The Berry Vendor (Patreon)

The Berry Vendor.

"I am telling you, these are the best blueberries you will find this side of the interstate." The small woman in the odd-looking suit forced herself back in front of Cathy.

"You can't go wrong with one of these little devils."

Cathy shook her head. "I don't have time for this. I have to get across town for the school open house. Now please."

The strange woman grabbed Cathy's arm. "Please, I have a living to make here." Cathy rolled her amber eyes. "Starving guinea pigs at home. The little darlings need me."

Cathy sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just please." She held out a tray of blueberries. "Try these for the low, low price of one-fifty."

Cathy took the box into her hand. "This is a lot of blueberries for just a buck and fifty cents."

The strange woman lowered her head and held up her hands. "I know, I know. It is the rest of my stock. Kind of a clearance sale." Cathy shook her head, and the saleswoman fell on her. "Please, I am desperate. Will you please buy this from me?"

"I umm. . ." She scratched at the back of her head. "I don't know." Cathy sighed.

"I guess it is a good deal."

"It's the best around."

"Alright, I will take it." She reached into her purse and then handed the saleswoman the cash. "Here you are."

After she counted the money, the lady handed Cathy the box of blueberries. "And here you are. Please enjoy and tell your friends about Martha's blueberry bananza." She sighed. "Or well, next week when I get my stock back." She shook her head. "It has been a hard time for the blueberry business."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing you need concern yourself with right now." Martha smiled and grabbed her supplies. "Now, just enjoy those blueberries and have a good rest of your day. I will be seeing you. Cheers." She turned around and rushed down the street.

Cathy sighed and looked at the box of blueberries. "Well, I guess I have some extra food for tonight. I can hand these out when I arrive at the school open house. They will be so happy I actually brought something this time." She smiled. "And it will be better than Nora's cookies from last month that caused shrinking." Cathay shivered. "I still can't believe where that lady found those damn things."

She made her way to her car and used her key fob to unlock the door. "Wait, what did that exotic woman mean by she will be seeing me?" Cathy scratched at her head as she opened the door to her SUV. "I am just realizing that is a very odd thing to say, considering the vendors here are fly-by-night street vendors." She started her vehicle. "I think there have only been two people on this business loop that I have seen multiple times in my life, and neither are the types that I want to buy from." Cathy looked behind her as she pulled out of her parking space. "Mr. exotic lawnmower and the political sign salesman are not people I like to deal with."

She pulled out onto the road. "Well, time to rush to the school. Need to help them get ready before the school season starts."

***

A few minutes later, Cathy found herself pulling into the parking lot of Jamerson Highschool. "Great, I am early." She sighed. "Extremely early. Maybe I should drive around the block for a bit to pass the time."

"Cathy. How good to see you."

She smiled and shut off her engine. "Hello there, Derik. How are the kids?"

"Oh, you know." He shrugged his shoulders as she stepped out of her vehicle. "Being little devils as always."

"I never thought that is what kids would be."

He laughed. "Then never hope that you have to have your own." He put his sunburned hand behind her back. "Now, let's get out of this heat, shall we?"

"I guess." Cathy slid her left hand into her jeans and her right into her purse.

"If you consider this hot."

"Oh, come on." He pulled at the collar of his shirt. "I am sweating bullets here."

"Derik, it is only seventy degrees. Sure, it is hot for spring but come on." He pushed the door to the school open. "What are you going to do when we get to summertime?"

"Umm, what I always do." He shrugged. "Hide in the blessed world of air conditioning." He laughed. "Mhmm, what is that heavenly smell?"

"Oh, that smell?" She scratched at her head. "It is just these blueberries I picked up earlier today." She pulled out the small blue box from her purse to show Derik.

"Oh wow," he took one of the blueberries out of the package. "I can't tell you how much I just adore blueberries." Derek took a succulent bite out of the blueberry, the juice dripping down his face. "Mhmm. This is just divine. I cannot wait to share this with the others."

"Wait, the others are already here?" Cathy asked? "I thought I was extremely early."

Derek put his hands into his pockets. "Nah, you are one of the last people to arrive. In fact, some people were wondering if you'd show up at all."

Cathy narrowed her eyes "People were wondering if I would even arrive. I am fifteen minutes early. Seriously what do I have to do to be on time."

