The "Second-Fats" became a global religion. Cults formed, claiming the mass was a gift from a heavy god. Scientists worked frantically to reverse the atmospheric bonding, but the fat was "true"—it had its own blood supply and nervous system. It was part of us. Year 1: The Heavy Earth
By noon, the world realized it wasn’t a countdown. It was a tally. 1 Fat Every Second
Five years in, the human form was unrecognizable. The average human carried 360 pounds of "Ticker-Mass" in addition to their original weight. The "Second-Fats" became a global religion
The global economy shifted entirely to "The Burn." Electricity was now generated by millions of people on massive, communal kinetic cycles, desperately trying to oxidize the fat as fast as it appeared. To sit still was to grow; to sleep was to wake up heavier than you went to bed. It was part of us
The world wasn't built for this. Airplane seats became tight. Subway turnstiles felt narrower. Public health officials realized that by next year, the average adult would weigh an extra 70 pounds. Bridges were inspected for weight tolerances; elevators were derated for fewer passengers.
By August, the laughter stopped. The average person had gained nearly 18 pounds of pure mass.