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To Win a Blueberry Competition part 2
🕑 Added 2022-07-15 01:13:04 +0000 UTCTo Win a Blueberry Competition part 2.
Alexa smiled as she sank into her easy chair. “It feels so lovely to be home. Ahhh.” She flipped off her shoes and stretched her blue arms out. “Now I can just relax and wait for the rest of this blueberry formula to get out of my system.” She sighed. “After that second dose that Terry tricked me into taking, my skin has been blue for almost twenty-four hours. I am lucky that I have shrunk down to my normal self.”
Alexa grabbed the remote and turned on the television. “There is no way I am going to the regionals to see who wins this whole thing. For all I know, I could turn into a blueberry forever. Or, at the very least, I would be blue skinned for the rest of my life. I can’t let that happen.” She scratched at the pale blotches on her neck.
Alexa groaned as her pants vibrated. “Please tell me that isn’t who I think it is.”
She muted the television and pulled out her phone. “Ugh, it’s Terry. Great.” Alexa took a deep breath. “Hello?”
“Alexa. Hey, how are you?”
“Recovering.”
“Hey, now what is there to recover over. So, what if you are a bit blue? It is only temporary. You said it yourself in a tweet that it was coming off.”
“I am not going to the last round of the competition, Terry!” Her cheeks turned purple. “Do you hear me!”
“Now, let’s not make any rash decisions here. The competition is just two days away, and we will have to spend some of that time traveling. It will take quite a bit of time to travel all the way out to California. So please be ready for when I come over.”
“I said no! I am waiting for this gunk to fade away so I can reschedule my date with Norman. It was bad enough that our time together last time was ruined.”
“Hey, I know. He can come with us. It will be so magical.”
Alexa slammed her fist down on the side of the seat. “I am not dragging him into this.
He can’t see me all blue and bloated. I told you that before.”
“So, I shouldn’t of gotten all three of us tickets on a plane leaving for California in a few hours?”
“Terry. I just. . .” Alexa took a deep breath. “Fine. We can go out there, but no competition and no formula, you got it? I have had enough of this nonsense.”
“Meet you at Arendals Airport in three hours. Love you.” The line went dead.
Alexa groaned as she jumped to her feet. “Great. Just great.” She ran her hands through her hair. “Terry just doesn’t listen to a word I say. It is like words go in one ear and out the other. Ugh. Is that car worth so much to her?” Alexa shook her head. “Hopefully, she will get a taste of her own medicine before this trip is over with.”
***
Later that day, Alexa found herself at Arendal Airport. “Huh, great. Can’t believe I am being roped into this again.” She pulled at her hoodie. “And before this damn skin coloration could even go away.”
“Hey, Alexa. Alexa!” She turned her head to see Terry and Norman strolling toward her. “Hey, long time no see.” Terry took Alexa’s hand and shook it vigorously. “So glad you decided to come.”
“It isn’t exactly like I have a choice.”
“Oh, come on now. You always have a choice. Life wouldn’t be well life if you didn’t have a choice in the matter. Isn’t that right, Norman.” Terry laughed.
“Umm, right?” He looked at Alexa. “What is with the hoodie? I can’t even see your face.”
Alexa pulled her hood down to cover her face even more. “I, umm, am going for something.”
He narrowed his eyes. “The scary bomber threat look? What is wrong with you?”
“Look, I am just embarrassed with a make-up mishap, and I don’t want people to make a big thing about it, ok.” Alexa sighed. “Can we just focus on getting on that plane?” She grabbed her bags and walked into the airport. The place wasn’t too terribly busy, and Alexa could walk right up to the front desk. “Hello, I am here about the flight to California.”
The man behind the desk tapped his finger as he looked at Alexa. “Umm, miss, we don’t allow people to cover their faces here.”
“But—
“Don’t make me call security.” He picked up a phone with his calloused hand as Terry and Norman walked up from behind.
Alexa sighed. “Ok.” She reached for her hood.
“Slowly now.”
Alexa snorted. “You can trust me.” She lifted her hood to reveal her blue face. “There, are you happy?”
His eyes went wide. “What in the world is wrong with you?”