Derek scratched at his short dark hair as he reached out to open the door. "I don't know, maybe just show up earlier, I guess." He pushed the massive double doors open. "Look, whatever it's worth you are here now, no need to be stressing over this issue anymore." He turned his head and waved to the others. “Look at who is here.” Derek rushed off.

Cathy walked into the center of the room and pulled her arm. "Well, it's nice to be here once again." She set the box of blueberries down on the table and looked around. "Wow, they really fixed this place up from last year" Cathy looked at the decorations hung around the banisters. There were multiple tables with cute little signs that read welcome back and a new chandelier in the center of the room. The whole place looked stunning for a school open house.

"So, Cathy, what do you think." Cathy turned around to see Vanessa standing before her as she twirled her long blonde hair. "Quite amazing what we have done place, don't you think."

"I guess so. Although I don't know why you need a chandelier. It's for a high school, right." Cathy threw up her arms. "I don't see why the kids need anything so unique." She sighed. "How much did this even cost."

"A few thousand dollars it's nothing that we really need to get into. Um, Beth, how are you doing today." Vanessa smiled as Beth walked up.

Cathy widened her green eyes in shock. "A few thousand dollars?" She took one of the blueberries out of the case and ate it to calm her nerves. "You have got to be kidding me. Where did all of this money come from?"

Best scratched at her brow as she munched on one of the blueberries. "What are you two talking about?" Blueberry juice squirted from between her teeth. "It isn't the crazy spending spree that Vanessa went on recently."

Vanessa crossed her arms. "I have only been buying what is necessary for this school. It is not a crazy spending spree. Will you get it through your thick heads?"

Beth suddenly screamed. "Oh my God, Derek, what is wrong with your neck."

Derek slowly turned around as he threw another blueberry into his mouth. "What are you talking about." he munched on another blueberry. "Is there a bug on me or something?"

Beth shook her head. "No, it is just atrocious. Your skin. It is blue and getting bluer by the minute." She put her head in her hands. "This has to be some kind of cruel joke. Please tell me this is what you were doing to us."

Derek scratched at his neck. "Look, I have no idea what you were talking about, Beth. I'm going to go to the bathroom, and I'm going to check this out, ok." He put his hands into his jean pockets, turned around, and walked towards the door. "Once I figure out what this is, I'll come back. I am sure it is nothing; you all are just worrying for nothing." He turned around and walked out of the room.

Beth began to pace around nervously. "Oh, this is absurd. Derek's skin just started to turn blue." She took a deep breath.

Cathy smiled. "I am sure it is just a prank being played by him. You know how he is around this time of year."

Beth slowly nodded her head. "I guess you're right, Cathy." she looked up, and her eyes went wide. "Um, Cathy."

Both Cathy and Vanessa crossed their arms. "What's wrong, Beth? It looks like you have seen a ghost." Asked Vanessa.

Beth pointed a shaky hand at Cathy. "I um.." She scratched at her shoulder. "I um think you need to um." Beth gulped.

Cathy rubbed her eyes. "Will you please just spit it out, Beth."

Beth grabbed Cathy's arm and shoved it in front of her face. "Look. Look at your body. Your skin is turning blue as well. There is something extremely wrong here." She took deep, long breaths. "Why is everyone's skin suddenly turning blue? What does it mean? Will it happen to me? Is this some new-fangled disease? What are we going to do?"

Cathy looked at her blue arm in disbelief as Vanessa grabbed Beth by the shoulders and shook Beth. "Will you calm down? We will achieve nothing if we succumb to panic." Vanessa looked over at Cathy. "Now, can you please take that blue paint off of your arms? It was funny when Derek did it, but now you are just taking things too far. Look at poor Beth. Look at the panic in her eyes. Is this really worth it?"

Cathy shook her head. "I didn't apply any kind of paint." She looked at her blue hands and felt her heart pounding in her chest. "I... I don't know what is happening to me." She gulped. "But I swear to you I am not doing this on purpose."

Vanessa slammed her hand down on the nearby table. She raised her voice to the top of her lungs, "Then explain to us, Cathy, why you keep turning your skin blue? Look at your face. Getting it so dark and blue like that, if not a prank? I mean, even your hair is starting to turn dark and blue." Cathy grabbed at her curls and examined them as they turned from a golden blonde to a dark blue. "This is one crazy stunt, Cathy, but it has to stop now."

