“We’ll see everyone tomorrow.” Mark said before he turned and followed the medics carrying Carla out.
Watching Mark go, his ears drooping and the trail of hair that disappeared under his shirt, it hit David. With Mark gone, David turned to the others of their group and realized how normal this almost was. Joan and Carl were settling down together with a house. Paul and Rich had planned their future together. Mark was having relationship issues over how much of a party animal Carla was when he wasn’t. They weren’t animals.
And yet, Carla was right too. They were.
Joan and Carl could only settle down because Carl’s voice had completely degenerated into braying in just one afternoon. Paul and Rich no longer wore all their clothes, it seemed. Even Mark, for all his hesitation tonight, hadn’t been immune to the urges earlier today.
As the group returned to the table, it seemed the whole group had similar realizations. Even as the rest of the club resumed its revelry, David, Anna, and their group were gloomy. Anna especially, was quiet and reserved up until everyone called it a night and left the partiers to it.
***
Anna was washing her face and ears clean of the sparkle in the bathroom while David sat on the end of the bed for her. He patted the spot beside him when she finished. “Come here, tell me what’s bothering you.”
Anna sat and sighed, her lips quivered and hesitated making David fear she would lie, but when she said, “Carla.” he knew she was honest.
“Anna, I thought were worked that out earlier.” David said, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Anna shook her head, “Not the lake, tonight.” She paused to take a few, deep breaths before continuing, “Carla, she lost herself. I’m scared that’s going to happen to me, to us.”
David nodded, “I know it can be scary and we’re going to have doubts, but we both want this. The simple life of a donkey.”
“Yes, and I still do,” Anna started, but got choked up, “it wasn’t just instincts and urges. You saw her, Carla lost everything human. Just a wild animal wanting to eat, drink, and fuck. Carla was just that donkey over there.”
David brought Anna into a hug, “Ok, I understand.”
“You didn’t see the way Carla looked at Mark. It was horrible, there wasn’t a bit of recognition or love. She was nothing but a dumb animal.” Anna said, “I want to be Anna the jenny with David the jackass, not two random donkeys that don’t even recognize each other from all the others.”
David nodded, still embracing her. “I don’t either. And we won’t. No matter what, I love you. As human or jack and jenny. The transformation can’t take that.”
“I love you too.” came the sobbing reply.
When Anna was ready, David helped her into the bed. They didn’t play. It felt better not too. More human.