A glutton for punishment:An Electric Eclectic book

By Michael J. Elliott

A dystopian horror story  The time: Not long from now
The place: Close to where you live.
In a world where health and medical costs have skyrocketed due to obesity and related illnesses, an authoritarian government takes drastic measures.
The overweight have their food purchases strictly monitored. They are provided with a Cal-Card which The time: Not long from now
The place: Close to where you live.
In a world where health and medical costs have skyrocketed due to obesity and related illnesses, an authoritarian government takes drastic measures.
The overweight have their food purchases strictly monitored. They are provided with a Cal-Card which The time: Not long from now
The place: Close to where you live.
In a world where health and medical costs have skyrocketed due to obesity and related illnesses, an authoritarian government takes drastic measures.
The overweight have their food purchases strictly monitored. They are provided with a Cal-Card which must be presented every time they buy groceries and other food. Attempting to purchase non approved items results in severve disiplinery measures.
The overweight are given three attempts to loose and maintain a healthy weight. Failure to do so results in the overweight being rounded up and send to internment camps.
Lynda Whittaker has just failed her third weight lose attempt.
Inside obesity camp Clinton, the inmates are consigned to work for various multinational companies as virtual slaves with few rights and very little priveledges.
Any infringement of camp rules result in summary execution.
But apart from these draconian conditions, Lynda is about to stumble upon a secret.
Something so frightening, so abhorent, it will push her to the brink of sanity.
Michael J Elliott presents a frightening vision of a future society where to be thin is not only an aspiration, it could mean saving your life and where the overweight have become the 21st Century pariahs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael J Elliott
• Release date: May 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393830191

Michael J. Elliott

Michael J. Elliott is an Australian author who has been writing since his early schooldays. His headmistress once described him as, "A second Alfred Hitchcock." He majored in Media Studies in College and wrote and directed short films, videos and radio ads. Michael has also written sketch comedy for Australian television. He lives in a bayside suburb in the State of Victoria. When not writing stories to chill readers he enjoys Golden Age Hollywood movies, reading, drawing, and cooking. He is also the illustrator for Claire Plaisted's series of childrens books, Girlie's Adventures. Michael is single but shares his life with his two cats, Charlie and Snaps.

Book preview

Chapter 1

I’m sorry Miss Whittaker , there’s nothing more I can do for you.

Lynda Whittaker could hear Dr Shapiro’s words, but her mind refused to accept them. She began to wring her pudgy hands. Tears began to form. Dr Shapiro had seen it all before.

H-how long do I have?

It’s difficult to say, Miss Whittaker, a few days, a week, but I’ve never known anyone to last more than fourteen days.

Lynda felt cold perspiration trickle down her back and flabby arms. Her size 4XL tee shirt suddenly felt too tight and her sweatpants seemed to be constricting her.

M-maybe the treatment needs more time...or maybe it hasn’t worked.

He shook his head. Dr Shapiro loathed working for the Department of Obesity Control Monitoring and Reporting. The pay was lousy, the hours were long and in general, he loathed his patients. In a world where being obese wasn’t just unhealthy, it was a criminal offence, Lynda Whittaker and her kind were social pariahs. Obesity and weight-related issues were placing an ever-increasing burden on the taxpayer-funded health system.

Lynda was in denial. She had been allowed the maximum of three weight loss and maintenance attempts. Each patient was given twelve months to lose at least half their excess weight and a further year to lose the rest and maintain their weight loss. This was known as the probation period.

This was Lynda’s third – and final – failure.

Could it be caused by an underactive thyroid?

Dr Shapiro couldn’t help but sigh.

Lynda, we’ve undertaken all the preliminary tests at the beginning of each of your attempts, as well as the genetic ones. Your obesity is not medical or hereditary in nature. Your psychological profile indicates that there are no mental or behavioural problems.

She was clutching at straws and she knew it. Dr Shapiro’s diagnosis was her death sentence. As horrible as the thought was, Lynda wished she had some genetic reason for her obesity, then she’d be exempt from the government’s obesity control measures.

Lynda, your Cal-Card please.

Lynda was snapped out of her black thoughts by Dr Shapiro’s voice. She removed her purse from her handbag and after a quick search, handed the card to Dr Shapiro.

The doctor pulled a small rectangular device towards him. He pressed his thumb onto a small panel located on the front of the device. A sickly green light began to scan the doctor’s thumbprint. It was followed by a small electronic beep, which confirmed Dr Shapiro’s identity. He swiped the card through a slot on the side. He rapidly punched a series of commands into the device’s keypad. A series of beeps confirmed a change in the card’s data. He handed the card back to Lynda.

Since you don’t have much time left, Lynda, I’ve removed the restrictions on your Cal-Card. You now have access to unlimited calories.

The Cal-Card was another government initiative in its war on obesity. Every obese person was required to carry one by law. It was an attempt to severely limit a person’s calorie intake. Each card contained a detailed profile of the person’s medical history, including their daily calorie allowance. The calorie allowance was calculated to ensure weight loss. The card also contained a list of banned foods and products that the cardholder was forbidden from purchasing. The law required that the card be presented at supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants and anywhere else the cardholder may have access to food. Staff members were required to ask for the card before any transaction could be made. Businesses faced huge fines and employees faced jail terms for failing to ask for the card.

There were those who thought they could cheat the system by sneaking through chocolate or ice cream at the checkout scanner, but the card couldn’t be fooled. The ever-cheerful supermarket or convenience store staff simply smiled and placed the items back into the returns chute to be returned to the shelves. The screaming warning by the store scanner, Illegal item! You are not authorised to purchase this item! coupled with the looks of disgust from the normal-weight shoppers, was normally enough to deter even the most determined food junkie. At the many and varied fast food restaurants, the overweight and obese were only permitted to choose from a low-calorie government-approved menu.

Many restaurants had segregated counters and eating areas for the Blimps (the current derogatory term for the overweight and obese) and the Gliders (thin and normal weight range people). Some restaurants had even taken segregation to the next level by introducing separate entrances and walled-off