The Santa Syndrome, part 2

A few days later, I sat in my flat on my computer. I'd clocked in at 400lbs that morning and the man in the mirror looked completely different to what he had looked like a few weeks ago. A big soft pillowy body that shook and quaked with each movement, a long white beard reaching to the top of my belly shelf, a heft covering of body hair. 

---

A few nights after that, I was browsing the internet for any information on what was happening to me when I noticed the same article as before, this time updated with new content. I clicked on it, hoping it was news of a cure!

Instead, I read with some dismay that the man's condition had developed into what was being called Advanced Santa Syndrome. Again the before and after shots of the man that had been there last time, but they were joined by a third. This time, the man, impossibly even fatter and rounder than before, was stood next to a measuring scale on the wall. I zoomed in on the picture and was shocked to see that the height read 8 feet tall.

The report added that shortly after hitting a certain weight, the man had proceeded to start growing up and out in all directions, but was otherwise healthy, in fact, extremely jolly. Investigations were still ongoing, but the doctor had heard of other cases cropping up in other parts of the world. There was an email address to write to if people had information.

I clicked on it and wrote a message, including some pictures I had taken over the time period. I needed more information before I too became some kind of giant freak.

---

Dr. Bauchmann stroked his greying beard as he listened to me reel off what had happened to me. I even gave him a view of what my body looked like now. He listened with unfeigned interest as I answered his questions on various statistics such as weight and belly circumference.

He then explained that they hadn't found a cure, but each time they found a new case they were learning more. 

"Why'd you call it Santa Syndrome?" I asked, prompted by a sudden thought.

"Because it was easier to say than Hyperobese Androsenescence! To be honest, I still don't really know what to call it. Besides, that's what the first case made me think of - he said he'd had dreams of sleigh bells and red and that, combined with his look made me think of Santa.

"Can you remind me of your weight again?" he asked airily.

I stepped on the scale again, noting with dismay that I was a pound heavier than that morning's weigh in. I was 430lbs. 

He nodded and sighed, "I think I may have to make some calls to get you moved into more appropriate accommodation."

"Why, what's significant about that weight?" 

He continued writing on his notepad, "That was the weight that patient zero began their growth spurt."

"What?!"

"It was slow at first, but like the weight gain, seemed to accelerate. We can't explain it, but the condition seems to reactivate the growth sites and hormones. Patient Zero hit 9 feet last week and still seems to be growing."

"But not getting fatter, right?"

Silence.

"Oh god... oh ho god. Oh ho HO HO!" I clamped my hands over my mouth to cover the booming laugh. Where had that come from?

Dr. Bauchmann looked sympathetic. "I think that development confirms that you have Advanced Santa Syndrome. Patient Zero was beginning to have similar outbursts of laughter of that calibre. A bit like a tic, but only ever around the 'oh' sound. I'll make the calls and get it sorted for you. One thing we know is that the condition is contagious in some ways." He stood back and I really noticed how plump he was, a big round gut filling out his shirt. He saw my stare and laughed, "I seem to have picked it up myself from studying patient zero. I was 160lb a couple of weeks ago and I just hit 250. Not quite 45 pounds in a week." He seemed to derive some amusement from that observation.

I expressed my sympathy, and he shrugged. "As you've noticed, there's nothing wrong with us in general. But we do need to study this fully to make sure it can be coped with. Anyway, I'll be in touch."

---

Dr. Bauchmann acted quickly, which was a good thing as after that conversation, my height began to increase. Luckily it wasn't as fast as my weight gain, but by the time the arrangements had been made, I was finding it difficult to move around my house.

By the time I arrived, I was skirting 7' tall and 475lb. Still not as large as patient zero, but getting there.

The outbursts of laughter and jollity kept happening as well. Each bout of laughter caused my flab to shake. Indeed, as the condition progressed, my belly fat became much softer - like jelly. It all felt a bit on the nose.

I had more visits from Dr. Bauchmann and I got to see how the transformation looked from an outside perspective. Each time I saw him, he was greyer and rounder. He seemed resigned to it, but I did feel a bit bad for him.  

"I'm sorry I'm putting you at risk." I said to him one day.

"It's alright - currently I'm the only doctor studying this and it's important we work it all out. Even if I go through it all myself. Besides," He gave his belly a hefty slap, "I don't mind it too much. Do you?"

I thought about it - I guess I hadn't really had too much time in all my commotion about my changes to think about it. The outbursts of jollity were a bit annoying sometimes, and being nearly 9 foot tall and 600lb had it's difficulties. But all in all, I wasn't in pain and I wasn't endangering others - other than unlucky men who might catch it from me!

"I don't really have a choice but to accept it - it doesn't seem to be letting up. I suppo - HOHOHO-se I have to resign myself to it." I rolled my eyes at my laughter. I thought I had gotten better at controlling it.

He nodded, then stopped short as a button popped off his shirt. "Dammit, I just got these..."

I laughed again, making my belly quake.

---

Gradually my growth slowed, but never stopped - thankfully as I was testing the limits of the bigger accommodation. Patient Zero had also hit a similar state.

Dr. Bauchmann continued to monitor my condition and his own. One day he came in with a rueful smile.

"Everything ok, doc?" I asked.

"I've submitted my research. I've done all I can."

"And what are your findings?"

"That it's not harmful. That it would be very inconvenient to have many males catch it, but with proper quarantine protocols, that shouldn't be an issue."

He'd really plumped up these last few days - but then, I thought, how much bigger was I now in comparison?

