When Miles and Lisa burst into the diner at busy hour where she walked part-time, Shelley was amused because their excitement was infectious after they showed her the brochure a lab technician gave them.
Clinical trials £400 with free, comfortable accommodation and unlimited food for fourteen days. You may exit the program at any time.
She chuckled. “Are you sure about this?”
Miles hung his hand around her shoulders and sighed. “This is it, Shells! Our way out. We do this for a few days, leave and live better—”
“Yeah,” Lisa cut in, her eyes shining, “we can buy those dresses and shoes we've always wanted.”
Shelley hesitated for a moment, studying the brochure. “Okay, guys. I hope this turns out good.” And before her annoying manager could reprimand her, Shelley gave him a piece of her mind and walked out of the diner with her friends.
The next day, Shelley laughed as the boarded the luxury starliner, Amaranthine, with their backpacks. Their rooms were luxurious and comfortable.
When they were led to the dining hall for brunch, it was an endless buffet of the most delicious assortment of food. Miles and Lisa were practically hopping on their feet as were about two hundred young adults.
“Oh my, who could possibly eat this much?” Shelley wondered out loud and a passing handsome waiter stopped and winked at her. “You'd be surprised. Bon appetit!”
The three friends feasted with the other passengers. The first three days passed without any visit from doctors or nurses but everyone eat non stop. The foods were delicious and every meal left them craving the next.
Shelley became concerned on day four when she noticed Miles were a bit heavier. Lisa moved slower while an elegant couple she noticed on day one struggled to walk. No one left the dining hall again.
That day, Shelley forced herself to skip dinner and it felt like her stomach would devour itself. The rumbling was loud and the biting ache made her curl into herself.
When she felt some relief, she went in search of the captain of the starliner and found a terminal displaying the ship's operating logs in an office. She froze for a moment, her eyes wide.
Passenger Nutrition Program Active
Subject: Humans Designed To Overeat
All Menu Optimized For Maximum Consumption
She had no idea the trial was about tracking their appetite and studying if they could override their base instinct. What did they put in the food?
She staggered back to the dining hall, her eyes darting left and right for her friends. Miles had his mouth full with hamburger while he popped open a soda. Lisa dug into her bowl of spicy noodles and chicken.
“Guys!” Shelley shook them, while snapping her fingers in front of their eyes like they had been hypnotised. “Guys, snap out of it. We must find a way out of here.”
Miles smiled as though he was drunk, his eyes unfocused. “Go? No way, Shells. We are happy here.” Lisa slapped her hand out of her face before rolling noodles with her chopsticks and filling her mouth.
Shelley noticed there were no waiters around. She checked the doorway and they weren't locked. As the brochure stated, they could leave at anytime. No one was willing to leave and her friends chose to stay.
Stomach rumbling loudly, she pulled her backpack across her shoulder and walked out through the exit.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "designed to overeat".
Thank you for visiting my blog.
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