Chapter Two
Room #701
Saturday, 9:30 AM
The sun streamed through the opened blinds. Four of the five bunks were empty. The boys who occupied those bunks were in the process of getting dressed and tying their shoes. Jack stood in front of the hallway door, "Everyone ready to go?" All the boys nodded except for Miguno, who looked over to the one bunk still covered by its curtain. "Give me a second," the hyena said as he walked to the drape and crouched down to its level.
Miguno asked, "You okay in there?" From behind the curtain, there came sounds of grumbling and shuffling. A smirking Miguno said, "Let me guess, you were up late howling at the moon and need to sleep it off?" A drowsy-voiced Durham answered, "Too tired to eat." Miguno rolled his eyes, "If you say so, but I'll save you a bite just in case." Another grunt came in response. Miguno stood back up and rejoined his other roommates. "If that's the way he wants it," Jack said chipperly as he opened the door and led the boys down the hall.
After the door closed, Durham continued to lie in his bunk. He was technically awake, but had neither the energy nor the motivation needed to start his day. Durham was not a morning person, even by nocturnal standards. In his somnolent state, the coyote continually tossed and turned underneath his covers. The fight to go back to sleep became much harder as Durham felt the pressure building inside his bladder. He was able to hold it for a few minutes, but ultimately the call of nature could not be ignored.
Durham threw off his covers and opened the curtain, grumbling drowsily as he did so. The sun seemed especially bright this morning as he sleepily sauntered across the room. His eyes were barely open, but he knew this room well enough to not need his full vision. Durham lethargically shambled across the hall to the communal bathroom, loudly yawning and obliviously scratching his butt as he entered. Even in his heavy-eyed state, Durham could see that the toilets and showers were unoccupied. Sighing in relief at his solitude, Durham began shambling towards the nearest stall. As he did so, he briefly glanced into the mirror above the row of sinks.
It took a minute for Durham to notice. When he did, he stopped dead in his tracks. He turned his head back towards the mirror, but could not believe his eyes. The face in the looking glass was undoubtedly his own, but his body was unrecognizable. The elephantine gut, the chubby love handles, the meaty arms and legs, the flabby chest, the rotund buttocks: none of these features matched the athletic frame Durham had had the night before. On top of all that, the coyote could have sworn he was several inches taller.
Durham looked down at his stomach. With both hands, he nervously jostled and poked at his belly. Then, he reached around and did the same to his butt cheeks. Durham could not deny what his senses told him. His inexplicable fatness was indeed very real, stretching his boxers to the breaking point. Durham then lifted his head back up, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Okay, so this isn't a dream." he thought aloud, "I don't know what it IS, but it's not a dream."
The corpulent coyote anxiously paced alongside the sink counter for a moment, massaging his temples. As he went back and forth, Durham muttered, "I can't let anyone see me like this. What the HELL am I gonna do?!" Suddenly, Durham winced as if he were in pain. Amidst this rude awakening, he had only just now noticed the throbbing fullness of his bladder. Pressing his hands over his groin, Durham rushed to the nearest urinal and frantically pulled down the front of his boxers. Durham sighed with immense relief as the liquid flowed out of him. When he had finished, Durham pulled his drawers back up. This proved a challenge due to his ample proportions, but he overcame it. Returning to the mirror, he asked himself, "Okay, but what am I gonna do next?"
—-
Cherryton Cafeteria
10:05 AM
The canteen was full of activity. Students were coming and going in every direction. The smell of food wafted from the adjacent kitchens, accompanied by the sounds of the cooks shouting and banging their pots. The dining tables were packed, with only a few open chairs to be found. In the midst of the hustle and bustle were the 701 boys. Seated at their usual table, the quintet of canines were munching away at their breakfast.
Miguno was sitting at the head of the table, which allowed him a panoramic view of his pals as they ate. Legosi and Collot had piled huge portions onto their plates, with the diminutive Voss atop the latter's head. Miguno smiled, "With appetites like that, it's no wonder you're twice Durham's size." Legosi was not amused, rolling his eyes bemusedly. Collot, by contrast, chuckled as he lifted a spoonful of food up to Voss's mouth. Jack, seated across from the towering duo, giggled with his trademark effervescent.
Miguno's grinning was interrupted by a buzzing in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he saw a text message from Durham:
COME BACK UPSTAIRS
I NEED YOU
JUST YOU
RIGHT NOW!
The hyena raised his eyebrow as he read and reread the text . Jack noticed Miguno's skeptical expression, "Everything okay, Buddy?" Miguno spoke without looking up from his phone, "It's Durham, says he wants me to come back to the room stat." Jack, Voss and Legosi looked over curiously, while Collot smirked rascally. "I'm guessing he's either super hungry or super horny," the sheepdog quipped impishly. The other boys rolled their eyes and groaned, with Voss using his position to lightly swat Collot's forehead.
Miguno stood up and grabbed the to-go container next to his plate. "Indecency aside, he's probably famished by now," the hyena said as he tucked the box under his arm. Jack spoke up as Miguno departed, "I'm sure he's fine. We'll catch up with you guys later." Miguno looked back to give a thumbs up. He weaved through the crowded cafeteria without much difficulty. Rounding the corner, he strolled down a long hallway until he came to the elevator. Miguno briefly looked over to the neighboring staircase, only to shake his head and say, "Nah."
He pressed the 'up' button, and the car arrived promptly. The ride to the seventh floor was quick and uneventful. Miguno stepped off the elevator and walked the short distance to the door labeled '701'. As he reached for his key, Miguno called out, "You awake, lazy bones?" The faintest of responses came from inside, but it was too indistinct to make out. Miguno pulled his key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. Upon entering, he saw the room's main area was empty. Miguno was confused until he saw the curtain covering Durham's bunk.
Rolling his eyes, the hyena marched over to the berth and crouched. "Don't tell me you haven't been out of bed?" he said in a joking yet scolding tone. From behind the curtain came a very curt, "Not important!" Miguno was taken aback by his boyfriend's bluntness, "Well, if you have the energy to be rude, you should have the energy to eat." The hyena grabbed the box from under his arm and held it out in front of him. Durham groaned and said, "I'm not hungry!" Miguno grimaced and placed the box on the ground, "Then what was that text for?"
A series of nervous moans and murmurs passed through the curtain. Miguno's annoyance turned to mild worry, "Are you okay in there?" He gripped the drapes but was greeted by an ear-piercing "NOOO!" Miguno leapt backwards, clumsily striking a defensive pose. "Don't come in, don't come in," Durham said in a quieter but still emphatic voice. The unseen coyote took a deep breath, "Sorry, sorry… I'll come out, just…just turn around first." Miguno relaxed his body ever so slightly. Hesitantly, he turned around to face away from the bunk.
"Okay, so what's the big surprise?" the hyena said reluctantly. From behind him, there came the rattling of the curtain being thrust open. Next, he heard the bed creak and what sounded like two heavy feet thump on the ground. Finally, Durham spoke up, "All right, see for yourself." Miguno raised his eyebrow and smiled, "Are you naked?" He heard Durham whinge, "Just do it already." Miguno snickered, "That's not a 'no' but okay."
The hyena turned 180 degrees and saw only a flabby chest, a portly neck and a rotund stomach. Nonplussed, he looked up slightly and saw the familiar but plumped-up face of Durham. Miguno's disconcerted look turned into pure stupefaction. His eyes went wide with bewilderment and his mouth drooped open. The coyote reached out and gently closed the hyena's mouth, "I can explain this."