Full Of Hot Air

Ropes are deftly attached to your inflated limbs, and you are released to float a bit above head height. Your previously obese frame has rounded immensly, and your skin has taken on that smooth shiny quality that those really durable inflatables have. What on Earth happened?

Doxens of hands start to manhandle your bulk into the main road with the rest of the parade. It feels a little uncomfortable having your belly pressed like that, and even worse being stared at. You can't really do much about it, though.

You accidently jostle into a rhino-ballon, which twists slightly and snarls "Hey, watch where you're floating, latex brain!" You stammer an apology, and the scowl on his chubby features fades a little. "You new?"

You explain what happened, and he flashes a morose smile. "Similar thing happened to me a couple of days ago. I think it was the soup."

The two of you are paraded down Main Street to cheers and music. After a pregnant pause you get up courage to ask "Just what happened to us?"

The rhino snorts, "We were hijacked for the parade. It's how the big inflatables makers are coining profit now. Seems it's more economical to make a morph inflatable, and once it's done it's just a question of adding gas."

He manages to indicate his own vastly swollen body. "See me? I now expand indefinately to any size they want. We've all got a little release valve in our navels, and all they have to do is shove the hose in our mouths. Of course, we're too huge to reach the valve to let ourselves down and get away. I've been in this parade for three days now. They deflate a little at night, but not enough to make moving easy. The pens are quite roomy." His bleak acceptance is starting to get to you.

For another hour or so, you're paraded through the streets, all the floats bobbing in the wind. By this time, your brain is whirling, looking for some kind of escape from this surreal nightmare. In the end, you can't stand it any more. "Isn't there any way out?"

The blimped rhino sighs. "Search me. With all these people it'd be hard to get away. Inflatables don't have rights." He flashes you a smile. "But hey, if you do find a way, promise to let me know?"

You sink into gloomy silence, despite the cheerful atmosphere.

Written by Lupine

You get a chance

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