Norman raised an eyebrow as he reached the desk. “What are you talking about?” The man pointed at Alexa, and Norman turned his head. “Alexa?
What in the world happened to your face?”
She sighed. “I spilled some paint on it this morning. It was an accident.”
The clerk ran a finger along Alexa’s cheek. “Ugh, this stuff sure feels like paint or something similar. Ugh.” He sighed. “Well, I guess I don’t have to call security for this, but it is very, very funny.” He chuckled.
Alexa tapped her fingers on the side of her body. “Can I get those tickets?”
Norman and Terry raised their hands. “Oh, and us too. We are with her.”
The clerk nodded his head. “Three tickets for California? Ok then.” He typed away on this computer. “Flight leaves in fifteen minutes. Gate 4.” He handed them their tickets. “I would hurry if I were you. The gate is on the other side of the airport.”
Terry snatched the ticket and smiled. “Thank you.” She rushed off.
“Hey, you still have to pay, lady.”
Terry laughed. “They are the ones with the money.”
Norman turned around. “Hey, you just can’t leave me with the bill, you cheap skate.”
Alexa sighed and turned toward the waiting clerk. “Why did I expect something like this to happen?” She groaned and reached for her purse. “I expected this from Terry but Norman? Great.”
“I just need a hundred dollars. Each.”
Alexa sighed. “Ok, here you are.” She handed him the money. Now Terry has even more stuff to pay for this nonsense. Alexa picked up her bags and followed after the others. A few minutes later, she spotted gate four and hurried her pace. “Almost there.”
The young lady just outside the gate held up her arms. “Hold it. Can I see your ticket?” She crossed her arms. “And just what are you on, you blue-faced wonder?”
Alexa sighed and showed the lady in a suit her ticket. “Here. Now let me through. I have to get on that plane.” She tapped her foot as she waited for her ticket to be examined.
“Hmm, it looks to be in order. What I can’t fathom is how you got past security.
Well, let me take your bags.”
Alexa pulled back. “Why?”
“Have you never flown before? I am going to send them off to be put on the plane.” She laughed. “Then you can go find a seat. Or are you a bit sick from that blue whatever you took?”
“I am fine.” She dropped her bags on the floor. “There. Happy?”
“There is no need to get snippy. Go on ahead.”
Alexa sighed. “Sorry. I just have been dealing with some crappy friends lately. Thank you for your help.” She dashed down the corridor. “Now here is hoping that this trip will turn out to just be a fun time in California and not another blueberry trap.”
***
A few hours later, their plane touched down in sunny California. Alexa looked out the window to see the wonderful blue sky she had heard so much about. “I can’t wait to see the first wonderful thing on this side of the country.” Her face turned into a frown as she looked up into the cloudy sky above. “Sunny California, my ass. Huh.”
Terry rushed up and tapped Alexa on the shoulder. “Hey, we are here. Come on. Let’s hurry and get our stuff. We have a competition to get to.”
“I told you I am not here for that.”
“Oh, come now. We came all this way.” Terry pulled Alexa to her feet. “It can’t hurt to go all the way.” She rushed off the plane.
Alexa shook her head. “I hope I can find a way out of this nonsense.”
“What nonsense?” Norman smiled as he walked up.
Alexa chuckled. “Oh, nothing. I just think we can find a better place to hang out than that silly fruit competition.”
“I mean, it will be cool to see the ending to it all. Won’t it? I mean, imagine if someone has something bigger than Terry’s blueberry.”
Alexa scratched at the back of her head. “I am sure someone will. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t think so. That thing was bigger than my car.”
She stamped her foot onto the ground. “No, it wasn’t.” She took a few deep breaths as Norman looked at her in confusion.
“Are you ok? It isn’t that big of a deal if the blueberry is the biggest or not.”
Alexa sighed. “I am sorry. I am just “helping” Terry with this, and it puts a lot of stress on me.” She turned around. “Now, let’s go before they shut us in here.”
“You do know they wouldn’t do that, right?” Norman followed after her. “Have you flown before?”
Alexa shook her head. “Why is everyone asking me that?”
