When Rebecca came out of the bar, rounding a corner, she stopped dead in her tracks. Standing there, his back to her, was a boy drawing graffiti on a wall. A boy with long brown ears. She watched transfixed, as a lump suddenly pulsed in the boy’s pants. In and out it went, getting larger and larger until with a comical POP sound, a brown tail with a black tassel shot out behind him. She recognized that tail, it was a donkey tail. The boy was literally making a jackass of himself.
Rebecca screamed and ran off ... right into Tobacco row. Boys and girls were running everywhere, jumping at the boxes. Smoke was thick in the air. It wormed its way into her nostrils. It was a sweet smell that made all the tension in her body dissipated. Why was she so panicked? Everyone was having fun.
Then, a girl suddenly stuck a cigar in her mouth and before she could stop herself, she took a deep drag. Wonderful smoke filled her lungs and her face broke into a dull smile. This night had been wonderful! It was her first time smoking, and it was everything she’d dreamed. What was more, the fact that she knew her parents would kill her if they found her doing this just made it better.
Suddenly Rebecca’s ear’s grew very hot. It felt like they were being yanked on. This broke her out of her haze. She clapped her hands over her ears and felt them slowly growing.
Rebecca darted down an deserted alley just as the heat became unbearable. She clenched her ears.
"Oh! What's happened?! ” She felt her ears suddenly grown hairy and start filling her cupped hands. Crying, she pushed against them, trying to make them stop growing. But as more and more ear pushed against her hand, it started to get painful until finally she could hold it no more.
In a moment of weakness she let go. She saw it happen in the reflection of a nearby window. On the sides of her head were masses off brown hair. They quivered for a moment, and then flopped up. Rigid and straight. The donkey ears stood high up from her head, framing her cap. They were a chocolate brown on the outside, and white on the inside.
"Well well well. Not as strong as you thought huh?” The window opened and the Coachman stuck his head out.
"Please! Please! Let me go! I don't wanna be a donkey! I have a future ahead of me! ” Rebecca cried.
"You do. If you can get out of here. Say. I’ll even help you out. If you go out of this alley and down the main street you will eventually reach the doors”, he said.
"Thank you!" She said filled with relief.
"Don’t mention it. I don't think you will get there anyways. You see. Once its started, its very hard to resist having some fun." He smiled maliciously, "And don't expect boys and girls to respond to your ears either. All those jackasses are so drunk they will think it's part of the fun! ”. The Coachman laughed evilly. "See you tonight!"
Rebecca stared for a moment before jumping up and running out. She ran to the nearest boy. He had donkey ears just like her. "Hey! You!”, she yelled.
The boy turned around and giggled. "Hey, cutie, did it hurt when you lost your wings and you fell to the Earth?"
"Shut up, jackass! Haven’t you seen your ears! Look at mine! ” She cried frantically.
“Hehehe yeah. I know it. Ain’t the beer great! Here you should have some! ” The boy suddenly pressed a mug behind him to her mouth. She shut her lips tight but couldn’t keep some from entering.
The taste! The taste was so good! Her lips quivered ... then opened. She grabbed the mug herself and sipped, taking long slow drafts. It was the same drink the bartender gave her before.
The frothing liquid caressed her throat as it went down, it was the best drink she’d ever had. She chugged it down and even some drops trickled down her neck.
“Yeah?” The boy laughed. “Do you like it?” Rebecca nodded her head slowly, a silly grin on her face.
Then...