Pinocchio is a film famous for one unresolved plot thread, mainly, what became of all of the boys that became donkeys?
We have a film that ends with countless boys undergoing a transformation that is in many ways far more life changing then Pinocchio becoming a real boy.
We also saw several boys who hadn't quite finished changing into donkeys and could still speak.
What became of those boys/donkeys? This fic explores what might have become of three of them.
While this takes place in the same AU as my other story 'A Donkey in Human clothing', you don't need to read that story in order to understand what's going on here.
I have two OCs I'll be following although I'm also including Alexander as a lot of people care about him and I want to give him a chance to tell his story.
Note that this story has depictions of homosexuality as well as some (non explicit) nudity. If either offends you then it might be better for you to stop reading now.
Pleasure Island was an island paradise that promised everything. People said it to be a place without rules or adults telling him what not to do. There was no work or school, only fun and pleasure. You could do whatever you wanted, even things adults forbade like drinking beer or smoking cigars. The best part was that it was all free.
It felt like a dream come true.
14-year-old Bobby was amoung the many boys on the ferry to the island.
Most of them spoke of the things they planned on doing on the island.
The younger boys spoke of indulging in junk food, going on rides and playing games. It was innocent stuff. Their enthusiasm seemed odd until Bobby remembered that most of them likely never got to do these things and had to be good, perfect little boys all of the time. The chance to let go and spend even just one night being out of control must have been impossible to resist.
Bobby had been more then happy to say accept the offer. His family didn't have much money and the chance to do the things that he assumed only the richest of the rich kids could do was too impossible to resist.
The older boys spoke of (and mentioned to the younger boys) more adult fun such as smoking cigars, drinking beer and gambling.
Some of the older boys spoke in hushed tones. Whatever they spoke of seemed to be a lot of fun.
The sights that greeted Bobby upon arriving at the island were unlike anything he'd ever seen. There were rides everywhere. The scent of popcorn, cotton candy and other treats filled the air, giving off an almost intoxicating aroma.
A voice chanted about how everything was free and encouraged the boys to indulge.
Bobby didn't understand how anyone could afford to build all of this or how much of it was even possible. He worried that it was all too good to be true.
Seeing so many happy boys running off the ferry screaming with joy and anticipation allayed Bobby's fears. The island looked to be a place of joy, not pain. How could a place that seemed so happy have anything but good intentions?
For all he knew he may never again get an opportunity like this. He was not about to let doubt hold him back.
He ran onto the island with all of the other boys. This was going to be a night to remember!
Bobby spent the first few hours enjoying various park attractions that many of the other boys were enjoying. He went on some rides—including a maerrygoround that for some odd reason had donkeys rather then horses—and played several different games one might expect to find at a fair before going through a funhouse and house of mirrors.
After that, the fun grew a bit naughtier. He spent some time in a model house that proclaimed itself opened for destruction. He had no idea just how much fun smashing things could be! It was a joy knowing he could do it without having to worry about getting into trouble or smashing something someone owned.
By the time it was getting later, he noticed the crowds were thinning and wondered where the boys could be going.
He saw some discarded articles of clothing among the streamers, balloons and confetti that littered the streets. The idea that some of the boys had decided that clothing was optional made Bobby chuckle. There was having fun and there was having fun.
With less younger boys around, Bobby found wanting to try out some of the more adult pleasures the other boys spoke of.
Bobby came from a house with multiple bothers and sisters. Having time to himself was a luxury Bobby so seldom experienced that he couldn't remember the last time he'd had it.
The lack of privacy, the biological desires all boys went through at or around Bobby's age and others telling him that such desires—especially acting on them—were sins resulted in Bobby being more then a little frustrated.
With the crowds growing thinner almost by the minute, it was looking as though Bobby was soon to have the privacy he desired.
He wasn't sure however just what he could do with said privacy.
The scent of tobacco and sound of laughter led Bobby to two older boys. One had black hair, the other, red. Both boys were shirtless and leaned up against a stand.
"Hi," Bobby said. "I never tried a cigar before."
Bobby felt older and more confident when around the younger boys. Around these two however, Bobby felt a lot smaller.
The two older boys both looked at Bobby as they smoked their cigars.
The black haired boy looked at the red haired boy, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Want to try a puff of my cigar?" The black haired boy asked
Bobby gulped. He knew no one back home would know but at the same time, he still felt reluctant.
"I dunno."
