The days passed into weeks, and Addison found herself growing more accustomed to life as a donkey.
Her misery at her unwilling transformation still weighed heavily on her heart, but her friendship with Melissa made it easier to get through the days.
She watched every day as Melissa and the other kids, as well as many of their fathers, worked in the plantations, in the dairy farming, in the poultry farming, in the pig farming or raising cattle and sheep. But Addison and Layla only plowed and helped gather the crop that was used to feed the animals on the ranch.
"Hi Adelyn," Melissa always greeted Addison every morning with a sweet smile when the sun came up, and she brought a few apples into the barn, which she stole on occasion from the supplies, and slipped to both of the donkeys.
Addison looked forward to these treats, though they were by necessity rare.
"Sleep all right?" She asked, holding out one apple to Layla who accepted the apple and greedily munched it down. Addison only brayed.
"Well, girls, we do have to work today."
Addison sighed, but nodded and ate her apple as Melissa put the harness on her and then Layla, and led them both out to the crops.
The morning passed uneventfully, with Addison and Melissa getting two full carts of grains their own while Layla and Melissa's father brought up only one.
"Where the hell have you been, girl?" Melissa's father demanded, making Melissa jump from her perch on Addison's back.
The father grabbed his daughter's arm and yanked her out from her the plantation. He ripped the coiled whip from his belt and pulling his arm back, striking at Melissa with it.
Addison winced at the sound of the scream and brayed in protest at the father, who drew his arm back and struck again, drawing a loud CRACK from the whip, followed by another scream.
The father then coiled the whip up again. "Let that be a lesson to you, girl. Too bad I didn't have a son, he would be strong, he would work more and he would obey me," he growled at Melissa, who was pulling herself off the ground, tears streaming from her eyes. "Get back to work," her father snapped at the rest of the kids, all of whom had stopped and watched the incident in horror.
Addison felt sorry for Melissa, having such an unfeeling lout for a father. Her life with her own family may have been meager, but at least they had cared about each other. Melissa's father was only interested in how much money her daughter could make her as a worker. It had to be hard on Melissa.
Addison was largely held in place by her hitch to the cart, but when Melissa, moving stiffly, came close enough to dump her first basketful of wheat in the cart, Addison nudged her friend affectionately, grunting softly.
Melissa's look brightened a bit as she smiled a little at the donkey. "Thanks, thanks," she said, sniffling a bit as she dumped the basket into the cart. "He's been like that before, you know? He usually just uses his hands. All he cares about is making more money "
Addison again nuzzled her friend, wishing she could just speak and offer some words of support.
Addison watched her friend work, wishing she do something to help her escape this hard life.
One day, Melissa was visiting Addison in the corral, having sneaked her apple.
Addison brayed softly in agreement, again silently wishing that She could actually speak to her friend.
"You know something, Adelyn? You're my best friend here."
This surprised Addison. Didn't Melissa have any friends among the other kids in the camp?
"The other girls here," Melissa sighed, almost as if she’d read Addison's mind, "they don't like me too much. They stay away from me, 'cuz I'm 'the boss's daughter'. They don't trust me not to squeal on 'em."
Addison stepped up to Melissa, and awkwardly, with her front left leg, pulled her friend into an approximation of an embrace. Melissa laughed and hugged Addison tightly around her neck, and for the first time since her transformation, Addison felt a sense of happiness.
Then, late one evening, Melissa did not go to sleep as she usually did, curled up against Addison and Layla in their stall, but instead waited at the door, watching the road.
Curious by this change in her behavior, Addison went to the front of her stall and brayed softly, getting Melissa's attention.
"You okay, Adelyn?" She asked, coming to the stall and patting her on the head.
Addison brayed softly again.
"Yeah," Melissa nodded. "I should have told you, I guess. I'm sure going to miss you."
Addison frowned, not understanding.
"I can't take this place anymore," Melissa finally said, after a long silence. "The more money Father gets, the crazier he gets for more! I hate it here! I hate him!"
Addison wasn't surprised to hear this.
"A bunch of us girls in the ranch are leaving tonight. There's a ride coming for us, and we're going someplace amazing only for girls," Melissa continued, a dreamy look coming into her eyes.
Addison looked up at Melissa, her eyes widening in alarm at her friend's words.
"Girls don't have to work there," Melissa continued, petting Addison and staring dreamily off into space. "They don't go to school. They just have fun – eat all they want, play any games they want – and it's all free. They call it Pleasure Island, Adelyn. I can't wait to leave this place and go there."