Unexplained Changes
By Cat Tac

Part One

Messages in her head:

A hidden force will cause permanent changes which are perceived by some as damage and reduction of your personal appeal whilst to others your own personal appeal will be greatly enhanced.

Expect to disappear from civilisation for at least one year and, at most, two years. One year for the failures and two years for the successful.

No personal pain or mental suffering will be experienced (has ever been experienced) by any of those selected, either before, during or after a successful or unsuccessful completion.

No personal expenses will be incurred, regardless of success or failure on the course. All students require no finances to take part, however the successful will be required to work for "the organisation" when they return to "civilisation" on conclusion of their successful two year course.

Only personal enjoyment and pleasure will be experienced by the "student" during her stay.

Great improvements will be obtained regarding wealth and self esteem for the majority, whilst a minority will be blind to feelings of improved self esteem and will forfeit any hope of greatly improved wealth.

All candidates will have to "pass" certain tests before being accepted on the "course." These tests may take weeks before they are completed by "potential students." The potential students will be informed of their progress.

Personal messages to loved ones are permitted on a limited basis, but all messages are subject to censorship and subsequent approval by the sender.

Our story begins in a plush psychiatrist's office:

The psychiatrist sat there listening carefully to the young women in front of him. She had recently finished university and had been sent by her rich parents for a "check up" following the young lady's revelation that she had started hearing voices.

She was relaxed but seemed anxious to get the unwanted interview with the specialist out of the way because she wanted to get to the mall for her bi-weekly shopping spree.

The successful, pretty and bright girl explained the problem; she was getting these strange "entry rules" for an imaginary course she kept dreaming about.

Pompously, the psychiatrist concluded that she had been on "courses" too long at university and now she was dreaming about starting a new one!

The girl got up to leave after the psychiatrist had deliberated and given his conclusion. "Good bye, I should not think I will be back; it's all such a waste of time!" said the girl as she slammed the door.

The psychiatrist was staggered at the change of mood from young Miss Bewti Full. Later that day he phoned the father, Mr. Full, and kept meaning to mention the incident in an otherwise perfect session. He rather weakly informed the man that there was nothing to worry about and found himself repeating his pompous conclusion. "Yes, Mr. Full, I am convinced there's nothing wrong except that this imaginary 'course' is a figment of her imagination and early morning dreams."

Meanwhile, Bewti was three hours into her Mall visit. She was happy she had left the psychiatrist's office as she had just had her first "daytime / wide awake" experiences of hearing voices. It was "such a waste of time," anyway, she had been thinking, and she put her shopping on the floor next to the table in the rather posh "mall restaurant." She wondered what she should have from the menu. "Hmm, I normally just have a coffee and a roll, but now I feel I could try something new."

"WHAT RHYMES WITH NEW?" came the voice.

Self consciously, she looked round the restaurant almost expecting to see a man behind her, but looking back ahead of her again was a rather busy looking waitress.

Busy Waitress: "Have you started the test?"

Miss Bewti: "Pardon?"

Busy Waitress: "I failed the course - are you going to, too? Cutting a long story short, I did, you know."

Miss Bewti looked at the menu. This was the first question of her test. How many would there be? Hmmm, she thought, WHAT RHYMES WITH NEW?

Suddenly the bright Miss Bewti's face looked up at the busy waitress..

Miss Bewti: "Number 25!"

Busy Waitress: "And what is that?" (She spoke with a smile.)

Miss Bewti: "The meal for two."

Busy Waitress: "Are you expecting company?"

Miss Bewti: "No, silly, but I think I have got the first question right!"

Busy Waitress: "Oh, err, of course, we ask the customer what they want and they tell us. Thank you, miss."

Bewti was unable to talk to the waitress anymore as she had already disappeared to inform the kitchen of the large order for the small party.

Busy Waitress: "Yes, she is the pretty, slim blonde, sitting at the table with the shopping bags full of clothes."

Ugly looking Chef: "Hmm, she won't stay that size, eating meals that big," he grunted.

Busy Waitress: "Hey, are you sure you can eat all this, Miss?"

Miss Bewti: "I might as well try and have some of it."

Busy Waitress: "Errrr, here's a clue to help you. This is another test; you HAVE to eat it, Bewti."

Miss Bewti: "So you do know about the tests? "

Busy Waitress: "Just that I failed and you have only just started. If you want me to bring you more ice tea to help you swallow the food I will bring it. If you want more time to finish you can sit here until you do it. Good luck."

Miss Bewti: "And, rich, will they make me rich?"