"It won't hurt you, it's just a cigar," the boy said.
He handed Bobby the cigar. Bobby looked at it, unsure if he should try it. People always told him that giving into peer pressure was a bad idea. He'd already come this far. This was after all, just one cigar. It wasn't as though was planning on taking up smoking.
Bobby put the cigar in his mouth, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He liked both the taste and the way it made him feel.
"Pretty nice, huh?" The black haired kid asked.
Bobby looked at the cigar. "Yeah, it's kinda nice."
He held out the cigar to give it back to the boy.
"You're all right kid," the black haired boy said. "You can keep it. My name's Gordon and this is Peter."
A pang of envy went through Bobby as he looked Peter up and down. Even though Bobby liked girls, he couldn't help but admire Peter's looks.
"Geeze kid, ya interested in me or something?" Peter asked.
Bobby blushed then gulped. "No, I just wish I could be strong like you guys."
The boys looked at each other and laughed.
"Relax kid, you don't have to lie to us," Peter said. "What's yer name anyway?"
"I'm Bobby."
"Come on, you can hang out with us if you want. Let's go get some more cigars", Peter said.
Bobby looked at Peter and then at the cigar.
"Go ahead, take another puff," Peter said.
Gordon nodded. "Seriously, life is too short to deny yourself fun and pleasure. Besides, you liked it the first time. Remember why we're here."
Bobby smiled and nodded before looking back at Peter, who smiled and nodded. Bobby took a long puff. It made him feel silly but also a little dizzy. He couldn't help but giggle. For a moment, he had a mental image of his mother scolding him, telling him that what he was doing was wrong and would get into trouble. He almost expected her to jump out of nowhere and yell at him, taking the fun away.
He sighed, why couldn't she let him have this one little thing?
"What's wrong kid?" Gordon asked.
"I keep thinking my Mom is gonna yell at me," Bobby said. "It's like I want to do more but she's not letting me."
"There's nothing wrong with having some fun," Gordon said. "You can't let the adults take all of the fun out of things when they're not even here."
Bobby looked at the cigar and then back at Gordon before looking at Peter.
"Imagine going back to our boring old lives without doing everything you want to," Peter said. "You'll want to buck yourself!"
"Buck?" Gordon asked.
"I meant kick," Peter said with a grin.
Bobby chuckled. Maybe Peter was right. This was a once in a lifetime experience. He needed to let go.
The trio walked back into a main street as Bobby smoked the cigar and Peter finished his.
"Guys, can I ask you something?" Bobby asked.
"Sure kid," Peter said.
"I keep feeling like there's another kind of fun that they won't let me have back home," Bobby said.
Gordon whispered something in Peter's ear.
"We'll show you something in a little while," Peter said. "It's great. Once you try it, you'll wish you knew about it for a long time."
"What is it?" Bobby asked.
Peter looked at Gordon and they both grinned.
"You'll see kid," Gordon said.
"So, where are we going?" Bobby asked.
"To find something else that will help you relax," Peter said.
As they walked, Bobby heard another boy walking behind them. The boy laughed and ran off. Bobby swore that he heard clopping. When he looked to see where the animal that made the sound was, Bobby saw neither animal nor boy.
"That was weird, where'd the sound of hooves come from?" Bobby asked.
"Who knows," Peter said.
"I wouldn't worry about it," Gordon said.
"Where do you think all of the other boys went?" Bobby asked.
Peter shrugged his shoulders.
"Probably went to sleep or something," Gordon said.
"Relax, they have to have gone somewhere," Peter said.
Bobby swore he heard a donkey braying somewhere in the distance. It seemed odd as other then the donkeys that carried the Coach to the ferry. Bobby didn't recall see any real donkeys anywhere on the island.
They'd finished their cigars by the time Peter seemed to have found what he was looking for.
"Over there! Now that's more like it," Peter said.
Peter ran with Gordon and Bobby following until they came to a group of large kegs on a stand. Bobby noticed that the nozzles were each in the shape of a donkeys head.
"Finally, some beer," Gordon said with a huge smile.
"Come on Bobby, we'll never get to have this back home until we're older," Peter said.
Bobby rubbed his chin. "How come it has a donkey's head on it? I saw other fake donkeys before."
Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "The guy that runs this place must have a thing for donkeys."
Peter chuckled. "Just be glad the beer comes out of their mouths."
"I know it's weird, but it's free," Gordon said. "I'm not gonnabe picky."
