Josh feels a rumble beneath his hooves; the boat is starting up. All around him, donkeys bray; the sound annoys Josh's ears. He wants to get away from them but as he learns ever so painfully when he tries to speak, there is no getting away from the donkey he's become.
There has to be a way out. I must be able to think or do something to reverse this. I don't know how to be a donkey! How am I suppose to live like this?
The scent of the other donkeys and of the hay and water in his pen beckons strange thoughts within Josh's mind. A desire for simplicity seems to try to push aside any thought of escape to a human life.
Then again, why would I want to get away? This is comfortable. I won't have to worry about school or getting a job like this.
Josh, however knows that while this form may release him from educational or career obligations (something which he never really had much interest in to begin with), it also means he'll lose many human dignities and privileges.
With his eyes closed, Josh listens to the other donkeys. Despite any attempts they may be making, Josh knows there are no words spoken by any of them. Unlike cartoons where humans would hear the calls of an animal while the animals heard words, Josh knows that a bray means nothing. The sound terrifies him. Every bray is a something a human trapped within a bestial form is trying to say.
Words are no longer a part of his life and Josh starts to realize this. For no other reason then to hear himself bray, Josh does just that. A part of him is horrified by it while another part is almost amused.
I can make my body do anything. If I want the donkey the tap his front right hoof five times, I can!
Josh does just that. Some of the other donkeys respond, but soon return to braying. Josh in fact, soon loses interest in the sound.
As the journey toward the mainland progresses, Josh finds it hard to concentrate. His thought drift easily. He finds that the donkey part of him wants to concentrate on more basic desires. He finds himself growing hungry and without even thinking about it, reaches down and grabs a mouth full of hay. He eats the hay, consuming it as fast as he can before repeating the process until he's had his fill.
What am I doing?. The idea that he's just eaten hay is disgusting and embarrassing to Josh.I was hungry and something I could eat was there. I didn't think about taste, I just ate it because it could satisfy my hunger. There was no thought of what he wanted; it was something his body needed and that was that.
Josh shakes his head; he feels donkey thoughts trying to take hold. He's fighting a powerful urge to act on little more then need, desire and instinct. Concepts such as gross, right or wrong are trying to edge there way out of his mind.
No! I don't care what I look like; I'm not a donkey! My name is Josh, I'm a young man. My favorite color is green. I love swimming at the beach, my favorite genre of novels is mystery, my favorite music type is upbeat and I'm not a donkey!
Sweat is puring out from all around Josh's body. The urge is growing stronger. Donkey thoughts pervert human logic, attempting to lure Josh into forgetting about anything more then the basic essentials of life.
I'm not a beast! This isn't what I really am!
Josh is now struggling, desperately hoping this is a dream he can wake himself up from. Without realizing it, he is bucking and braying wildly. Panic overwhelms him, which only serves to strengthen the donkey thoughts. His fellow jacks bray, the sounds of it and their scent playing terrible games with Josh's mind.
"What is going on down here?"
It's a human voice.Yes, something human! Something to focus on!
"Stupid asses, calm down before I prod you all!"
The tone doesen't bother Josh. A human voice is something he can focus on.
"You all think you're special that somehow you're meant for something better!"
Several donkeys bray and kick the back of their stalls. Josh watches the human walk over to the stall of one of those donkeys. The human pets the donkey between his ears. Josh tries his best to stay calm as not to let the man win.
"I bet you want to go home and back to your human body now don't you?"
The donkey nods its head. The human puts his hands on the sides of the donkeys head, a smile on the humans' face. "Stupid donkey! Don't you get it?" The donkey brays in protest and the human stamps his right boot and walks toward the center of the stalls. "Don't any of you get it? This is what you are from now on!" He stamps his boot to add emphasis to those lasts three words.No, I won't accept it!
Josh brays and the man walks in front of his pen.
"You see my friends, you're property from now on. You don't have lives anymore. I suggest you stop fighting those urges. Let them win. You're finished so you might as well start thinking like the beasts you're going to be for the rest of your lives."
No, I won't give in.
Josh brays loudly at the man.
"Perhaps, we need something to motivate you."