y something, but stopped when three
Guests came up to George's booth. George hardly recognised the Mitchell
brothers. The youngest was already three-quarters donkey, so dangerously close
that it was a miracle he hadn't been picked up already. He was hunched over, and
his hands were fused into fists. His hair had grown down over his shoulders in a
coarse mane, and his lips bulged around his elongated jaws.

The middle and eldest were well on their ways, too. The points of their ears
poked out from under their hair, and they carried themselves painfully, forcing
their legs and hips upright.

George flipped over his phone and punched 911, but left it out of sight below
the counter. Loudly, he said, "Come on over, boys! You look like you could use
one of George's triple-dips, the best on the midway!"

From the phone, he heard the security operator say, "Thank you, George, we'll be
along in a moment." Surreptitiously, he racked the receiver and smiled at the
boys.

"How are you enjoying your stay, boys?" he said.

"It'th aw-thome!" the youngest said around his clumsy teeth.

George handed him a cone piled high with floss, then started building two more
for his brothers. Joe smirked at them. George hoped he wouldn't say anything
before security got there.

The eldest said, "I don't think my brother's feeling too good. Is there a doctor
here I can take him to?"

The youngest, face sticky with confection, kicked his brother. "I'm fine!" he
said. "I wanna go on more rideth!"

His brother said, "We'll go on more rides after we see a doctor."

The youngest dropped to his knees and cried. "No!" he said, hammering his fists
on the ground. "No no no no!" George watched in alarm as the boy went all the
way over to donkey. His cries turned to brays, and his shorts split around his
haunches and tail. His shirt went next, and George smoothly vaulted the counter
and stood in front of the donkey, blocking him from passers-by. The other two
made a run for it. George snagged the middle by his collar, but the boy tore
free and took off down the midway. George looked about wildly for security, but
they still hadn't arrived.

Then Joe tore past him, moving faster than George had ever seen him go. He
caught the boys and stuffed one under each arm, kicking and squirming. He
grinned ferociously as he pinned them beneath his knees at George's feet. He
clamped his hands over their mouths. "Got 'em!" he said to George.

A security team em