Busy Waitress: "Yes, if you pass. I failed because I was not clever enough. I have this job and a house and a car. I get jobs where they want me to work. It's great but not as good as it would have been if I had been successful on the course."

Miss Bewti: "They? Who are They?"

Busy Waitress: "My benefactors, potentially yours, if you pass these tests and get on the course."

Miss Bewti: "And if I fail to get on the course. What then?"

Busy Waitress: "You will be brainwashed and will have no memory of all these events."

Miss Bewti: "But."

Busy Waitress: "Oh, and another thing. They are already controlling you."

The Busy Waitress returned to her more mundane work before Miss Bewti had a chance to learn more. Miss Bewti was unaccustomed to such a large meal meant for two and had to spend over an hour consuming the food. Her stomach was full, and she loosened her clothes in the washroom to accommodate her distended belly before leaving.

The next thing Miss Bewti knew was that she was in her bedroom. Shopping bags on the floor, she had awoken from hours of sleep. She remembered nothing since the restaurant in the mall.

What was going on?

Then the voice spoke again: "YOU HAVE FINISHED A QUARTER OF THE TEST. THAT WHICH SHOWS YOU ARE INTELLIGENT."

Then the voice spoke again: "YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN TO TEA NOW. YOU WILL SCORE BONUS MARKS FOR EVERY POUND OF FOOD YOU EAT."

Miss Bewti: "What is that for?"

Then the voice spoke again: "TO SHOW YOUR PARENTS THAT YOU ARE GETTING GREEDY."

Miss Bewti: "Why do I want to do that?"

Then the voice spoke again: "SO THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT AND FIT INTO THE LARGER CLOTHES YOU HAVE BEEN BUYING IN THE MALL FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS."

Miss Bewti: "Why do I want to do that?"

Then the voice spoke again: "OH, YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING, MISS BEWTI. JUST GO DOWNSTAIRS AND ENJOY IT!"

Miss Bewti: "Oh what the hell, who wants to be one of those skinny models anyway, it's all such a waste of time!"

Miss Bewti went downstairs, smelling the chicken and the steam pudding on the way. Her parents were pleased to see her eating well during the meal but were a little disappointed with her table manners. Ice cream and treacle were splashed onto her white blouse by the end of the meal and when she asked for third's her mother had to say NO because the rest was for tomorrow's meal.

Miss Bewti stole a few candy bars from the fridge and hurried upstairs to see what was in her shopping bags. She could not remember!

The clothes were all smart business suits, but the smallest one was at least 4 inches too big round the waist. The shoes had no heels and would make her look shorter than she usually did as she always wore platforms. All the other garments were oversized bras, stocking and silk blouses.

Then the voice spoke again: "YOU HAVE FOUR WEEKS TO GROW INTO THE SMALLEST SUIT."

Miss Bewti: "But I will have to put on 30lbs. It's not possible!"

Then the voice spoke again: "IT'S THE NEXT TEST!"

Miss Bewti: "Oh what the hell, who wants to be one of those skinny models anyway, it's all such a waste of time!"

Then the voice spoke again: "OH I THOUGHT YOU DID LAST YEAR!"

Miss Bewti: "Really, I don't remember."

Four calorie filled weeks later. The busy waitress concealed a chuckle when she spotted Bewti.

A little cruelly she phrased her first question:

Busy Waitress: "Is that you Bewti? I almost didn't recognize you."

Miss Porky Bewti: "Oh what the hell, who wants to be one of those skinny models anyway, it's all such a waste of time!"

Busy Waitress: "Don't raise your voice to me, porky. Now what will you be stuffing your fat face with today?"

Miss Porky Bewti: "Ha ha. Ok!" Bewti thought it was funny. "Number 37!"

Busy Waitress: "And what is that?" (She spoke with a smile.)

Miss Porky Bewti: "The meal for three," she laughed.

Half an hour later and a lot of empty plates.. .

Busy Waitress: "Would madam like some double chocolate cake and ice cream to round off?"

Miss Porky Bewti: "Less of the rounding off," she said with a laugh.

Busy Waitress: "Go on, I will throw in a pitcher of beer!"

Miss Porky Bewti: "Oh lovely," she belched.

It was at the end of her meal that Miss Porky Bewti noticed all the tables in the restaurant occupied by single young women. They were mostly all wearing business suits and were all looking around at each other.

At a couple of the tables the young women were not wearing business suits. She noticed the busy waitresses hurry up to them and chase them into the kitchen.

Bewti realised that not only had the course started, but there had already been a couple of failures.