Derrick entered the mess hall as the last person was just starting to get their food. He slid in behind them and followed what they did, scooping out somewhat recognizable food items. Everything was served buffet style so he filled his plate and found a spot to sit down.
He was catching comments and could feel people's eyes on him but as soon as he started eating, it all faded into the background. His full plate with a modest amount of items were arranged to avoid mixing, but it was soon devoured and he went up for seconds. By his third plate the food was added without concern for touching or mixing and he was just surprised he could eat so much, easily surpassing what his dad consumed by a long shot. Although he was fast, he wasn't the first done and followed others in their clean up procedure.
He continued following the others, a small group who weren't sitting back down to chat with friends, and found himself outside basking in the warm sun and the dusty dry landscape. Derrick stretched heartily and his brain was fuzzy about what to do next, he had finished his work for the day and didn't have to be anywhere. If he went somewhere that didn't keep him mentally and at least a little physically stimulated he would surely fall asleep after the hard day's work and the large meal he was starting to digest.
One of the guys ahead of him started smoking and Derrick noticed it didn't smell as terrible as he remembered though it was obviously a terrible habit to get into. He remembered his pa saying something about it, "Like getting roped into a timeshare," as he lit his pipe and sat on the porch in his rocking chair watching the sunset. Derrick smiled as he gazed at the horizon, appreciating the same timeless beauty that captivated his father so long ago.
Derrick realized he'd fallen behind the other guys and sprinted to catch up. As he caught them he asked, "Hey guys, where y'all headed? If I head to bed now, I'd be up in 5 hours and unable to go back to sleep." A few of the guys exchanged a glance but the older guy smoking smiled.
"Dats right, you jus' started today. Bud took care of you. Right? Now, I has to ask, what was your interview like?"
Derrick thought back but came up blank.
The man chuckled after a moment of Derrick squirming uncomfortably, "It's no matter, why don't ya join us fer a drink and let us git ta know ya better?"
Derrick relaxed at the invitation. This is his first real job after all and though he was well suited to the work, if he didn't make friends, he could be fired regardless.
Phillip, Randy, Felix, and John were the guys he'd followed and introductions were exchanged. Phil was the older guy who was smoking earlier, looking to be in his early to mid 40's. Randy, Felix, and John were in their early 30's to mid 20's in that order, so John was the closest to his age.
It didn't take long for Derrick to relax and the guys to have downed a pitcher of beer and have a round of shots. They shared stories with Derrick and some of the stories shared were unbelievable. Derrick described Bud's challenge on his first day, and his mood shifted to dour.
Phil caught onto this as Derrick said, "He shouldn't treat a guest that way." Though the other guys didn't seem to notice being several more drinks deep. Phil tried to lighten the mood, calling for another shot for Derrick and having one with him. He expected the matter settled till Derrick later shared his backstory. It was going well till he said he was a sophomore in high school. Felix was in the bathroom and John was drunk, Randy gave a slurred and confused "Huh? What you talk'in bout?" and Phil having managed his pace carefully was prepared.
Derrick blinked a couple times not noticing the conflict in his realities, nor how he was slipping in and out of his southern twang. Phil needed to isolate Derrick before the others pieced together the truths of this ranch. The animals are the transformed guests, true, but so are some of the workers. Very few of the workers know this, most wouldn't be okay with knowing what happened to their family, or in some cases, that a parent left without remembering their former kid ever existed. Phil however was one of the three. Like Bud, his role was special in leading the guests to their fate. His parents were abusive and he happily watched as they became stupid animals.
When the aware staff member at the time found him glaring at his former parents they offered to let him in the pen to be together, but he refused, explaining that spending more time with them is the last thing he wanted and he's overjoyed with their fate.
From there he was told he could stay but it would be hard work, he was thankful to not be beaten and was told the animal transformations only happened to bad people or people who deep down wanted a simpler life, even if they sounded scared when it was happening. He was also told of a different transformation the ranch offered to good, hard working people. He quickly pieced together that his level of awareness was unique among the guests and staff, even the other aware staff.