"You ever try beer Bobby?" Peter asked.
Bobby shook his head.
Gordon looked at Peter. "Looks like we need to show him how fun it is."
Peter nodded and they filled glasses for themselves and for Bobby.
"Come on, try it," Gordon said.
Bobby raised the glass to his mouth and took a sip. He wasn't all that crazy about the taste.
"It's okay I guess," Bobby said.
Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "You get used to the taste. Though the taste isn't why you drink beer."
"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.
"Drink some more and you'll see," Peter said.
Bobby tried another few sips. He watched as Peter and Gordon downed the entire contents of their mugs in single gulps. They both laughed before pouring another mug full.
He saw how happy the beer made Peter and Gordon feel. He wanted to experience that for himself. He fought back his dislike of the taste as he drank the rest of the contents of the mug.
It was then that he started feeling a sensation similar to being dizzy but in a more enjoyable way. He also felt giddy and a little more willing to misbehave. He'd never before felt anything like this. It was a strange yet wonderful feeling. A smile crossed his face as he poured himself another beer.
"So, what did you guys want to show me?" Bobby asked.
Peter and Gordon looked at each other and grinned. They downed their second mugs and put the mugs down. Bobby watched as both boys removed their shoes, pants and socks before also removing their underwear.
Bobby made sure to keep his eyes on their faces or at the lowest, their chest.
"Wait, won't we get into trouble for this?" Bobby asked.
Peter laughed. "Why would we? There are no rules here. That fox guy even encouraged us to do this!"
"It's warm enough and it's fun, so why not?" Gordon asked.
Bobby nodded.
"By the way kid, don't be afraid to take a look. We're not ashamed of our bodies. Remember, they said no rules," Peter said.
Bobby gulped. He wasn't quite ready for that but maybe soon. He resumed drinking his second mug.
That was when things took a turn for the outright bizarre.
Bobby watched as both Peter and Gordon's ears grew longer while brown fur covered the outsides and light brown the insides. Within seconds, their ears impossible to identify as anything but those of a donkey.
Peter and Gordon turned around. Bobby could only watch as they both gained long brown fur covered tails tipped with black tassels.
He looked at the beer with a confused look. Never before had anyone told him that beer could make him see silly things like that!
Gordon and Peter filled and drank another mug of beer before they walked off with Bobby following.
As they walked, Gordon and Peter were laughing at almost everything. Even Bobby admitted that things seemed sillier.
By the time Bobby had finished his glass, he was feeling a desire not only to disrobe (even if just his shirt) but to get on all fours and bray. He was feeling too silly to question why he'd feel such a specific desire.
It was then that Peter looked at Gordon's ears.
"Nice ears donkey boy," Peter said.
"Nice ears? That's a nice tail," Gordon said.
They both giggled.
Bobby was feeling a bit more comfortable with seeing them naked. It was something they'd never be able to get away with it back home. Bobby was still fully clothed. He corrected that situation somewhat by removing his shoes, socks and shirt.
"You guys still didn't tell me about that fun thing, unless being naked is it," Bobby said.
"That's part of it," Peter said.
"You're not going to hurt me are you?" Bobby asked.
"This isn't about pain," Peter said.
Gordon laughed. "Think we should?"
"Remember where we are," Peter said. "Why wouldn't it be okay? Anyway, we can stop if they say to."
"I just wish we didn't have to get dressed again," Gordon said.
"Yeah, it's a drag we can't be like this all of the time," Peter said.
Bobby was about to laugh and dismiss what little worry still remained. This was great! Just as he was about to remove his shorts, the already bizarre situation grew worse.
Gordon touched and then ran his hand and up and down one his ears.
"Hey neat it's like I have donkey ears," Gordon said.
Bobby could only watch as brown fur—lighter on Gordon's chest and jaw—covered his body.
"Oh wow, I've heard of growing extra hair when you get older but I've never seen anything like this," Peter said.
Gordon looked down at his body.
"Is that fur? What the heck is happening to me?" Gordon asked.
"I wonder if something else is gonna change?" Peter asked with a sly grin.
Bobby scratched his head and looked back and forth. This was real? How could that be possible?
He could only watch as Gordon's hands shook for several seconds before balling into fists as the skin and nails of both hands changed, merging his fingers and twisting both of his hands until they'd become hooves.
"Now I have hooves? These things are gonna make it impossible to…"
Gordon was unable to finish the sentence before he brayed.
