase after Mark. I can’t very well leave him alone in the state he is in.”

She walked down the dark halls of the candy store. “Mark. Hey Mark, where did you go?” She examined the tubs of candy locked behind glass. “This place is kind of eerie at night. Still better, it has its charms.” She turned her light on the registers. “There is no army of screaming kids. Why did my boss think installing a free candy vendor was a good idea?” She rolled her eyes. “Sure. People were not going to abuse free candy.”

She sighed as she turned the corner. “Yes, it drives business to the store, but it also turns the kids into hungry little monsters. And if there is one thing I detest about my job, it’s dealing with an army of sugar-high kids wanting to know why they don’t have any more free candy.”

She winced as her uniform started to tighten. “Ugh, just thinking about it is making me tense up.” She winced as her belt became tight around her waist. “Ughhh, why am I so tight?” She looked down to see her stomach bloating like she had one too many pizzas. “What in the world?” She noticed her blue arms. “Ahhh!”

Mona dropped her flashlight and grabbed her arms. “Oh no. Not again. NOT AGAIN!”

“I didn’t find that damn kid.” Mark sighed as he walked up to her. “But we need to stay vigilant.” He looked her directly in the eyes. “Mona. What are you doing?”

She gulped and put her arms at her side, feeling the blueberry juice building in her waist. “I am umm. . .” She laughed as the juice seeped through her uniform, turning it blue. “Just inspecting the candy, we are guarding. Nothing out of the ordinary.” She smiled.

Mark raised an eyebrow. “They, why are you laughing? We have a nasty candy stealing thieve on the loose.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “We have to find that brat and kick him out. Sheesh, you must be worried. You are sweating.” He lifted his hand. “Now pick up that flashlight and help me look.” He turned around. “We will scour the place top to bottom. By day’s end, we will have found the little devil.”

Mona rolled her eyes as her butt started to swell. “You mean nights end.”

“Whatever. Now charge!” He ran off towards the restrooms.

Mona shook her head. “I guess I have to count myself lucky he is so sleep-deprived he didn’t notice I was all big and blue.” She sighed and looked down at her chest. “Now I have to get this belt off before it’s too late.” She pulled at her waist. “Ugh, it won’t come off.” She winced as she felt the juice being forced down into her legs. “Ohhh god, my poor pants.” She winced as the button on her slacks snapped off. “These things aren’t going to last long.”

She waddled over to a nearby candy dispenser and leaned over. “I need to think of something.” She winced as her belt vanished beneath her swelling body. “Ughh. Mark.

Maybe I could get him to help with getting off this belt. Yes, that would—

Suddenly the belt snapped off and flew across the store like a rocket, shattering a window and flying out into the darkness. Mona’s body rippled, causing her uniform to rip apart.

“Ughh.” She took a deep breath as her body settled and looked down at her big blue body. “I had hoped to not see this again. My body oh so big with juice.” Again, she took a deep breath. “What am I going to do now?” She winced as her slacks ripped apart, and her legs began to sink into her blue body. “Great. I am going to have to replace this outfit.”

“Oh my god!”

Mona waved her hands about. “Mark. It isn’t what you think.”

Mark walked up and ran his hands along her body. “Mona! What kind of trick is this.” He slapped her body. “You leave a giant blueberry candy in the middle of the floor. You want to get the both of us in trouble.”

Mona gasped as her arms and legs sank deeper into her berry body. “What?

No, you fool. I am not a big blue candy. Think straight!”

“Mona, where in the blazes are you?” He looked around and sighed. “Ugh, when I need her, she isn’t around.” He looked down at Mona. “And to make matters worse, this candy is somehow getting bigger. What am I going to do?”

Mona narrowed her eyes as she continued to swell. “Can’t you hear me, you fool?”

Mark rubbed his hands together. “Well, time to find a place for this big blueberry so it can be sold for a loving family. I will scold Mona later.”

She banged her head against the side of her body as Mark started to roll him. “You sleep-deprived fool. I am not some big blueberry candy. Hey, listen to me.” She winced.

“Ugh, I am getting too full here.” She took a deep breath as she felt the blueberry juice press against the sides of her body. “What am I going to do? I don’t have the crazy people from that supermarket to help me this time.”

Mark rolled her up onto a stage. “There we go. This should hold you until morning, and then kids can sink their teeth into you.” He looked around. “Now, to find my good-for-nothing partner.” He walked off. “Mona!”

She took a deep breath. “I just. . .” She took a deep breath. “I just need to hold on until morning.” She closed her eyes as juiced oozed out of her nipples. “It is going to be a long night.”

***

Mona opened her eyes as the lights flicked on. “Ugh, what time is it?” She turned her head and looked around. “Great. I am still big and blue.”

“What in the world is this?” Mona’s eyes widened as she spotted her boss walking up to her. “I never asked for a giant blueberry in my store.”

“Umm. . .”

Mr. Henderson jumped back as soon as she spoke. “And it talks.” He gulped. “What in the world?”

Mona laughed. “It’s me. Mona.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Mona? What in the world are you still doing here? And why is your umm. . .” He scratched at his grey hair. “Umm, berry body covered in juice?”

“Umm. . .” She sighed. “I was trying to relieve some pressure? I got a little carried away, I guess.” She looked around. “I feel fine now, if a bit on the berry side.”

He put his hands on his hips. “Well, I am not sure what I am going to do with you.” He sighed. “Hmmm. I guess if you can promise not to squirt out any more juice, you can stay there as a prop for the day.”

“I don’t want to be a prop here. The kids are going to. . .”

“If you don’t do this, I will have you fired and rolled out into the street. You got that?”

Mona rolled her head. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. So do we have a deal?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. Just give me a sec.” She closed her eyes and forced all of the excess juice out through her nipples. “Ughhhh.” Mr. Henderson took a few steps back as it came pouring out. A few moments later, Mona sighed and looked down at him. “Ok, I think I am fine. I can’t feel myself swelling up anymore, but I can’t really get the rest out without someone helping me force it out.”

“Umm. . .” He looked at the juice on the floor. “Right.

We will see to that right after work.” He turned around. “Have a berry day. I mean merry.” He scratched at his head. “As long as I can keep that under control, I might have to keep her that way. She might be good for business.”

Mona sighed. “Great. Now I am a prop for this store.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Well, Greg, wherever you are, I hope you are getting a laugh out of your roommate being a wereberry. If I ever find a way out of this, I will swell up so much on your ass next full moon for this.”