Super Size Me (2020)

This revision was written as part of the 2020 #sizerewind challenge. Read the original here.

As per routine, I hit the Northshore McDonalds at 10:45—the lull between the end of breakfast and the lunch rush. With no one in line, I walk straight to the register where Anna is dancing to the ambient music. She smiles when she sees me. "Happy Monday, regular!"

"Hey, Anna. I'd like—"

"And how are you this fine morning?" she asks, smiling up at me.

"I'm good, thanks. It's been a busy morning, and I definitely need my break today."

"Well, my morning just slowed down, so it looks like you got here at just the right time," she says with a wink in her voice. I laugh too loud, and Anna giggles. "So, chicken sandwich, medium fries, medium iced tea," she says, entering my order with a flourish. "Anything else?"

"Nope. You've got me down," I say, back within the limits of my charisma.

"I see you every week," she replies with a wry smile. "Give me some credit."

I pay, tip, and sit at a nearby booth facing away from the counter. My food arrives quickly, but I take my time, allowing myself to get sucked into a mobile game. I've mostly finished when Anna announces her break, and I decide to stay for a little longer. I'm on the verge of falling down a social media rabbit hole when a familiar voice snaps me back to the present.

"Mind if I join you?" Anna asks, with a hand on her hip and a tray in her hands.

Acting on impulse, I scoot over in the booth to make space next to me, eliciting a raised eyebrow and an amused grin from Anna. "Sorry, I mean, you can sit over there!" I blurt, pointing across the table.

Anna takes my discombobulation in stride. "Aw, thanks!" she says, setting down a tray stacked with five Big Macs, a pile of fries, and a large milkshake. "I won't be here long. My break's only ten minutes, and I spent five of them waiting for my order."

I manage a slight nod, but my eyes remain glued to the mountain of food.

"And I'm not throwing shade," Anna continues, having a seat. "Larry's not a bad guy, and he works hard. He just acts like he's the king of the universe when he's only a morning shift supervisor." She wastes no time unwrapping a burger and taking a hearty bite, her cheeks puffed like a chipmunk. "Mmmmmm! Happy Monday, indeed!" Before I can think of a reply, Anna has finished the burger in four quick, successive bites. Gulping it down, she wipes her mouth with her napkin. "Ooooh yeah, that goes down smooth." I want to be shocked by her gluttony, but I'm too distracted by how her red button-up shirt seems to shrink on her body, bunching in the armpits and stretching taut across her bust.

Anna takes a handful of fries as she assesses the remaining burgers—her body gradually inching taller. "Okay, who's next? How about you!" Anna selects another burger and pauses to take in its aroma before digging in with a hearty chomp. "Oh! It's even better than the first one!" She swallows another mouthful, the food appearing to transfer directly to her breasts. Her head continues to creep higher as she makes quick work of her second burger. Anna stuffs another bunch of fries into her mouth, followed by another sip of her shake. "Oh yeah! This is hitting the spot!"

I start to say something but don't get very far. "Um—"

"Don't stop me now. I'm on a roll!" Anna grabs her third burger, finishing it in three huge bites followed by a mouthful of her remaining fries. Her bulging stomach now shows below the rising hem of her shirt. Under the table, her lengthening legs stretch between my own feet and beneath my seat. A button shoots free from her shirt, ricocheting off of my glasses and landing in my ketchup.

"Sorry!" Anna says, her mouth full. She nudges a ketchup packet towards me with her pinky finger. "You can use some of mine if you want." Scooping up the fourth burger, she holds between her long fingers and studies it. "Funny thing about Big Macs, they always look bigger than they actually are." She folds the burger in her hand and bites off half of it, squirming giddily in her seat as she continues stretching taller. Her broadening shoulders and torso tug her shirt open. The jarring sound of her phone vibrating on the table snaps me out of my stupor. Glancing at the time, she grimaces with panic.

"Crap! One minute left!"

Anna plucks the final burger from her tray and raises it to her face. Licking her lips, she opens her mouth wide and stuffs the entire burger into her mouth, pressing it between her lips with her index finger. "Ooooooooooh!" she moans, enchanted by the taste. Another button pops off of her shirt, exposing her now bounteous cleavage. She giggles as a final surge of growth leaves me staring at the bottom of her ribcage and the two remaining shirt buttons preserving her modesty.

"Holy moly, that was good," Anna says, her perky tone now noticeably huskier. With some difficulty, she slides out of the booth and stands to her full height, her head inches from the nine-foot ceiling. The cuffs of her once baggy jeans now stop at her knees, while her flat, toned abs stare me straight in the face.

"Thanks for the company," she says, crouching down to dump the contents of her tray into the trash. "See you next Monday?"

The best I can muster is a dumbfounded nod.

Anna chuckles, and makes her way back to the register, ducking at the last moment to clear the doorframe. Pulling myself back together, I gather my trash, dump my tray, and head to the door. I allow myself one last glance at the counter, where a towering Anna tugs at her shirt in a futile effort to cover her exposed midriff. Catching my eyes, she gives me a wink. I wave again before slipping out and heading back to work.

Originally published June 21, 2020