They exited the plane and entered the terminal where Terry waited. As they came into view, Terry waved her arms wildly. “Hey over here. I got our bags already.”
Alexa crossed her arms. “Already? How did you know which ones were mine and Norman’s?”
Terry tossed Norman a bag. “Because I know you two so well, silly.” She giggled. “It is the right one?”
He examined the bag. “Yep. Thanks for the help there.”
Alexa sighed and yoinked her luggage from Terry’s grasp. “Thank you for the help.” She examined the terminal. “So, where do we go from here?”
Terry smiled, her white teeth shining in the dim light of the overhead lights. “We wait on the cabs that will take us right to the competition. Sadly, I didn’t have enough money for any hotels or anything fancy. We are just going to have to head straight to the fairgrounds.”
Norman shrugged his shoulders. “Fine by me.”
Alexa tapped her fingers on her luggage. “And with the competition starting tomorrow, where are we going to sleep?”
Terry laughed. “Umm, you are going to love this. We are going to camp out at the fairgrounds.”
Alexa’s eyes widened. “Camp out?”
Terry pulled out a pamphlet. “It’s all here. Contest winners are invited to camp out on the fairgrounds for good food and fireworks. The only requirement is you bring your contest entry item.”
Alexa gulped. “Oh, too bad. I don’t see your blueberry anywhere. I guess we can’t attend the campout.”
Terry raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be too sure, Alexa.”
Norman looked at Alexa and then at Terry. “What are you two talking about?”
Terry laughed. “Oh, nothing Norman. Let’s just head outside and meet up with the cabs. We have to get to the fairgrounds now, don’t we?” She grabbed Alexa’s arm. “Now, let’s get going.”
They walked outside into the chilly summer air. Terry shivered as she looked from one side of the street to the other. “It is unusually cold for this time of year. Now, where is that cab?”
“Maybe it isn’t coming?” Alexa joked.
Terry snorted. “Not funny.” She turned her head. “Oh, there it is. Hey!” She dropped her luggage and ran into the middle of the street. “Hey.”
The man behind the wheel honked the horn as he slammed on the breaks. Still, Terry did not budge as the cab slowed to a halt, the front fender almost hitting her as the vehicle crawled to a stop. The driver rolled down his window and stuck his head out. “What the hell is wrong with you, lady?”
Terry rushed up and smiled. “Hello. We need your services.” She opened the back door and jumped inside. “Take us to Sixty-Seventh and Baker Street.”
He turned around as Alexa and Norman walked over with the luggage. “Are you nuts? That is all the way on the other side of town? I may be a cabbie, but I have my limits here.”
Alexa narrowed her eyes as she set the bags in the car. “I thought you said you had the transportation set, Terry.”
She weakly smiled as Norman slid into the car. “I said I would get us a ride over to the fairgrounds. Ok.” She pulled herself into the front seat. “I will pay you whatever you want.
Just take us where we want us to go, ok.”
“I just can’t. . . Whatever I want?”
“Whatever you want.” Terry winked her eyes.
He rubbed his tan hands together. “Ok then. Sounds like a deal to me. We will be off as soon as you are ready.”
Terry sat back as Alexa pulled herself into the vehicle. She leaned over and whispered, “You don’t have any money to give him, though. If you can’t pay for a hotel room, how are you going to pay the cabbie?”
Terry giggled. “Oh, don’t worry. I have everything under control and figured out.”
Alexa rolled her eyes and leaned against the side of the cab. “I just hope you know what you are doing.”
Terry smiled. “Trust me, I do.” Alexa jumped as she felt a prick on her arm. “And you are going to help.”
Alexa rubbed her arm as she turned her head. “You didn’t just. . .” She narrowed her eyes as the pale blotches on her skin turned blue. “You did. I knew it was just a matter of time until you did this again.”
The driver snorted. “Will you pip down back there. I can’t focus.” He turned up the radio to ear bleeding levels. “Damn, kids.”
Alexa covered her ears with her hands. “Can’t you just put a divider up between us and you, sir?” The driver just hummed away as he drove. “What the hell? How does this music not bother you?”
“What? Don’t you like this new age pop? It is so soothing.”
