Ashville Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Everyone sat around a large wooden table in a spare study room.

“Do you want to go first?” Avery said then pointed at Julie.

“Yeah sure.” Julie said, turning toward the group. “Hi, I’m Julie. I just moved here about four days ago. I just did my bachelors at Penn State and I moved here for Grad school.” It almost sounded rehearsed. All heads turned to the curvy brunette sitting next to Julie at the table.

“Hi, Briana. I’m Morgan’s friend.” She said, motioning to the blonde moon-faced girl next to her.

“Yeah, hi! I’m Morgan.” She said in a chipper tone. They looked at the last one to be introduced.

“Hi, I’m Liz. Avery is the TA for my class.” She said, motioning toward her. An awkward middle-school silence fell.

“Um, Morgan, it all started between you and Briana right?” Avery asked, pointing to them across the table.

“Yeah so Briana and I were just talking in my car last month, and I was half joking half serious about the fact that I had wet the bed that night.” Morgan started, Briana nodded and picked it up.

“Yes, and I thought that was weird because I had also wet the bed a couple of times in the past month but I hadn’t told anyone about it yet. So I said, “Hey! I started wetting the bed too!’ and I also mentioned how I’ve been having these super weird baby dreams ” Briana said deliberately. Morgan piped up again.

“Yeah, so I was like, ‘I’m also having weird babyish dreams!’ Like I started dreaming about crawling around in a nursery, I was wearing diapers and like.. Using the diapers. I was getting changed by someone too. And I would.. Get off in them. It was so weird.” Morgan said, ending her dramatic hand motions describing the scene.

“I had these needle scars in my arms that hurt. It felt like I had given blood. I thought it might have been a rash or something. But I told Morgan all of this, and she had the same scars! Then we were like, ‘Fuck is this related somehow?’” Briana said, this time Avery continued.

“Morgan and I are both graduate students in Physics. I wet the bed about two weeks ago for the first time in my life. I thought it was a fluke thing. I was a little embarrassed by it but I thought it was actually more funny than strange. I mentioned it to Morgan that day as a joke.” She said, shrugging for emphasis and then motioning toward Morgan

“And I look her straight in the eyes and go, ‘We need to talk right now. You’re the second person to tell me this. Let me see your arm.’ And sure enough…” Morgan stopped because Avery had pulled her sleeve down to show the syringe scar, Morgan pointed at it and said, “Yupp.” Julie shook her head in disbelief.

“Oh my god.” Julie said she pulled her sweatshirt sleeve up to show her scar. Her’s looked fresh compared to Avery’s.

“Mmhmm.” Avery said, “He’s out there. We need to tell the cops immediately. He just got another one in Julie. She just moved here, it makes perfect sense. She doesn’t know anyone. Who is she going to tell all this to? He must have surveillance around the neighborhood or something.” Avery theorized. Julie pointed at Liz and said,

“Wait, how did you get involved in this?” She asked, wanting to soak up as much information here as possible.

“Um well, Avery is my TA for this lab I’m in. She was helping me out with a question when I felt this really strong urge to pee. I had this brain lapse for a second where, I thought I was wearing a diaper, or that I was supposed to use a diaper? It was really weird but I started peeing myself. I didn’t realize it was happening until it was too late.” Liz said, her face blushing. Each word sounded quiet. Avery placed her palm on top of Liz’s hand.

“I told her don’t worry about it. And I asked her if she had started wetting the bed…” Avery said.

“.. Which I had.” Liz added.

“That was six days ago now?” Avery asked, Liz, nodded. “Yeah, so I guess that leads us to you, Julie.” Avery said.

“That’s crazy, I did the same thing in front of Avery today.” Julie said to Liz.

“Really?” Liz leaned in closer, “You had an accident too?”

“Yeah.” Julie said, a little embarrassed to admit it.

“You and I are the only ones to wet themselves during the day.” Liz said, she looked at Avery.

“Hm..” Avery hummed, “I wonder if there’s a reason for that. We three haven’t wet ourselves during the day yet.” She said, rolling her finger around and pointing at Morgan and Briana.

“Let me get this straight.” Julie spoke up, “Morgan and Briana a month ago you two started figuring this out because you told each other you started wetting the bed?” Julie asked.

“Yupp!” Morgan certified.

