







It was Saturday September 12th, 2020: the day of the monthly eating contest. In two years Kelri, hadn't missed a single one of the Second Saturday Stuffing Contests. Today was no different. In the bathroom, she weighed herself and recorded the number in her daily planner, like she did every week, and often times every day. The scale read 120 lbs. She brushed and tied he, light brown hair into a ponytail so it wouldn’t get in her food during the contest. She pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a long shirt: necessary accessories. Her habitually stretched stomach growled and demanded to be filled.





***







Kelri burped and blushed further. She pulled her shirt down.





The drive home was confusing. Adria's comments played on repeat in her head. Why did she praise me like that? Normally she just gloats or teases. Does she think I’m...Worthy? How ridiculous is that?



“Calm yourself. You know that you’ll be fed well enough tonight,” She joked at her flat abdomen.The errands of the day couldn’t pass fast enough. As was usual, she shopped hungry. It was an exercise in self control. In her planner she outlined exactly what she needed to prepare food for the next week. Despite her stomach's ravenous urges, she never deviated from that plan. Later on in her errands, she brought her clothes to a nearby laundromat. During her mindless wait, she turned her thoughts to the crowds that always filled the Marco's Dinner.She thought to herself. Her stomach growled as if it was participating in the conversation and cheering her on.Marco’s Bar and Grill was packed with the usual locals as well as the fans of the contest. the front counter even had a very small selection of SSSC merchandise, along with collectables for the other events the dinner held. The heat of a room full of drinking men and women hit Kelri like summer heat as she entered. In the back several people lined up signing liability waivers for the contest.“...Adria.” Kelri said.Adria squeezed past two men at the bar that were blocking the hall to the bathroom. She was taller than Kelri by almost a full foot. This wasn’t particular unusual, she was also taller than most of the patrons as well, but that never made her feel better. Kelri was just average in height. Adria was dressed prepared for a fight. Maternity jeans stood ready to contain her soon to be stuffed belly. A long dress like shirt hung loose ready to cover up the casualty to come. Her long dyed blond hair was pulled back in a tight bun.Adria arched her back sticking out her bust and chubby tummy in a display of playful dominance. “I wish you luck. If you were a bit taller, I’d bet you’d have enough room to beat me. It’s a shame really. But i guess everyone likes an underdog. Shall we get started?”Kelri sputtered but failed to find a suitable comeback in her mind. She shook her head and weaved through the crowd and tables. Plenty of the usual watchers greeted her and wished her luck. She put her head down and got her mind in the game.With a grunt, she signed the waiver: a typical medical release designed to eliminate liability from the facility in the case of injury. Her years of assessing medical paperwork screamed that the document wouldn’t hold up in court, but she suppressed the urge to comment. This contest was too fun.The contestants took their place at a long table on the stage at the back of the restaurant. The real competitors, the ones expected to have a chance to win, were seated at one end closest to the judge. Adria leaned back and closed her eyes, as she always did beforehand. Kelri shifted in her seat, spreading her legs and arching her back to create a channel for the food to flow.The owner Marco stepped up on stage and coughed into the microphone.“Welcome to this month’s Second Saturday Stuffing Competition! It’s contest number… How many of these things have we had? Oh, nevermind that’s not important. You're not here to talk numbers; you're here to see who can eat the most! As is tradition we try to mix up our contests. Different food every month. This month we’re going with stew! It’s got beef, broth, beans, vegetables and uhh… Well it’s got a lot of heavy food in it, just be assured of that! What are we waiting for, these guys and gals must be hungry! Dish out those bowls! Most bowls eaten wins!”Kelri focused on herself. She stared at the bowls being placed in front of her. She visualized her stomach expanding to take on enough food for a small family. She stretched her mouth and neck to prepare for food. She waited.“Start!”The crowd yelled and chanted discordant mishmashed words: general encouragements. They shouted Adria's name. They shouted Kelri's. Plenty of people cheered for the newcomers. To her right the novice shlubs shoveled heaping spoonfuls into their mouths.Kelri thought.She picked up a bowl and brought it to her mouth. With a tilt of her head, she shoveled the stew down like a chunky waterfall right into her mouth.One bowl down. Two. Four. The faster she ate the less time there was for her stomach to get sore from fullness. The food drowned out everything else. Six bowls down. She calculated that was a bit over two liters. Her stomach push out against her yoga pants. With a swift gesture she pulled them down to eliminate the little resistance they provided to her expanding tummy. Eight bowls down. Her stomach gurgled with satiation.Nine. Ten. She rolled her head back, shut her eyes and wiped profuse sweat from her brow. She looked to her side as Adria entered a similar near comatose state. The haze of the grow stew-induced tiredness prevented her from counting the bowls.She forced another bowl of stew down her throat. Eleven bowls clear. Her stomach rebelled and gurgled. She knew that feeling. Her limit. Another bite would make her puke. She leaned back accepting her performance.Adrenaline receded as pain surged from her stomach. She moaned. Adria moaned in reply. Kelri massaged her taut rounded stomach with both hands.“And the winner is…” Marco called out to the cheering crowd.Kelri Stood and cheered. A burp escaped her mouth. She pat her food rounded stomach spilling out over her yoga pants. “I did it!”Marco finished his announcement. “With 12 and a half bowls the winner is Adria! The reigning champion! Show off that winning stomach!”The cold water of disappointment ran down her back. All that stretching - all that effort and planning - she got nothing but a full stomach.Her arms feel limp to her sides. She tucked her stomach into her yoga pants. The pressure of the waistband made her wheeze. Her blushing face absorbed the crowd's cheers embarrassing her further.Adria pressed her belly against Kelri’s back. She slithered her arms under Kelri’s and lifted up her shirt flashing the crowd with Kelri’s belly. “How about a big cheer for my challenger who gave me a run for my money!” Adria pat the top of Kelri’s stuffed belly and whispered in her ear as the crowd cheered. “I’m impressed. Little Kelri is getting rounder every competition. Looking very good. I’ll have to work even harder with you on my tail. You better do better next time.”Kelri collapsed through her door.Taking heavy breaths due to her distended churning stomach, she stripped downto her matching purple panties and bra.Spurred by Adria's words, she stood in front of her full body mirror and turned from side to side admiring her body. She through about what she said.She smiled and arched her back. The curve of her stomach was so pleasing to the eye and hand.“I guess i am pretty round right now," She said out loud to herself. "Goodnight belly.”She fell into a food coma gently rubbing her stretched stomach.