Norman blinked. “Did someone say something?” The driver laughed and continued to drive.
Alexa crossed her arms. How did I end up traveling with crazy people? She pulled at her seat belt. Ugh, the damn thing is starting to feel tight. She looked down to see her belly slowly expanding. “Crap!”
Terry looked over and giggled. She then winked and said something Alexa couldn’t hear over the insanely loud music. Still, Alexa silently cursed at her friend for putting her in this situation. Ugh, this cab ride needs to hurry. She pushed on her expanding belly. I am really filling up with blueberry juice.
She felt a tap on her right shoulder. “Hey!” Alexa turned her head as Norman screamed at the top of his lungs. “Are you alright? You seem a bit bloated.”
Before she could answer, the driver turned the radio up, even more, causing Alexa to cover her ears. “Ugh, for god’s sake.” Her sides began to press against Terry and Norman. “Stop turning up the music. It is starting to hurt.”
Terry pushed at Alexa. “Hey, just because you are swelling up doesn’t mean you can try and crush me.”
Alexa groaned. “Ugh, this seat belt is killing me.” She took her left hand from her ears and dug under her growing body for the seat belt release. “I need to get out before it’s too late. I feel like I am being cut in half by this belt.” The skin below the belt was extremely purple, and her body below the seat belt was pooling with more and more juice. “I can’t. . . get my hand down there.” She rested her hands on her enormous hips, forcing Terry and Norman against the vehicle’s walls. “Ugh.”
She grabbed the sides of the car as her legs became filled with blueberry juice, quickly melding together. Her feet burst out of her shoes and looked like blue dough before melding into her round lower half. “I look like one of those blow-up punch clowns. Maybe a bit more blobbier, but still.”
The driver pulled to a stop. “We are here.” He shut off the music and turned around. “Ok, I want some. . .” He spotted Alexa. “What in the living hell?”
Terry slipped off her seat belt. “Sorry, but we have no money.” She grabbed her bags and jumped out of the cab. “Have a nice day.”
Alexa turned her head. “Hey, what about me?” Her chest began to bubble. “That isn’t a good sign.” She put her hand over her vibrating torso. “Oh god.” She groaned. “I am scared.”
Norman gulped as he threw his seatbelt off. “I umm. . .” He kicked his door open. “Terry, wait up.”
The driver narrowed his eyes at Alexa. “Someone is going to have to pay up, lady. I don’t much care what is happening to you.” He held out his hand. “Now, give me what I want, or I will call the police.”
Alexa closed her eyes. “I. . .” The seatbelt snapped off, and all of the pent-up pressure burst forth. Her upper body became filled with blueberry juice in an instant, her body filling up the entire vehicle. She slammed the driver against the windshield, but her explosive growth didn’t stop there. She expanded more and more until the car burst apart, and she sent the driver hurtling across the street. She shook her head as she looked down at the massive blueberry body. “I can’t believe how massive I am. I am even bigger than last time.”
The driver shook his head. “My car.” He looked up at Alexa. “You gigantic blueberry. . .”
Terry jumped in front of him. “Hey, leave her alone.” She held out a syringe. “Unless you want to be a big blue blueberry yourself.” Blue water squirted out of the needle.
He shook his hands. “Hey, leave me the hell alone, lady. You are nuts.” He grabbed his keys from the pavement. “Leave me out of your shit from now on.”
Terry smiled. “Thanks for the ride.” She turned around and looked up at Alexa. “Told you I had everything under control.”
Alexa snorted. “How dare you turn me into a blueberry again.” She looked around. “I can’t feel my hands and feet. What happened to them?”
Terry laughed. “I don’t see any hands or feet this time. You look quite like a real blueberry.”
Alexa’s face turned purple. “My hands and feet are just gone? Terry, this is too much. Turn me back.”
Terry turned around. “Not until we get the grand prize. Momma needs her prize car.” She turned her head. “Then we can make you normal again.”
Norman walked up. “How did you do this to Alexa? We are supposed to be here on a date.”
Terry shrugged her shoulders. “It was, umm, an accident. Sorry, Norman. But hey, she can now help me win this thing.”
