Ye Olde Fantasie

or: "You've Read This Stuff Before: Different Characters, But It Has the Same Great Ending!"

The school building was nearly empty when Jason was excused from detention. On his way past his locker he noticed two figures standing alone in the gym. One was Scott, a kid from his algebra class, and the other was Alyssa Walker, a beautiful (if quiet and strange) young brunette with, Jason recalled, terrific green eyes and a luring smile.

Alyssa stood with her back to Jason, which suited him fine, as he got to examine her blue jeans, so tight they hugged every curve and crevice from her hips to her ankles. Scott stood quietly in front of her, as if waiting for something. Then Alyssa wrapped her arms around Scott's neck and gave him a long, passionate kiss.

Jason shook his head at the scene. Lucky bastard, he thought.

He watched as Alyssa pulled away from Scott and whispered something to him that Jason didn't catch. She took several steps back, and soon Jason learned why. Scott's body began inflate!

Jason staggered back and blinked to check his eyesight. But indeed, Scott was chest, and soon his whole body, began to puff up bigger and bigger like a balloon! What's more, neither Scott nor Alyssa seemed particularly surprised. Jason could only watch in stunned amazement as Scott swelled bigger. And fuller. And rounder. His clothes began to rip and shred as he burst through them, growing and expanding until he looked like a giant human peach!

Jason looked at Alyssa. She just smiled as Scott grew bigger ... and bigger ... and bigger! He looked more like a balloon now then ever, having distended so much and stretched so thin that Jason could almost look right through him. He thought briefly about running for help. But how do you stop someone from inflating like a balloon? Besides, Scott was way too big--he HAD to burst soon! Help would come too late. And despite himself, Jason couldn't turn away. He was fascinated as this human beach ball swelled and swelled and swelled so big that he would have dwarfed a hot-air balloon!

There was a slight squeaking noise just before The Inevitable happened. Jason covered his ears when Scott reached the breaking point and POPPED! Scattered remnants of the exploded balloon-man were scattered about the gym. Jason stood agape at the empty spot where he had just watched another human being burst. And had not done a thing about it.

His attention now turned to Alyssa, who was already watching him. He had so many questions. Why? How? What's going on? But he stood silent.

Then Alyssa gestured him to come inside the gym. She tilted her head in a "come-hither" look. Jason couldn't believe it! Did she actually think he was going to let her pop him? He thought again about running away. He had to report this murder ... or was it assisted suicide? Scott certainly hadn't complained. In fact, now that Jason thought about it, he seemed happy.

The image replayed in Jason's mind again and again. Scott's swelling, expanding. Growing. Inflating. And bursting.

Jason stepped inside the gym and walked dutifully toward Alyssa. Nothing mattered now. Not his studies. Not his family, friends, future. Nothing mattered but Alyssa's kiss. And to inflate. To get bigger. To burst.

She wrapped her arms around Jason's neck and gave him a long, passionate kiss. Then she drew back and whispered, "Goodbye." And then it happened. He felt himself grow hollow inside as his chest and torso began expanding like a balloon. In moments, he was as round as a ball, and getting bigger... and bigger... and bigger.

Alyssa waved at him and turned away. He realized that she had seen enough men burst; it was no longer even interesting to her. Perhaps she spotted another target outside the gym. Jason could no longer tell, because he had swollen so big that he could barely see past his bloated abdomen. Soon he was as big as Scott had been when he had burst. But Jason kept growing. And growing. Did Alyssa's kiss affect them different ways? Was it something about them? He didn't know or care. He just closed his eyes and wondered how big he would get before he exploded. Bigger than the gym? Bigger than the school? Bigger than a mountain?!

He heard a slight squeak and smiled as he waited for The Inevitable...