Berry on Vacation

BB stopped and listened - and heard only the wind and the birds. Her group went too far away. She was lost.

BB took a decent inhale. The air was brewed on herbs and fresh apples. She observed landscape lit by the sun. Golden field of buckwheat, a road curving around deserted apple garden. A village of log houses, a ribbon of birches mapping the bed of unseen river, hills and rocks on the other side to the horizon. The wristwatch showed 3 pm.

The garden spanned to the turn towards the village, branches were bowing under the weight of saffron fruits. BB threw a few into her backpack and bit one - to fully taste the apple flavour.

Her tummy gave a gurgle, and she started turning blue. Again she'll swell full - why her allergy always shows up so inconveniently? "Well, they call me Blimpberry for a reason - thought BB. - That's who I am".

After the turn one road became three. To the left there was a farm - scoops of forage dispenser, autodrinkers, a few white buildings and a dome of energy station. Straight asphalt road went through the village. BB directed her plumping frame to the right.

The right road was just a wide trail lost in the hills. BB took off the shoes and knitted them to her backpack. Alone... Completely alone - an exotic, impossible luxury. Vacation start was worthwhile.

She put her blue foot into the warm sand and drowned to the ankle - she was gaining weight. BB looked around, finished the apple, righted the backpack and waddled straight to the river.

Tearing and cutting her way through the fragrant bushes she might have changed direction - she waddled with widening hips for quite long, and still didn't see the river. The sun pierced the embroidery of bright green leaves. BB was making stops on the glades. The weight was showing itself - BB made efforts to step. Well, she wanted freedom - she's got it all...

She noticed dark gray tops of the woody hills on the other side, followed that way and soon saw the river.

She liked the place at once, a perfect location to wait while she will be a ball of juice. She took the backpack off and around her growing buttocks, and started unpacking her medication. The bank was wild and very convenient. If she stays here, her immobility won't be a problem. The protection is all around - a rocky cape to one side, bushes to the other. Fluffy treetops covered half of the sky.

Unfortunately there was no beach. Instead soft grass carpet led right into the water. She will find the sand tomorrow, near the rocky cape. Or on the islands - the river had a whole archipelago of tiny sandy islands. The closest one had high bare hills.

BB chose the meds and punctured the blue skin. A tiny bead of juice appeared when she was wiping the blue dot with spirit. She felt herself full but still was able to stand upright. She listened to all messages in the wristwatch, sent her coordinates, planned a few routes to the camping for the morning and took the watch off. She felt herself - the allergic currents under her tender skin were filling her at a steady rate.

Orange sun hang low above the bare hills of the island and dark thickness of high forest. BB felt big and heavy.

Returning to the backpack, BB accurately placed everything on the grass. She installed a tent just in case, unwrapped a sleeping bag, put an axe and a spade near the packages of clothing and food - and returned to her meds. She browsed through them and chose another one, more powerful. Not a big deal - she can handle this. She imagined how she will enjoy the view of stars while being a berry so totally full of juice, closed her eyes and smiled.

Rolling her heaving sides, she looked at the grey surface of river island and saw a small cloud on the horizon. BB took the axe and headed to the bushes.

After quarter an hour the fireplace was ready. BB protected it with ditches for rainwater and lit the wood.

Nothing except the cloud spelled trouble. The sun hid in the treetops, the shadow of the hilly island spanned the river, and the water became black. BB watched the river in the light of the day and rested herself on the grass. She felt herself, recalling how to cope with her new weight and balance.

It was a hard struggle. Her hands didn't meet on her belly anymore, and the juice was pressing her into the grass. She enjoyed the feel though, and workout made her sweat in sweet sticky blue.

BB didn't notice how azure palette of evening sky doubled by waters faded. The cloud was approaching - heavy as BB, full of liquid and thunder. There was no wind.

BB rolled herself on the grass a bit spraying juice, listening to heavy sloshing inside and getting larger and more spherical. At one time she rubbed her nether over some log - and that made her come violently. She enjoyed that, but noted the lack of control. She voiced a few more words to the watch somewhere in the grass and noticed how her voice changed - it was difficult to form words. Little device understood the command from the third attempt and opened a call.

Dave was sweet and attentive as usual. BB had trouble explaining her situation, but Dave understood everything from the way she spoke. They agreed that if BB won't come to the camping by morning, Dave will lead her friends and they will find her by the signal of the wristwatch. After telling about group's adventures Dave ended the call.

A smoke of pine and lavender was rising from the fire to the height of the second floor where BB's head was by now. She enjoyed the weight and size her blueberry form gave her. She was getting completely full. The pressure was immense.

Fading twilight was hiding the shapes. BB tried to look more intently into the forest and tipped forward and to the side. She cursed, but decided she doesn't want to spend the night upside down so she tumbled - and ended up in the warm water, looking at the bushes. Curious fish were poking her gently.

The fire was burning joyfully, gloss surface of the tent reflected the flame. And around it there were wild cats...

BB looked at them, they looked at her. There were seven of them - a whole pride of those large forest cats were hosted spaciously on the grass. Hot fire and a huge berry in the water didn't impress them much. The cats - large, with thick hide, something between a domestic cat and a lion - were laying still, expecting something. BB thought she's dreaming. One cat, the largest and with a small mane, slowly got up and advanced the water. BB was watching intently from her height how the beast was drinking.

The first lightning came down, followed by mellow rumbling of thunder. The bushes screamed terribly, cracked, whooped and whistled. The leader satisfied its thirst. It approached one of the larger branches near the fire and started rubbing it delightfully. The branch shook. BB made a few awkward steps from the shore with whatever bloated feet she had. The lion glanced lightheartedly at the berry, turned away and walked to the shore.

The lonely pride was playing. Two young females were rolling and squatting trying to divide a backpack equally. Young males were more fond of a sleeping bag. One of them entered a tent and started searching an exit - out of pure curiosity. Fragile frame fell and researcher went jumping in fear among its mates. An elderly cat granted it a heavy slap. The leader strained its spine in embarrassment, bent his heavy head to the grass and delivered a powerful scream. The bushes went silent.

The pride also stopped. The leader turned head back to the water and gave a short cry. The pride also repeated it. The bushes answered in sorrowful screams. The cats walked into the water. BB signed, and flapped whatever was left of her fingers. She rolled herself over the head - warm water getting into the mouth and mixing with juice. Without looking she knew the cats were swimming towards her.

She was heading towards the island slowly, in a series of rolls, tumbles and flaps. Her fragile skin was all she had for the night. When her head was above the water she heard shrill cries in the bushes...