Alexa took a deep breath and then yelled at the top of her voice. “She is lying, Norman. She did this to me. You have to do something.”
Norman crossed his arms. “I saw what you did in the cab, Terry. You can’t trick me.”
Terry laughed. “Ok, ok. But what do you want me to do? We just have to wait things out anyways. Might as well win things while we are here, right?”
Norman looked at the ground. “I guess.” He looked up at Alexa. “I mean, that grand prize does sound nice.”
Alexa banged her head against the side of her body. “But. . . Ugh.”
“Come on, Norman.” Terry waved at him. “Help me roll her into the park.”
“Ok.”
Alexa moaned as she was rolled towards the fairgrounds. “This is not how things were supposed to go at all.”
***
Alexa blinked her eyes open as the sunlight of the morning sunrise beamed over the park. “Ugh.” Her blueberry body shuddered. “Morning already.” She looked down at her body. “And I am still a blueberry? Great. Just great.” Alexa sighed. “I can’t believe it. Am I ever going back to normal?”
“Rise and shine, my big blue friend?” Alexa turned her head as Terry walked her way, eating a giant pretzel. “Are you ready for your big day?”
Alexa narrowed her eyes. “Let’s just get this over with. Then we can figure out how to turn me back to normal.”
Terry nodded her head. “Once I have my car, we can do whatever you wish. Don’t you worry, your big blue head.” She giggled. “Now then. The contest will start in about an hour.
I have some things to do, so just sit here and enjoy that morning sun. I think blueberries like it.” She turned around. “Anyways, see you in an hour.”
Alexa sighed. “I can’t wait for today to be over with.”
“Hey.” She felt someone poke her giant body from behind. “Alexa.”
“Whoever is back there, you will have to come to my front. I can’t really twist my head.”
A few moments later, Norman walked around so she could see him. “Hey, how are you holding up.”
“I am doing as well as I can be.” She rolled her head. “Just waiting for all of this to be over and for this juice to go down.”
“I have something I want to discuss with you?”
“What?”
“After we win this competition and have a way to turn you back, I am going to use that formula on Terry. This nonsense has gone too far.”
“Norman. . .”
“Don’t need to thank me.” He turned around. “Just doing my part to help you out. Just leave everything to me.”
“Norman!” He rushed off between two tents before she could say another word. “Great. I don’t want him to get mixed up in this any more than he already is. What if Terry finds him snooping around? She could hurt him or worse.” She gulped. “We don’t need him injected with the formula because he was trying to save me. Ugh, damnit, Norman. Please tell me by have a way to turn me back means you will wait until I am fully back to my old self.”
About fifty minutes later, Terry returned with two elderly men. “Here it is.
My blueberry for the contest.”
One of the men crossed his arms and looked at Alexa. “Holy crap, they were not kidding about this one.” He pulled out a syringe. “How did you say again you got this thing so big?”
Terry laughed. “With love and care.”
“Right.” He looked up at Alexa’s face. “And that thing up there?”
“Oh, I, umm, just put a person’s head up there for decoration. Thought it would be funny.”
“Hump.” He stuck the syringe into Alexa’s body, and Alexa bit her tongue to stay quiet.
Terry scratched at the back of her head. “What are you doing?”
He pulled the syringe full of blueberry juice back. “It is tournament policy. We make sure no one is using any kind of steroids to help enhance the growth of their entries.” He looked at Alexa. “So, I hope your love really did the trick here.” He turned around. “The results won’t be in until the judges pick a winner, so hopefully, we don’t have to take a win from anyone.”
His partner laughed. “Ya, we had to last year. The man threatened to sue us. Lost two thousand bucks.”
Terry laughed. “Right. I can’t imagine what kind of crazy people would try stunts like this.”
The two men walked away. “Well, have a nice day and good luck in the contest.”
Once they were gone, Terry turned toward Alexa. “Crap. What if their results come back positive? We will be screwed.”
“We?” Alexa rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how much we there is in this.”
Terry tapped Alexa on the side of her blueberry body. “Hey, thanks to you, we have a massive chance here. Of course, there is a we.” Terry took a deep breath. “We just have to hope my formula won’t show up on their tests. That way, I will get my car.”