Cathy took a deep breath in and out. "This is insane. How can my entire body be turning blue like this?" She suddenly bent over and held her hands over her stomach. "Ohhhhhh. My chest feels so bubbly all of a sudden."

Beth shook her head in took a few steps backward. "I don't like this. This is like something out of a horror movie or something. So which one of us is gonna be next. You or me, Vanessa?"

Cathy pressed down on her stomach. "I can feel something inside of there." She rubbed her belly as it slowly expanded outward. "It feels like some strange kind of liquid. I don't know exactly how to describe it." she gulped. "What is happening to me?"

Vanessa put her hand on Cathy's shoulder. "Cathy, listen to me. You are alright, even if you are a bit blue. And a bit um," She scratched at her head and looked down at Cathy's expanding waistline. "Bloated. Yes, that is the word bloated." Vanessa laughed. "This is just one crazy case of indigestion."

Cathy sighed and put her hands into her Jean pockets. "Well, I hope that you are right." She rubbed her round belly as it pushed her shirt outward. "Because this is the most severe bloating I've ever had in my life. I almost think I might just head home before we get this meeting started." Cathy lowered her head. "I don't want the others to see me this swollen. It looks like I've eaten one of the balloons from outside. Ugh, it feels like it too."

Vanessa nodded her head "that sounds like a good idea, darling." She put her hand on Cathy's shoulder. "Go and rest. We don't need this prank that you have taken too far to freak everyone out."

Cathy's cheeks turned a dark Violet color. "My body is in crisis mode, and all you can think about is how this will look for everyone else?" She took a step forward as her ass suddenly began to grow and caused her jeans to become tight on her body. "My body is swelling out of control right now. I need serious help. Ughhh." She groaned as she put her weight onto her knees. Her side suddenly expanded outward, causing her body to become spherical. Cathy wobbled back and forth from the sudden burst of movement. "Oh God." She held her hand over her mouth as she burped. "I can taste it, the strange liquid growing inside of me." Cathy grabbed her round waist. "It's juice. Blueberry juice."

Beth took a step backward and tried to speak, but no sound came out of her mouth. Eventually, she turned around and ran, tripping over a tray of blueberries. Beth let out a scream as she fell before landing on her face. As she pushed herself up, she noticed the blue color on the back of her hand. "Oh no, no, no." Beth stood up and vigorously rubbed the back of her hand. "This can't be happening to me too."

Vanessa threw up her arms. "Will you two just calm down?" She raised an eyebrow and watched Cathy's shirt slowly rise up her expanding chest. "While we have a bit of a situation on our hands, this is nothing we cannot handle. Now, if we just stay calm, we will get through this." Vanessa's eyes went wide as she noticed her hands turning blue as well. "Uh, why couldn't of this shit stopped with you two." She turned around. "I'm getting out of here before I start looking like Cathy over here."

Just before Vanessa could reach the door, a strange woman entered the building. "Oh my, what is going on here?" She looked at the trio of blue ladies with a giant grin on her face. "I see that we are having quite an issue here, aren't we?”

"Just who are you?" Cathy demanded as her pants began to rip and tear from her expanding body.

The strange woman laughed and walked over to Cathy. "What, you don't recognize me?" She put her hand on Cathy's blueberry body. "It's Martha. Your friendly neighborhood blueberry vendor." She smiled and rubbed Cathy along her growing body. "I just wanted to see how my merchandise was working out for everyone. I can see that you all are taking very well to my blueberries." Martha giggled.

"What!" Cheeks turned Violet with anger as her feet raised off the ground and her legs shrank into her round berry body. "You're saying you did this to us on purpose." She turned her head and watched as her hands shrank into her massive body. "Look at what you did to me. I am so full of juice that I can hardly move. I don't want to be a blueberry." Cathy narrowed her eyes at Martha as more of her body turned dark Violet in anger. "Now, you fix this before Vanessa and Beth turn into a blueberry like this." Cathy winced as her pants ripped in two.

