At that, many of the men backed away from the stage slowly. The noise quieted down and some even tried to sneak out the back but found the exit had disappeared into the side of the tent.
"The show isn't over yet and won't be until I've, we've had our fill," she corrected.
Men spoke amongst themselves and the Madame quickly grew impatient.
"You!" Madame called to no one in particular. The generality of it made many men nervous.
Some back and the crowd split which left one lad, sadly, separated.
"You," she said again but this time pointing right at him. "Come here," she said so sweetly and he, feeling slightly less worried, stepped forward.
Slight of build, with short black hair, glasses, a meager frame in a six foot body, he wasn't much to look at.
"And what's your name?" Madame asked once he was front and center. She walked around him slowly, looking him up and down.
"D-d-doug," he muttered nervously.
"Why such worry, Doug?"
"You're gonna, gonna,"
"Gonna what, Doug?"
To Doug it felt like the crowd had fallen away and there was only the stage, the lights, and her.
"Change me."
"Change you?" She sounded shocked, as if it had been an odd thought to have. "Now, why would I ever do that?"
She turned back to the audience and gave a wink which brought most back up to the stage edge.
"I don't wanna be an animal." He croaked. "Or a girl."
The Madame mad a face like a disappointed child had their candy taken from them.
"He says I can't change him into an animal or a girl, folks." Boos erupted from the crowd which only a few minutes ago, Doug had been a part of. For his own sake, he had been aroused by the raccoon girl but did feel some strangeness at watching the poor girl, or guy I guess, take it so hard.
Madame stopped behind him and gently laid her hands upon either shoulder. This made Doug's heart beat faster.
"What do you think, folks, should I obey his wish?" She asked but knew the answer.
Shouts went up of "yes!" and "of course!" along with suggestions, "skunk!", "Cow!", "Dragon!", and "definitely another chick!"
Doug felt every bit of worry that James had experienced but a bit worse since he had seen what happens to men who come up on stage first.
"The crowd has spoken!" She announced. This only made more suggestions fly in and drown out Doug's doubt.
"Please," Doug whimpered to her, just as James had.
"James took no pleasure in my gift," she spoke into his ear. The crowd took no notice as she continued to Doug, "I suggest you try because there is no way you leave this stage with your humanity."
A bead of sweat trickled down his neck which she leaned in and licked up.
"So you have a choice to make. Accept what will happen and you'll have some say in what happens to you,"-Doug looked out at the crowd and could see every one wanted to see him suffer-"or resist and you're at their mercy. And mine."
Doug had only a moment to decide before he spoke.