“You didn’t think too much of it until Avery, you’re in the same department together, mentioned she started wetting the bed. Then, Liz, you had an accident in front of Avery during class?” Julie asked, it felt awkward to bring it up. Everyone nodded. “And then there’s me. I peed myself in front of you today, Avery.” Julie said, feeling the weight of this situation slowly dawn on her.

“Fuck there’s a madman on the loose in this town.” Julie realized.

“Mhm” “Yupp.” “Yeah.” “I think so” All four responded.

The entire group took a moment to collect the story in their heads.

“I agree I think we should go to the police immediately.” Julie said to Avery. “Does everyone agree on that?” She asked the group, no one objected.

“Well, we know that he hit your house last night, right Julie?” Morgan asked.

“Yes.” She responded.

“Should you maybe go back and see if he left anything? We’ve all tried looking for evidence around our houses. We could go to the police while you and, maybe Liz? Go back to your house and look?” Morgan offered.

“I’m… okay with that.” Julie said, looking at Liz. She shrugged and then nodded.

“Yeah I don’t have any other classes today.” Liz said.

“Okay so Briana, Morgan and I we’re going to head to the police? I think that makes the most sense. You two will head back and look for any clues at your house?” Avery said, looking at Julie and Liz. They nodded.

“Alright, let’s get each other’s phone numbers so we can all communicate. We should text each other when we get anywhere.” Avery said, pulling out her phone. Liz and Julie told her their phone numbers. A few moments later each phone rang with the familiar soft “Diingggg” of a text message. “Great, I just made a group chat.” One by one they started getting up from their chairs. Liz walked up to Julie.

“Hey, did you drive here?” Liz asked, Julie shook her head.

“No, I biked today.” Julie said, unfortunately.

“Oh well I drove, I can bring us to your place if you’re fine with that.” Liz said.

“Yeah that sounds great! Just drop me off back here after we’re done.” Julie said, the other three had grouped. They would all pile into Morgan’s car.

“Stay safe everyone.” Avery said to the group.

“Herd mentality right?” Briana joked, eliciting a cold chuckle from the group.

***

Rows of houses on either side of the car whizzed by as they drove.

“What are you studying here?” Julie asked Liz to break the car ride silence. Liz brightened up with a smile.

“I’m doing my degree in biology right now. I’m looking at birds and specifically how they influence mass feeding sites.” Liz said, underlying passion ringing through.

“Woah, that's interesting! So birds making big piles of food?” Julie asked to clarify.

“Haha, no, that's not what a mass feeding site is. They’re feeding sources where more than one species feed from. So different types of birds or small mammals” Liz spoke softly.

“That’s so cool! I’ve never met someone who does that. This is your masters thesis?” Julie asked.

“No, my bachelor's. I’m about to go into my last undergrad semester.” Liz said, slowing the car as she made a turn. They were only a few minutes away.

“Oh yeah, Avery is your TA.” Julie said, visualizing the scenario in her mind. She knew it’d be awkward, but it had been nagging at her ever since Liz said it. “So… you and I are the only ones to wet themselves during the day?” She gritted out.

“Yeah…” Liz said, they both listened to the sound of the tires rolling on the pavement.

“When did you start wetting the bed?” Julie asked.

“I woke up wet about a week ago. And that was the same morning I wet myself in front of Avery.” Liz said.

“And you said you thought you had a diaper on?” Julie asked, there was a method to her line of questions.

“Yeah it was really strange. I felt the urge to go and you know usually I just make a note of it. But this time my brain… did something different. It felt like I had a diaper on for a split second and it just felt… right? I don’t know. It felt normal. Like it was okay to wet myself because I had a diaper on. I sound crazy, I know.” Liz said. It felt a little easier to talk about it. She could tell Julie took her completely seriously, especially as her face lit up.

“No that’s exactly how I felt! I started reading part of Avery’s thesis and the same thing happened to me. I felt this quick urge to pee and I thought I had a diaper on too. It felt familiar. I remember thinking because I used a diaper recently it was okay to use it again. Interestingly, we’re the only ones who’ve done this so far. We are also the most recent ones to wet the bed. Maybe that’s a clue?” Julie suggested, Liz considered it for a moment.

“Maaybe…he’s doing something different with us than the others?” Liz wondered, it was difficult to piece it together with such little evidence.

“The more I keep thinking about it though, the less I remember about that night. It felt like a dream, but now I know it was him…” Julie said, her tone started growing darker at the end. “I keep wondering if he did anything to me.” She said Liz looked grim.