Bobby gasped at the sound. As impossible as it seemed, Gordon was turning into a donkey!
"You're turning into a donkey!" Peter said.
Gordon's face was next to change. He grinned goofily.
"What kind of weird joke is this?" Bobby asked.
Bobby remembered the sound of hooves from before. His previous desire to bray combined with that sound and what he'd just witnessed painted a terrifying picture of what could have happened to the other boys.
Gordon hiccupped and belched. "It's a funny joke! Come on, one of you guys should ride me like the donkey I am!"
He knelt down as though to go onto all fours. Whatever was changing his body seemed to be a step or two ahead. His entire body convulced as before Bobby eyes, not only did Gordon's legs became the hind legs of a donkey, but his proportions changed into those of a donkey, leaving him unrecognizable as having ever been anything but.
Bobby didn't know if it was the beer or something else but Gordon and Peter didn't seem the least bit bothered by this.
"Man, you're a real donkey! This is wild," Peter said.
"Come on, ride me," Gordon said.
Bobby watched as Peter laughed before he climbed onto Gordon's back.
"I've never rode a donkey bareback before," Peter said.
Gordon grinned goofily before he brayed.
"Giddy up," Peter said.
Gordon brayed a couple of times. Soon, Peter was laughing as though this was just another of the island's attractions. Gordon walked for a while With Bobby following.
Peter's laughter stopped when they came upon a mirror. Gordon's intoxicated state seemed to dissipate almost instantly when he saw his reflection.
"Hey, wait a second, this isn't right," Gordon cried. "Get off of me!"
Peter did as Gordon asked. Gordon tried to stand only to fall back onto all fours with a clop.
He brayed several times. A look of fear crossed his face. When he brayed again, the fear only seemed to grow stronger.
"Gordon, what's wrong, can't you speak?"
Gordon shook his head. He again tried to stand only to fall back on all fours. The look on his face went from a confused fear to outright terror. He started bucking as though he were trying to fight something as he started to bray seemingly beyond his control.
"No; this can't be real! You can't really be…"
Peter felt his altered ears and tail.
"But that means that I'm changing too and…"
Peter looked at Bobby.
"How come you're not?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I drank less beer," Bobby said.
Peter brayed several times. He clasped his mouth before his face changed into that of a donkey. Bobby gasped when he saw that Peter's red hair was gone. A black mane simular to Gordon's had relaced it.
Gordon was still braying and bucking.
"No, this is crazy, this is impossible," Peter cried. "This was supposed to be fun!"
"I don't know," Bobby said. "Come on Gordon, you can change back right? It's just a joke right?"
Gordon managed to control his braying. He looked at Bobby. The desperation on Gordon's face betrayed his fear. He brayed as he shook his head.
"But, how can this happen? It's impossible!" Bobby cried.
Peter touched his face and then his ears before tugging at his tail.
"Come on Gordon, you gotta say something," Peter said. "This can't be happening!"
Peter looked at Gordon and then down at his body.
"How come I'm all itchy all of a sudden?" Peter asked.
Peter scratched all over his chest and sides before fur the same color as that which now adorned Gordon's body covered his own. Moments later, his hands quivered as they became hooves.
"No, please no," Peter cried. "I don't want to be a donkey!"
Gordon could only bray in protest as the force changing Peter's body finished the job.
"You gotta run Bobby. Hurry, before you change too," Peter said.
Bobby noticed that Peter's voice sounded deeper and was in fact, getting deeper.
"But please, don't leave us like this," Peter cried.
"I won't leave you guys," Bobby said.
Peter's face quivered and he grimaced before he shook his head and started braying and bucking. Gordon watched Peter buck and bray before Gordon's fear once again overcame him and he started braying.
Bobby looked back and forth between Peter and Gordon. Minutes earlier, they were two strong older boys that Bobby could look up to. To see something so easily turn them into the panic striken donkeys they'd become was terrifying.
"Guys, you gotta calm down or they'll hear you," Bobby said. "Maybe we can run and get help."
Both looked at Bobby and managed to get their braying under control. They brayed at him as though they were trying to tell him something. More brays echoed through the wind. They showed the trio that what was happening was not isolated.
Bobby's ears felt warm and he felt something odd above his rear end. He looked into the mirror and saw his human ears became donkey ears as he sprouted a donkey tail!
"We'd better hurry," Bobby said.