Phil had been 8 when he came to the ranch but several of his chores pushed him into his teens giving him strength and knowledge of the work, but he still didn't fit in with the other ranch hands who were full adults. He was still just a kid to them, albeit more capable and respected than an 8 year old. Admittedly, less adorable though. Phil was at the ranch for 6 months by which time he was aged to 14 and was left wanting to be a real help to the ranch, not just the pitiful abused kid who was abandoned by his selfish parents, not that people remembered that about him.
One of the senior staff members stopped coming to work and over a few amazing days Phil turned into a 26 year old rancher. Nobody but him seemed aware of his transformation, and he knew exactly how to play his part. The idea never occurred to him that the transformations might not be based on personal merit, it made perfect sense to him that it did. He didn't consider the senior farmhand was caught in a trap and turned into an animal out of spite or because he didn't know to be wary... he was mentally 8 after all because he kept his awareness.
Phil recognized that Derrick was only mostly transformed. Parts of him weren't fully rancher... yet. Derrick would naturally continue to change over the next few days, he had hoped the drinking would help speed it up but maybe his question about the interview derailed the natural process.
He has questions of his own but because the others didn't know that he knew, he couldn't ask. So yes, he was poking the fire, but he wanted to know how the ranch worked. Though, not at the cost of other workers getting spooked, or Derrick regaining his memories and freaking out.
Phil stood up and looked to Derrick, "I need a smoke, care to keep me company?" There was a flash of excitement that crossed Derrick's face as the request registered, the same flash he himself had when he became aware of his new adulthood and people treating him like an equal.
"Yeah, sure."
Derrick's reply sounded, midwestern? Like that family that became goats. Phil turned toward Randy, "Watch John for a few, woul'ja?"
"Sher thing boss." Randy said, honestly sounding like he was about to join John in sleeping it off.
The two went outside and upon exiting the bar Derrick seemed to sober up slightly, though a moment later it was clear the effect was fleeting. Phil lit up and took a drag as Derrick stared at the sunset, captivated in a drunken haze. "Yer jus 21 right? You'll git yer tolerance up soon enough. Don'chu worry none 'bout that."
"Hey," Derrick called indignantly. "I'm doin better than ... John, his name is John."
"Thas right it is." Phil grinned.
Phil noticed Derrick hadn't reached in his pockets or asked to bum one, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out his pack and lighter and handed it to Derrick. Before Derrick knew what he was being handed he was holding it.
"Oh, no thanks, I don't..."
"Oh? Feels great after a couple drinks, pegged you as the type to do it when drinking."
Derrick blushed, the foggy haze of this alternate reality lifting momentarily. "I'm... I'm just..." He was going to say 16, but that didn't make sense, he was drinking at a bar with work buddies. "yeah.' he finished weakly unsure what to say.
"Alcohol must be getting to you." Phil noticed Derrick staring at the pack intently. Phil turned away looking at the sunset.
Derrick remembered his family being drug free and finding tobacco disgusting, but he also remembered his dad being a pipe smoker and waiting for the day he could try smoking himself. His curiosity and freedom won out. Derrick went into the pack and lit up himself. The second and third drag got grimaces, but by the time he was halfway through it seemed like he had smoked before and he thanked Phil for letting him bum one.
Phil remembered the first time he tried smoking, like Derrick, it was at this very spot. Each day for the next four he was a little older, just 2-3 years each time. But by the second day he was a regular smoker, and by the end of it he had been smoking for a decade. That was 10 years ago. Each day came with a different reality each one having more time included, making it easier to believe than the last.
Phil hopes he can get Derrick fully indoctrinated by tomorrow. He's obviously a good guy otherwise the ranch wouldn't have chosen him, but if he's more trouble than he's worth (like by remembering details of a prior life and talking about them) he may end up an animal anyway. Smoking may save his life, literally.