“I’m trying not to think about that.” Liz responded. The conversation fizzled out as they pulled into the driveway.

“Why are my lights on?” Julie noticed, she felt her fight or flight kick in. “You don’t think he’s… here!?” Julie asked, trying to peer into every angle possible from the car. Liz kept cool.

“Would he try something in the middle of the day?” Liz said that made sense to Julie.

“Hm, probably not.” She muttered, still she didn’t remember leaving anything on before heading to school. She opened the car door and exited slowly, staring down her apartment window. Liz followed behind her. As Julie got to the door, she peaked between the curtains. Her expression shifted from extreme caution to confusion.

“What the hell!?” Julie said, moving from the window directly to her door. To Liz’s surprise, she opened it quickly and walked in. “Kim, what are you doing in my house!?” She said nearly yelling.

“Oh hey! You’re back!” Kim said from behind the kitchen counter. She was an older-looking woman with puffy brown curly hair. She just finished putting away the last of Julie’s glassware. “I was thinking you’d come home for a snack, and look, you brought a friend!” She said cheerfully. Julie and Liz looked at each other.

“Who is this?” Liz asked.

“My neighbor.” She muttered, then turned her attention back to Kim. “I’m sorry, Kim. I don’t understand why you’re here but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Julie said pointedly. Kim waved her off.

“Ohp of course! I don’t want to be a burden. I came over to see how you were settling in and noticed your door was unlocked. I let myself in. I’m so sorry I didn’t realize what I was doing until I was already doing it! I saw the last of your boxes still unpacked and I just couldn’t help myself. I found your bread and fixings, I don’t know what came over me. I made you lunch just in case you came back. Thankfully I made extra!” Kim said, pointing at the plates settled on the coffee table in the living room.

Liz and Julie looked over at them. Two plates and two peanut butter and jellies with the crusts cut off. The TV was on. The local news was playing. Kim walked from around the kitchen up to the two girls.

“I am very sorry though, its just the empty nester in me! Here you two eat, I’ll get out of here. So sorry!” She said, just as she was about to leave she caught a glimpse of the TV. “Here, you two sit down, get some lunch, and I’m out of your hair.” She walked up and grabbed the TV remote sitting on the coffee table. “I’ll put something on more appropriate for you guys.” She said, tuning it to one of the lowest channel numbers. It was Sesame Street.

“You don’t need to do this, please just leave.” Julie said, showing Kim the door. She put the remote down.

“Sorry again! I’ll see you two soon!” She said, finally walking away from them to the door. She stopped halfway through the threshold. “Oh, and by the way, I put your mail on the kitchen counter too. Bye!” Kim said, before slipping out the front door. It closed behind her.

“What the heck was that? Does she always come around and do that?” Liz asked, Julie watched through the window as Kim walked out of her driveway and down the sidewalk.

“I have no clue. She introduced herself the day I moved in but she never did anything like that. Did she honestly come into my house and make us lunch?” Julie said, finding her attention pulled back to the living room.

The two girls stared at the television. Elmo and his goldfish, Dorothy, were in a park. The fishbowl sat on a picnic table. They were just far away enough that they couldn’t make out the words. Julie walked up to the TV remote.

“I don’t get how she got a channel on. I’m not paying for that?” She said, grabbing the remote. Instead of her thumb clicking the next channel button, it pressed the volume up two notches.

“Hey! One of my friends said the same thing the other day!” Liz exclaimed, Julie turned to her surprised.

“Woah? I only pay for streaming services. This happened to her too??” Julie asked.

“Yeah! She was telling me how the other day she accidentally switched the input on her TV and she had channels, even though she never paid for anything.” Liz explained.

“Huh..” Julie said, looking back to the TV. She hadn’t seen Sesame Street since she was a kid. It elicited a novel sense of nostalgia. Julie walked around the couch to grab the plates. Instead, she plopped herself down on the couch. Liz looked at her options. She contemplated sitting next to Julie. The second plate was set there. That felt awkward. She opted for the chair next to the couch.

The two of them didn’t say anything for a few minutes. They watched Elmo and Dorothy play out their scene.

“Elmo has a surprise for you, Dorothy! We’re meeting Big Bird in the park!” Elmo said in his fluety voice. “Are you excited!?” He said, looking at the fish and waiting for a response. Nothing came out.