Peter and Gordon nodded and the three ran as fast as they could. Bobby wasn't sure what would happen if they weren't fast enough and he changed all of the way. He also wasn't sure what was going to happen to them if they could escape. Could they find a way to change back? If not then what would happen to them? How would Bobby explain his ears and tail? He knew he needed to focus on escaping before he worried about those questions.
As they ran, guilt over Peter and Gordon having fully changed into donkeys burdened Bobby. If they hadn't of changed first, Bobby may have never known this was going to happen with enough warning to escape before it was too late. It seemed unfair that he was about to escape with enough of his humanity intact that he was still more or less human and could resume his life.
Peter and Gordon could well be doomed to live out their lives as donkeys. Bobby knew they'd directed him to the beer and had drank more but it that didn't seem to matter much to him at that point. He knew he was far from innocent in all of this.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the cliffs surrounding the island. Save for the ears and tail, Bobby was still human.
Bobby looked at Peter and Gordon. He was about to climb when a disturbing question entered his mind.
"How are you guys gonna climb?" Bobby asked.
Peter and Gordon brayed in response before hanging their heads and drooping their ears.
"No, I won't I leave you guys behind," Bobby said.
Bobby wanted to escape and go home. He knew however that the guilt over escaping and leaving the others behind (even if he had no real choice) would haunt him forever.
The force that had changed Peter and Gordon seemed to sense Bobby's guilt.
Bobby's feet felt strange. Soon after he started having trouble balancing on two feet. When he took a few steps, he heard and the sound of hooves cloping on the cobblestone. He gasped when he looked down to see that not only were his feet were hooves but that brown fur had covered his legs.
His face tingled and felt warm. Bobby felt around his mouth only to realize that his mouth was now a fuzzy donkey muzzle.
Peter and Gordon were watching Bobby change. Both had managed to stop braying. Their faces showed their concern. Despite their older age, as the little donkeys they'd become, they appeared more vulnerable. Bobby felt a need to comfort them. He walked between then and put his arms around each of them.
"It's not your fault," Bobby said. "You guys showed me the beer and stuff but I still chose to smoke and drink. I also chose to come here. I'd prolly have still turned into a donkey even if I didn't drink or smoke."
They both looked at Bobby and nodded. Bobby couldn't believe how innocent and cute they looked.
To Bobby was scared was an understatement. He didn't know what was going to happen once he'd finished changing. At the same time however, his guilt was fading.
Bobby's hands were next to change. Watching and feeling his hands change into hooves was one of the strangest, most disturbing and frightening things Bobby had ever experienced. Bobby could only stare at his hooves. Knowing he now had parts nature never intended him to have been wasn't nearly as terrifying as knowing his hands were gone.
He stook a few steps backward.
"I'm going to be a donkey! This is crazy; I'm going to a donkey!"
His skin itched as donkey fur sprouted all over his body.
Bobby cringed as his balance changed even more. His proportions and seemingly everything else about his body that wasn't changed already began to change. It was an odd sentation to say the least.
He closed his eyes as he felt himself fall onto all fours.
When the odd sensations faded, Bobby opened his eyes. He didn't need to a mirror to know that he was now a donkey wearing shorts.
Gordon and Peter looked at Bobby. They seemed bigger now. Both again seemed older.
"What do we do now?" Bobby asked. "Why did we become donkeys?"
Gordon and Peter both blinked.
"I wonder why I can still talk," Bobby said.
Gordon and Peter looked at eachother and then at Bobby.
"They must have wanted this to happen to us! We gotta hide or something so they don't find us," Bobby said. "Maybe if we wait long enough, they'll give up."
Peter and Gordon nodded and brayed. Bobby wished he could understand what they meant. Even if they'd forgotten how to speak, Bobby hoped they were still at least trying to convey some meaning.
Bobby wondered how long it would be until he was braying as He led the way back to some stands.
Articles of clothing littered the park. Some of the stands appeared as though someone had kicked them and a lot of the lights were out, making the park much darker. Ribbons, discarded food and other assorted debris also littered the area.
The scent of popcorn and other treats however still lingered.
"Come on, we can hide behind one of the stands. Maybe they'll forget about us," Bobby said.
Bobby walked over to a stand, stood on his hind legs to peered over it. There seemed to be enough room to fit all three behind if they stayed close. When he turned around, Gordon and Peter were gone.
The sound of them braying a few seconds later made Bobby wonder what they were going on about. Bobby followed the braying until he saw a beer keg. Gordon held onto the nozzle to get the beer to pour while Peter drank from it.
