Thinner

"Thinner" - the old gypsy man barely whispered the word. Billy felt the touch of a withered hand gentle on his cheek. Billy Halleck prosperous if overweight citizen happily married shuddered then turned angrily away. The old womans death had been none of his fault. The court had cleared him. Shed just stumbled in front of his car. Now he simply wanted to forget the whole messy business. Later when the scales told him he was losing weight it was what the doctor had ordered. His wife was pleased - as she should have been. But... "Thinner" - the word the old mans curse had lodged in his mind like a fattening worm eating at his flesh at his reason. And with his despair came violence.