"So why the rueful face?"

He blushed and ran a hand through his white hair, "I guess I wanted to show you rather than tell you."

He stood next to the wall measuring tape "I'm normally 5'10" "

I squinted down - 6'4"

Realisation dawned, "Oh no! You've got the Advanced form!"

"Yep. It was o-HOHOHOnly a matter of time... Oh god that is annoying, isn't it?" He winced.

"You get used to it. Have you got space sorted out? You know this stage gets pretty rapid."

"The foundation I work with has added some rooms onto this compound, since we're the only two people in this country who have the condition. I hope you don't mind us being neighbours - it's not like we can really go anywhere anymore."

"Well, if I'm going to be a giant growing santa, I wouldn't mind some company."

He smiled. "In a way, I'm looking forward to it. Having watched you become such a magnificent sight, I hope I'll do the same."

Another pinging noise heralded yet more buttons being sacrificed to his condition. I laughed. "Looks like you'll be finding out soon!"

He looked troubled suddenly, "That... felt different."

He ran a hand over his belly, brow furrowed. Suddenly it surged forward a bit and the rest of his buttons bust off, surprising us both.

"Doc, what's going on?"

"I... I don't know... Oof, I feel so full and heavy." He arched his back to counterbalance his now bigger gut. This motion caused his trouser button to bust open.

"Oh HOHOHO... I worried something like this might happen..." 

"Something like what?"

"I've been exposed to several strains of Santa Syndrome. I think the condition has mutated to work faster...." There was a creaking sound of fabric and then a tearing noise. I gaped as Dr. Bauchmann began to burst out of his clothes. Not only was he blowing up fatter, he was also increasing in height.

"Doc! Talk to me! Are you ok?"

"I... I'm Fine... HOHO God this feels AMAZING!" 

I watched in amazement as Bauchmann grew impossibly quickly. Soon he was level with me and somehow even fatter.

"Whoa!" He looked down at me, agog. "That was unexpected!"

"I'll say. But Doc, I don't think it's stopping..." I was beginning to need to look up to see his face, and his fat body was beginning to press against mine.

"You may need to stand back..."

"I can't... you were in front of the door."

He looked worried from an increasing fattening face. "Oh."

The pressure on me was increasing as he continued to fill the space. 

"What do we do?"

"I don't know...." CRACK... "I think I just broke the ceiling."

The pressure on me lessened a bit, but now I could hear the sound of falling walls and wood. Bauchmann had grown and expanded so much that he had broken the facility!

I stumbled back through the rubble, transfixed by the sight before me. Where once had been the obese doctor, was now a blob like mass, topped by a white haired and bearded head. 

I was about to call for help when Bauchmann called down from his height, "I think... I think it's over..."

"Are you ok?"

"Yes. Well, immobile, but ok. No pain. No other symptoms."

I lumbered backwards so I could see him. He laughed nervously.

"This is a development. I probably need to update my report... except I don't think I can ho-HOHOld a pen."

His form wobbled with his booming laugh - he was now so fat that he was sat down on the ground, spreading an equal distance forward and backward.

"This condition is really something isn't it? Not quite sure what to do now..."

"They'll probably send another doctor - one who hopefully won't pick up the condition! Although that would be interesting to see."

"Do you think this will happen to me?" 

"I'm not sure. I mean, all I really can do is observe now. The only thing I really felt was an overwhelming sense that I needed to grow."

I thought for a moment. I didn't really feel anything like that. "Guess I'm ok for the moment then."

He chuckled, making his form quake and undulate. "Let's see if I can get a device that will accept dictation so I can actually add this to the report."

While he was talking, I continued to walk around him slowly. There was just so much of him - like a massive Santa blimp. In a way, I felt envious.  I wondered what it would be like to be that large...

No, I needed to be that large. I needed to grow. No wait... not just yet...

"Doc... I think... I may be about to..."

He looked down, concerned. 

"about to... GROOOOOOOHOHOHO!"

I felt like an over full balloon - I needed to spread, expand grow. My belly ballooned forward, hitting the ground with a thump, as my limbs thickened and my chest expanded outwards. I was getting bigger and heavier, but not enough. More, MORE!

I was dimly aware of Bauchmann saying something, but I was so focused on the sensations that I couldn't hear him...

Bigger, fatter, heavier.... eventually, the sensation cleared and I looked around groggily. "Doc?"

A voice from down beneath my belly spoke. "Down here."

I attempted to look over my form, but couldn't manage it. "I can't see you."

"Yeah, you're about double my size now. No wonder."

I wished I could see myself.

"This is a bit concerning - if this keeps happening, we're going to start destroying the surrounding area..."

---

Dr. Bauchmann's associates, suitably protected in hazmat suits, were soon on the scene and able to receive a report of what had happened. They were able to arrange some kind of shelter for us, but it was clear this would not withstand any further growth spurts.

Patient Zero was also brought to our location - he too had undergone the amazing growth spurts that we had done, roughly around the same time they had occurred to us. He was introduced to us as James. He and I shared our stories, which turned out to be quite similar.

And so our strange life continued - the growth seemed to have stopped but we were still huge and grey. After a while, supervision of us was reduced and the medical community moved onto other matters.

One day, as we were having our ample food supply delivered, I spotted something odd. Our usual handler, a man named Ben, was not wearing his hazmat suit.

When challenged on it, he blushed and ran a hand through greying hair. "Well, it seems that I've caught the condition as well. I'm already 50lb heavier..."

It looked like we were about to be joined by a fourth.