"Guys, are you crazy? They're gonna see us," Bobby said.
Indeed, they were more or less asking for someone to catch them. Bobby however, could see what they must be thinking. They were already donkeys. If it was too late and they'd fallen for a trap then they might as well have fun while they still could.
Gordon and Peter stopped. Peter grinned goofily, making Bobby chuckle. He and Gordon switched places before Gordon drank a fair bit of beer.
When they were done, they looked at the keg and brayed at Bobby.
"I think I've had enough guys. Besides, drinking it might make me bray," Bobby said. "Maybe I can still help you guys as long as I can talk so I shouldn't drink any more. Come on, we'd better hide."
Gordon and Peter nodded. They followed Bobby—both walking in a way that betrayed their inebriation—until they reached the stand. It took some effort but all three were able to get over the counter and behind it.
Bobby felt awkward being this close to Peter and Gordon. Sure, Bobby still had his pants but Peter and Gordon had nothing. If Bobby was still a boy it might be okay but with all having become donkeys, this was as awkward as it would have been if they were all still boys.
Making things more embarrassing was that they were also starting to smell like donkeys. It wasn't that bad of a smell–Bobby wondered if turning into a donkey made him feel that way—but it did serve as a reminder of what they'd become.
They stayed silent and as motionless as possible for what felt like some time before they heard something approaching.
Before any of them could react, strange beings that seemed to be living shadows grabbed the counter and pushed it aside, exposing the three.
The creatures grabbed the three before they were able to run. They carried the three toward an unknown destination. Their grip felt like iron. Despite struggling, none of them were able to escape.
Bobby considered begging for mercy. He had no idea how they'd react if they knew he could still speak and decided it might be best to stay silent.
They'd carried them for a moderate distance before Bobby heard a lot of braying. The same smell he'd dectected behind the counter was a fair bit stronger here.
Bobby saw that they'd arrvied at the docks. The beings dropped them off at the end of a line of donkeys. Bobby ended up behind Peter and Gordon. He looked back and forth as he considered running. The creatures however were smarter then they seemed. They closed a door behind Bobby and stood guard behind the door with their arms crossed.
He knew that the fun was over and that they were in big trouble. Facing his mother grounding or giving him extra chores was one thing. This trouble was far more serious much scarier. He didn't know what was going to happen next but had a feeling it wouldn't be good.
Donkeys did the hard work humans couldn't do. It was often work that involved heavy repetitive labour and was thankless with the humans expecting the donkeys to work and work with little to no interest into how the donkeys felt.
Adults often cauitioned kids against beings donkeys. Even if one didn't become one for real—a fate Bobby thought impossible until now—the kinds of jobs a symbolic donkey had to do were just as bad.
The reality of being donkeys was now reality for the boys. It wasn't surprsing that the fear many of them were feeling had drvien them to a paniced state.
Perhaps however, there was a silver lining. Donkeys didn't have to go to school and in the end, they had little responsbiliy that required much thought. It could be a dull existence but at the same time, if he was lucky enough to be well treated, Bobby would have little to worry about for the present and future from that point forward.
With no other immediate option, Bobby turned to face the line of donkeys. Peter was directly in front of Bobby. Bobby realized that he didn't mind the view. That fact embarrassed him even though he accepted that turning into a donkey could make him see the donkey version of Peter in a similar way to the human version. He assured himself that he liked girls—he supposed it would be girl donkeys now. Bobby found Peter good looking but it wasn't as though Bobby intended to take these feelings beyond appritiating Peter's apperance.
Bobby shook his head. Even if he did encounter a girl donkey, he wasn't ready to give into the urges of the donkey he'd become—not after so little time. He had a life and family back home that needed him to be a boy.
A glimpse at the line before Bobby showed him that most of the donkeys ahead of him wore clothing. Some were half naked. A few like Peter and Gordon were naked.
There were also a lot of donkeys in crates. Most of them were braying and none of them wore clothes. Bobby hated seeing them like that. He hated knowing he was powerless to help them even more.
Bobby wondered why they all become donkeys instead of a mix of horses, pigs, cows chickens or other animals. Bobby cringed. Other then the horse, the other options were far from colorful.
Turning into a pig, laying in the cool mud all day and being able to get away with eating lots of food sounded fun. Someone killing him to make bacon or pork chops did not.