Norman walked up and tapped Terry on the shoulder. “Hey.”
Terry twisted around. “Who is there?” She took a deep breath. “Oh, it’s only you, Norman.”
He raised an eyebrow. “We need to roll her onto stage for the contest. Let’s go.”
“Right.” They walked behind Alexa. “Let’s get this over with. I want my car already.”
They rolled Alexa between the tents and out before a roaring crowd on a wooden stage. Beside her, Alexa could see other giant fruit, all half her size. “Wow.” She turned her head as a young woman walked up towards the stage. “People take plant growing competition’s this seriously.”
“Hello everyone, and welcome to the twenty-fifth annual grow-off competition. We have some real big contenders to pick from this time.” She turned towards the homegrown goodies as the crowd cheered. “Goodness, that is one giant blueberry. Ehem. Now please, everyone, settle down as our judges come forth to select this year’s winner.”
Three elderly men and a young lady walked out of the crowd and sat at a red and blue table. Once they were seated, the announcer smiled and said, “They will now discuss amongst themselves and pick this year’s lucky winner.”
Alexa gulped as all eyes were on her, blueberry sweat dripping from her body. I do not like this. Can they just hurry up and pick? What is taking them so bloody long?
The oldest judge with ghostly white hair stood up. “It would seem for the first time in almost ten years that a blueberry has won our grow off. Somehow the grower has brought their blueberry to almost Wonka-sized levels. We don’t know how they did it, but we are impressed. We are naming Terry Perrengaurde this year’s winner.”
Terry ran out on stage. “Thank you. I umm don’t know what to say.” She smiled.
“I still get that car, right?”
The judge nodded his head. “Of course.”
“Then thank you. Oh, thank you. All of this hard work paid off.” She jumped up for joy.
“Yes, yes. Now can everyone please clear the stage? We have a pie eating contest to hold here.”
Terry turned around and looked up at Alexa. “We did it.”
Alexa rolled her eyes. Ok. Now can we get out of here?
***
Later that day, Alexa found herself standing on a street corner. The formula had finally worn off to the point where she was back on her own two feet. Her skin was still blue, but hopefully, that would go away with time. “So, how are we going to get back home, Norman?”
He shrugged. “I think I can muster up the money for a trip home.”
“Hey there, you guys.” Terry rushed up from behind.
“Don’t say a word,” Norman said. “Maybe she will go away.”
Terry tapped them both on the shoulder. “Do you two want to go for a ride in my new car?”
Alexa shook her head. “I want to go home with Norman. You can enjoy your ill-gotten gains, thank you very much.”
“Hey now. I did us a favor. I got us a car. Least you can do is say thank you.”
Alexa turned around, but before she could unleash her wrath, the two men that extracted the test samples from Alexa’s blueberry body walked up to them. “Good evening, everyone.” They looked at Alexa. “Is there any reason why you are covered in blue paint, miss?”
Alexa shook her head. “I was just unlucky, and someone dropped a paint bucket on my head. Haven’t had time to wash it off yet.”
He sighed and turned his attention to Terry. “Well, we have good news for you, Ms. Perrengaurde. Our tests came back negative.”
Terry fist pumped the air. “Sweet.”
“Umm, right.” He turned around and joined his associate. “Now we have to go. We did have someone else use growth hormones, so we have a cheater to track down. Have a nice day.”
Terry waved as they walked away. “You too.” She crossed her arms. “Such nice people.” Terry turned around. “Ok, so what are we doing now?”
Alexa pulled out a syringe that Norman had given her earlier. “Norman and I are going home.” She slammed the needle into Terry’s arm and injected the blueberry formula into her.
“You are going to stay here and enjoy your reward.”
Terry shook her head as her arm began to turn blue. “Hey, how can you do this to me?
After everything I have done for you?”
Alexa and Norman began to walk away. “It is exactly why we are doing this to you.”
Alexa slid her arm around Norman. “Now come on. Let’s go home.”
Terry waved her hands. “Hey, come back.” Her belly began to expand. “Alexa.
Norman. I don’t want to be a blueberry. That was Alexa’s deal. Hey!”