Julie chuckled through her nose. Liz smiled at the joke too. It was easy to get engrossed in it. The edges of the TV felt less important. The hue of the screen seemed different. Almost like a faint red was overlaid on the image.

“Can you pass me one?” Liz said, it yanked Julie’s train of thought away from the TV. A part of her felt a little annoyed.

“Hm?” She said, before looking down at the table. “Oh, yeah, sure.” She said, sliding one of the plates to the edge nearest Liz. She bent down, snatched the sandwich, and took a bite. It looked like she enjoyed it. Julie wanted the same feeling. She looked down at her plate, then grabbed the sandwich.

The jelly tasted sweet and delicious. It was the perfect harmony of sensory eating and watching Elmo, Big Bird, and a Goldfish start singing. Her jaws chewed happily up and down. Each bite seemed better than the last. Greedily she took a large bite in the middle. Julie didn’t register the sloppy jelly spilling out of the end. A sticky glob of it splashed onto the front of her sweatshirt.

Julie felt a stretchy message come from inside her bladder.

“I gotta use the bathroom..” She recognized, feeling pee edge up to her control. “I can hold it.” She remembered, knowing that she was thankfully big enough to watch TV and not have to get up and use the bathroom all at the same time.

“When we’re with our friends, we always plaayyy again! In the park, at school, even if we Drool!” The trio sang, laughing at the end.

“Deheh.” Julie giggled involuntarily. Her legs squirmed as a squirt of pee leaked into her pants. It wasn’t much, but enough for her to notice it. Without looking away, she started feeling around her crotch. It was wet. Enough to form a small runny stain between her legs. “I don’t want to get uppp.” Julie knew that peeing herself on the couch isn't acceptable. If she was already leaking then that meant she should probably get up. She was caught between being lazy and doing the right thing.

Another warm splash of pee sank into her pants. This time she felt it dribble into her hand, which was still there for some reason. The flow became consistent. Instead of feeling weird about it, Julie thought it was funny. With happy blushy cheeks, she bit the tip of her finger. It was starting to feel naughty. She could have made it to the bathroom if she wanted to. Her physical control stopped being the issue.

Julie looked over at Liz to see if she was having accidents too. She was blushy and laughing at the show. Liz held a hand over her lips to try and hide it. She was a little wet. Not as much as Julie, but a dark dab in the center.

“This is fun, but I really should get up.” Liz thought as the warm trickle pulled her away from the screen. She looked down at her pants. “Yepp, I peed a little bit.” She realized, pawing down at her pants. She clamped down just as another jet started. It spilled down her soaked panties and into her butt. “Mmm.” She hummed in discomfort. She jumped up from the chair so she wouldn’t make a wet stain. She looked at Julie, she was sucking on her finger in soaked jean shorts. She had peed all over her fabric couch.

Liz nasally chuckled, it was funny she peed herself that much and either didn’t notice or care. Liz pointed down at Julie.

“Y-you peed yourself.” Liz said jovially. Julie looked up with bright high eyes.

“Hm-” She said, looking up at first, but instantly snapping down. She realized how wet her lower body suddenly felt. Her butt was soaking in a puddle. It was a dreamy warmth for a second, but the dark couch stains yanked icy reality back into view.

“Oh shit!” Julie yelled, launching herself off the couch. She crossed her legs, flashing both hands over the front of her pants to cover it. “Oh no no, I- didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry. I didn’t know… Ughh…” Julie just ran with what came out of her head.

“No, no it’s okay. Here you go clean yourself up. I’ll grab some towels.” Liz said, walking away from her. She pointed and said, “Is there a bathroom on this floor?”

“Yeah um, go around the stairs.” She said, not fully able to look her in the eyes. Liz gave a quick nod then started walking in that direction. Julie watched until she heard the bathroom door open. She started for the stairs to reach her bedroom.

“How did that happen? This is scary. I’ve never had problems like this before.” It was a strange thought for Julie to grapple with. It was staring her right in the face. Her bladder ‘problems.’ “Maybe I should get the hell out of here. This town is not safe.” Julie thought she finished marching up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Her hands flung open a shorts drawer. She picked the first pair of gym shorts off the top. They were dark navy blue. She unbuttoned her wet shorts, letting them shimmy off. Her panties didn’t come off. They clung to her skin. She had to pull them down and work her legs out. Julie picked it all up quickly so nothing wet the floor.

