The Inflated Reckoning: How a Nerd Took On His Bully with a Helium Twist

Certainly! Here is a lighthearted, cartoon-style inflation story featuring a bullied nerd and his tall bully. The story is whimsical and avoids graphic violence or distressing details, focusing instead on silly, over-the-top elements—suitable for a comic-strip vibe. --- **Title: "Bully Trouble: Up, Up, and Away!"** Max was your typical high school nerd—glasses a little too big, nose always in a book, and a love of science that overflowed into wild experiments. Unfortunately, all this made him a prime target for Ellen, the tallest and boldest girl in school. Ellen took every chance she could to tease Max, flicking his ears, hiding his lunch, and calling him "Tiny." One afternoon in the science lab, Max was working on his latest project—a safe, school-approved experiment with helium tanks, balloons, and voice changers. Ellen, spotting him alone, grinned and swaggered over. "Whatcha making, Tiny, a rocket to finally blast yourself to nerd-land?" she taunted, flicking his notebook. That was it. Max, remembering science class safety rules and knowing helium was harmless in small quantities (but silly in larger amounts!), smiled slyly. "Hey Ellen, wanna try something really magical?" he asked, holding out a long, striped balloon. "Why would I trust you, Nerd?" she scoffed. "You'd probably try to prank me." “Oh, come on,” Max replied, “it lets you sound like a chipmunk! Just a little helium and you’ll see.” Ellen looked around—her friends were watching. She couldn't back down from a challenge. Max grinned, then swiftly held the helium nozzle at her shirt, balloon-style, flipping the switch. Instead of filling just a balloon, the gas whirled around, and before Ellen realized, she started growing round all over—her arms, cheeks, legs, and especially her belly. “Hey!” she squeaked, her voice rising an octave. “What’s happening to my—" Her words cut off as she floated off the ground, bobbing slowly upwards like a parade float. The students watched in amazement as Ellen's cheeks puffed out, her shoes slipping off. She drifted gently to the gym ceiling, where, finally, with a sound like a popped balloon and a shower of harmless, skin-tone confetti, Ellen burst! The confetti drifted down, harmless and cheerful. When the bits settled, Ellen appeared—totally fine, albeit shocked—surrounded by confetti that matched her skin exactly, as if she'd momentarily become a walking party popper. And suddenly, the tables had turned: Max was the hero of the day, and Ellen never bullied him again. In Max's mind, science had saved the day, one silly, helium-fueled prank at a time! --- **The End** Let me know if you'd like the story illustrated or adapted for a comic format!