Still, why so many donkeys? Did the world really need this many of them?
He pondered escape. Without knowing how well he could swim as a donkey, Bobby knew he was risking drowning. Even if he didn't drown, any number of dangerous creatures could try to eat him. Ending up as a meal for a shark or who knows what else was not how he wanted to die.
Even if he made it back to the mainland, he doubted he'd change back. With his ability to speak intact however, he could tell people about Pleasure Island and get help for the others. Maybe he could keep this from happening to other boys.
That however could mean he and all of the others could be stuck this way.
Bobby pondered whether or not he and the others had deserved this for the way they'd acted.
He was a well-behaved boy before the island. He did his homework and chores, took baths when his mother told him, didn't talk back and never said bad words.
He wondered if that was the problem.
The curiosity and temptation to eat junk food, drink forbidden things and even smoke existed within Bobby. He refrained out of fear of his mother catching him, not wanting to be bad and of bad things making him ill.
Pleasure Island had seemed the perfect opportunity Bobby needed to indulge without the consequences of indulging. He now knew it was all a trap. Scammers and con artists were something Bobby knew had existed as long as money had existed. He'd never expected to fall for a scam and yet here he was, turned into a donkey, surrounded by other donkeys that had fallen for the same scam. The foolishness he felt made his donkey form seem all the more fitting.
He however knew that he and the others couldn't or at least shouldn't accept they were now donkeys and that was that. No, they didn't deserve to live out their lives as donkeys because of one mistake. They had to fight this!
"Guys, we can't let them do this to us. We have to fight them," Bobby said.
Unfortunately, the others only responded with brays.
Bobby wondered why he'd retained his ability to speak when others had not. Was there something special about him? Maybe it was random chance, he wasn't sure.
He worried how far these changes would go. If the boys that were braying had forgotten how to speak or now spoke donkey, Bobby wondered how far he could change on the inside. What if he forgot his human life? What if he forgot everything he learned at school or lost his intelligence? The idea was terrifying.
The line progressed as the man that had taken them to the Island asked each donkey his name. Every donkey that brayed ended up with the man ripping off the donkey's clothes (when applicable) and throwing him into a crate.
A chill ran through Bobby when Peter and Gordon reached the end of the line. They ended up in a crate together. Bobby was happy that they would be staying together. The somewhat relieved look they gave each other gave Bobby a sliver of hope that they would be able to live a happy life together as donkeys.
Peter and Gordon having hope for a happy ending however didn't mean Bobby would.
It was Bobby's turn. He hoped he could use his retained ability to speak to successfully beg for mercy.
Another one of the shadow creatures grabbed Bobby by the ears and slid him over to the Coachman. Bobby's motion momentarily kicked up a cloud of dust.
The man that had seemed like a sweet, kindly old man that only wanted the boys to have a little unauthorized fun now seemed far more sinister. He looked massive to Bobby. This was a man that had the power to create a carnival that would turn any boy that went there into a donkey and had used this power. If he could do this and fool this many boys into coming there, it seemed as though he could do anything.
Bobby knew that running would do him no good. This man could be the only thing that could change him back into a boy. It terrified Bobby and made him feel helpless.
He hated it.
"And what might your name be?" the man asked.
Bobby gulped.
"My name is Bobby sir."
"So, we have another one that can still talk huh?" The man asked.
Bobby nodded.
"Please sir, let me be a boy again," Bobby said. "I just want to go home. I'll never tell anyone about this place, I'm promise."
The man laughed, grabbed Bobby by the ears and tail and threw him into a pen where several others donkeys still wearing clothes stood.
"You had your chance to be a boy lad," the man said. "I gave you the fun you wanted and now it's time to pay for it."
Bobby was about to say something when he noticed the defeated looks on the other's faces.
"What's going to happen to us?" Bobby asked. "Why did they turn us into donkeys?"
"My name is Alexander. I don't know why they did this to us," a donkey in a sailor suit said.
Bobby looked at the man, who was attending to other donkeys.
"I don't want to be a donkey," another donkey, one wearing a red shirt said.
"We gotta find a way to escape so we can get our boy forms back," a donkey with a hat, shoes and blue shorts said.
"But even if we escape, where do we go?" Bobby asked.
The man walked over to the pen and cracked his whip.
"Quiet! Donkeys don't speak! You boys aren't changing back. Give up already!"
That seemed to be enough to silence the group. With little other options, Bobby hung his head and lay down.