Martha took out a tape measure as Beth began to fill up with juice. "I'm sorry, Cathy, but I cannot do that. You see, I am in a bit of a bind here." Martha used the tape measure to wrap Cathy's body and measure her. "I have a business to run. And see, I sell exotic blueberry products." Martha retracted the tape measure and crossed her arms. She then looked over at Beth as she tried to push her growing stomach into her body. "Oh, honey, I would suggest you take that shirt off now before your body snaps it off."

Beth shook her head from side to side as her shirt suddenly snapped upwards and exposed her blue belly. "Just get this swelling to stop. I look blue and pregnant as it is." She gripped the side of her jeans as they began to stretch. "Oh God, the juice it's spreading. My pants are going to rip apart."

Martha laughed as she leaned against Cathy's blueberry body. "Just let the juice build up in your body, honey. Take your clothes off, and it will be alright." Martha scratched at her chin. "Now then, where was I? Ah yes. I was explaining why this was happening to you all." She giggled as she looked over at Vanessa, whose body was already beginning to look round. "You see, I am in the business of selling exotic blueberries." Martha jumped onto Cathy's body as she continued to swell out of control.

Cathy moved her head, so she wasn't being crushed by Martha. "What do you mean by exactly." She shook her head. "And do you have to sit on top of me? You are making all of the juice inside of me bubble around." Cathy closed her eyes. "In fact, I think you sitting on me and squishing me is maybe the swelling even worse."

Martha smiled and pressed down on Cathy's body. "Well then, let's get the juices inside of you flowing." She laughed, "But anyway, I sell blueberries that are derived from giant blueberry people. So, every once in a while, I have to replenish my stocks." Martha pushed her elbow down on Cathy's body. "And well, you were just there to buy up my special product when the time was right." She looked up to see Beth's clothes explode off her body. "Looks like we have another blueberry on our hands."

Beth shook her head as her body became spherical and her feet lifted off the ground. "This is insane. You can't just turn people into blueberries." She tapped her hands on her round body. "I'll do something to stop you before I fill up anymore with juice."

Martha laughed and slid off of her body. She then slowly walked over to and tapped Vanessa on her massive stomach on the way by. "I don't think that you are going to be able to do anything except swell up for me." She ran her hand along Beth's body. "Though I am starting to realize that I will have trouble getting all three of you out of here." Martha crossed her arms as she turned around. "I was honestly expecting only Cathy to eat my blueberries. Sure, I had hoped you would eat multiple of my blueberries and grow out of control, but this is a little bit more than I can handle."

There was a sudden crash, and everyone twisted their heads. Martha rushed forward, pushing her way past the giant blueberry woman. "What in the world was that." Her eyes went wide as she noticed a slow stream of blueberry juice coming down the hallway.

"Oh, great." Vanessa shook her head as her body you look more and more like a blueberry, her clothing starting to rip and tear. "It's Derek." She fell onto her berry chest. "He was the first one to turn blue. He rushed off to the restroom or some other room." Vanessa threw up her arms as much as she could. "We forgot all about him."

Martha sighed. "If he swelled in an enclosed room. . ." she shuttered. "I do not want to think about it." She turned around and put her hands on Cathy. "I am just going to focus on getting you three out of here."

Martha reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "Hello. Greg? Yes, it's Martha. Look, I need a favor. I need you to come down to Jamerson high school." She rubbed her fingertips together. "I need you to bring your pickup truck as well." she paused. "So, what if we want to be hauling more of those giant human blueberries? I pay you well enough. Now just get down here." She hung up and slid the phone back into her pocket. She then threw her arms open wide and turned to face Cathy and the others. "Well, I will soon have transportation here to help get you all out of here."

Cathy sighed. "Well, what happens to us then."

Martha shrugged. "Well, I take you back to my shop, and we get too juiced. Simple as that." She rubbed Cathy's body tenderly. "Trust me, you will love it."

Cathy turned her head away. "I doubt it." she looked up at the ceiling. "But if it gets this juice out of our bodies, then I guess it has to be done. My body is about to touch the ceiling as it is. We have to stop this juice somehow."

Martha giggled. "Don't worry, Greg will be here soon. Then we will have this entire situation taken care of." she tapped Cathy on the side of her body, sending ripples throughout Cathy's body. "And tell then I just suggest that you three sit tight. I will see to this Derek fellow while Greg takes his sweet time getting here."