Circe was watching Quentin and Monica getting along in the horse paddock when she was approached by one of her handmaidens. She turned her attention to her, noting her look of concern.
“My dear, what is it?” asked Circe.
“My mistress, two of our guests have found the wine cellar and are currently there, gorging themselves to excess on our wine.”
Circe could feel her temper rise as she immediately stormed up the hill to the main house. Without a word, she entered the house and walked down the ancient stone steps into the wine cellar. She could hear the laughter of the two perpetrators. As she turned the corner she saw the two young men sitting on the floor, each clutching a bottle of wine. They were the travel companions of the recently transformed Justin and Will.
“Having a good time, gentlemen?” she asked in a stern tone of voice.
“Oh! Um...yeah…sorry…” said Chris, trying to stand up. Marcus just started laughing as he watched Chris stumble around.
“Now then, what should I do with such rude men such as yourselves?” asked Circe.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Nate walked into the house and was on his way to the suite his family had been set up in when he heard voices downstairs. Curious, he slowly ascended the stone steps into the wine cellar. Watching quietly from the shadows, he witnessed the scene between Circe, her handmaiden and the two young men unfold.
“Ah, I know. I classic never fails,” Circe flicked her wrist as the two young men cried out and fell to the stone floor. She watched with delight as the two men withered on the ground.
Nate stepped forward, excited to get to see two more people transform into animals. He watched, transfixed as Marcus looked on in horror as his hands shifted into hooves. Chris led out a shriek as he looked up at Circe, his face slowly pushing out into a porcine snout as coarse hairs started growing over his face and neck.
Circe looked over her shoulder and noticed Nate. She flashed him a mischievous smile as she turned back to Marcus and Chris.
“Fascinating how the changes don’t happen exactly the same for each person, isn’t it?”
Nate took a step forward next to Circe. “Oh, yeah, it certainly is.”
They watched in silence as Chris and Marcus’ transformation into a pair of pigs continued. The sounds of tearing fabric mixed with cries turning to squeals filled the room as the two young men continued to transform. Nate watched with rapt fascination as their bodies swelled and reformed from thin, handsome young men into plump, large pigs.
“You really do enjoy this, don’t you?” asked Circe.
“Yeah, I always have. There’s just something about human to animal transformation that has always excited me. I don’t know why.”
“I know the feeling all too well. When you all showed up on my island here, I couldn’t help but feel excited for some fresh people to transform.” Circe turned to the Handmaiden. “I think we can take them down to the stables. We’ll figure out what to do with them later.”
Circe gestured to Nate to follow her and the two walked up the steps back to the main level while the handmaiden corralled the two new pigs. The two walked outside and looked over the island.
“It really is a beautiful island you have here. Is it always this nice? Warm and breezy, but not hot?”
“Indeed it is, Nate. I love it too, although it can feel isolated at times.” Circe looked over the land down to the coast and then watched as her handmaiden struggled trying to lead Marcus and Chris down to the stables, a rope tied around each of their fat, porcine necks. Nate noticed as well and tried not to laugh at the comical sight.
Unbeknownst to Circe and Nate, Eric slowly crept down the stone steps to the wine cellar. Lying on the floor, he found the torn remains of the clothes of Marcus and Chris as well as their empty shoes. He quickly gathered up all the items and hurried back upstairs. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knows he saw Marcus and Chris go down to the wine cellar and saw a handmaiden emerge with two large pigs.
After they concluded their chat, Nate went back into the house and upstairs to the suite they had been lead to upon their arrival. As soon as he walked in, his brother Eric came out of the bedroom, looking panicked.
“Nate! There you are! I need to talk to you! I think something really weird is happening on this island!” Eric had in his hands the torn clothing that Marcus and Chris had been wearing.
“What are you talking about?” Nate suddenly remembered the deal he struck with Circe.
“I know this is going to sound crazy, but I saw these two guys go downstairs and then later I see a woman walking out the back with two large pigs. I went downstairs and all I find are these clothes they were wearing torn to shreds!”
Nate let out a laugh. ”You can’t be serious.”
“I think someone here is turning people into animals.” Eric looked at Nate, showing he was deadly serious. “I saw you talking to the woman who owns this place. What did she say to you?”
“Nothing much. We just talked about how nice this island was.”
“She’s up to something, I’m going to go talk to her.” Eric started for the door.
In a split second, Nate tries to decide if he dare try and talk his brother out of such an impulsive decision...and how.