“Ughghghhhghhhh” Julie groaned in disgust. This was too many bodily fluids for her. She hadn’t even held a pair of wet pants in her life. These shorts were perfect on her too. Grabbing her phone, she walked out of her room and down the stairs. The washing machine was in the kitchen. Julie walked up to it and opened the top.

“Hey are you okay?” Liz said from the living room. The TV was off. Julie had nearly forgotten she was here. She looked over at her as she dropped her wet clothes into the machine.

“Yeah, I’m okay. How’s the couch?” Julie asked, feeling ashamed. Her mind felt delirious that it was stained because of her.

“Um… it’s okay. I tried doing my best. You might have to buy something to clean it.” Liz said, looking at the mess underneath the towels. The stain was still clearly there.

“I do not understand how that happened. I’ve never done that before. Well, I guess I did it earlier today but I've never done this before.” Julie said, motioning toward the washer. She poured in some detergent.

“Um, don’t forget your sweatshirt too.” Liz mentioned. Julie looked down, seeing the multiple pieces of jelly rolled down her shirt.

“Oh shoot.” Julie said, feeling silly now. She pulled it off. She only had a teal bra underneath. Liz thought her outfit looked goofy in context. Those jean shorts looked good with her tight gray sweatshirt. Now she looked like the kid who everyone knew had an accident.

“You didn’t wet yourself?” Julie said, pointing at the machine indicating she was about to hit the wash.

“Um, I did, but not really. It’s fine, I got most of it out. It’s barely even a stain.” Liz said, showing Julie in between her pant legs. There was the faintest gray of a wet patch. Julie nodded, closed the lid, and started the machine.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Julie said defeated.

“No, no it’s okay. It’s not really your fault. You didn’t know. You’ll get there.” Liz said with a calm genuine tone.

“What do you mean by getting there?” Julie said, slightly put off.

“Um, I guess I don’t know. I don’t know why I said that. Sorry, that show… What was that? I felt like a kid for a second there.” Liz said.

“It’s like I knew I had to pee, but I just didn’t want to get up. It kept getting worse and worse, then suddenly it happened. I didn’t realize it was that bad until you said something.” Julie confessed, retracing the steps in her mind.

“Yeah you were sucking your finger too. I tried getting some of that accident out of the couch. It kinda worked if you want to have a look at it.” Liz said, gesturing over to it. Julie squeamed.

“No.. it’s alright. I don’t even want to look at it.” Julie said, she pulled her cell phone out. “We should call them and tell them about this. It can’t be a coincidence that there is this guy drugging us and we pee ourselves in front of the TV somehow.” Julie said, Liz leaned in closer.

“Wait, you think he’s also behind that?” She asked, Julie, looked up from her phone.

“This guy made some injection that turns you into a baby and makes you forget all about it. I wouldn’t put it past him.” She said certainly, her thumb hit the call button for Avery.

*Call Tone*

. . .

*Call Tone*

. . .

*Call Tone*

“Hello?” Avery spoke through the speakerphone.

“Hey! Avery! It’s me and Liz.” Julie said into the phone.

“Are you guys okay? You didn’t text us when you got there.” Avery said concerned. Julie and Liz looked at each other realizing it slipped both of their minds.

“Sorry, we kinda got… distracted.” Liz said.

“Yeah DON’T watch any TV! Especially little shows like Sesame Street. We think he’s broadcasting something we, um.. I… wet myself again.” Julie said, eyes squinting with embarrassment.

“No way. Guys, Julie peed herself watching something on the TV. They think it might be from him.” Avery said, it sounded way worse out loud than Julie realized. She looked at Liz as if to mention she peed a little too. She didn’t. Avery continued.

“Okay, well, we just walked out of the police station. They’re opening an investigation but they said we’re the first ones to bring it up, so they can’t do anything about it now except patrol around more.” Avery said, Morgan’s voice sounded off in the background.

“Wait! Wait! Guys! Was it cable or dish!?” Morgan’s voice came on loud and clear once she pushed her mouth into the microphone.

“Uh…” Julie said, looking at the TV. She didn’t know off the top of her head. They needed to turn it on to find out.

“Why do you ask?” Liz said, knowing the same. No way they could risk it.

“Because if it’s transmitting to a dish, that means we can track it!”