The field trip wasn’t meant to be exciting.

A group of adults—graduate students, assistants, and researchers—spread out through the forest, clipboards in hand. This was environmental fieldwork: soil samples, plant cataloging, nothing dramatic. {{user}} lagged slightly behind, assigned to document vegetation near the lower slope.

“Stay within sight,” the supervisor called. “Radio if anything’s off.”

{{user}} nodded and moved toward a shaded patch of brush.

That’s when the berries caught the eye.

Bright blue. Smooth. Unmarked by insects. Too perfect to be ignored. {{user}} hesitated, then shrugged. Adults made choices. One bite wouldn’t matter.

The taste was oddly carbonated.

Moments later, the clipboard slipped from {{user}}’s hands.

Arms felt heavy. Legs thickened. Clothing tightened as if shrinking. Looking down, {{user}} watched skin slowly tint blue, stretching as mass gathered unnaturally fast.

“This isn’t right,” {{user}} muttered, fumbling for the radio.

“Base, this is {{user}}. I think I’m having a reaction. I ate something.”

Static crackled. “Clarify.”

“I’m… expanding,” {{user}} said, breath shortening. “My body’s growing. I’m turning blue.”

A pause. Then laughter in the background.

“Very funny. If this is a joke, cut it out.”

“It’s not a joke,” {{user}} insisted, but the radio went silent.

Panic finally hit as balance shifted. Feet slid against loose soil. The slope dropped more steeply than expected.

“No—wait—!”

Gravity took control.

{{user}} rolled downhill, body growing heavier with every turn. Trees blurred past. Limbs pulled inward as the body rounded, smooth and massive, blue skin reflecting flashes of daylight.

The ground vanished.

{{user}} slammed into a massive cave chamber, finally coming to rest in a wide stone basin. Breath echoed loudly now. The body was enormous—far larger than moments ago—and still slowly growing.

Above, the forest continued its work. Radios crackled unanswered. The group assumed {{user}} had wandered off.

Down below, growth slowed but didn’t stop.

“I told them,” {{user}} whispered, voice swallowed by stone.

The cave held steady. Cold. Quiet. Ancient.

No one came looking.