{"id":16557,"date":"2024-04-30T14:04:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T19:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=16557"},"modified":"2024-11-26T11:50:55","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T17:50:55","slug":"shapeshifter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/shapeshifter\/","title":{"rendered":"Shapeshifter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Shapeshifter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Patience Mackarness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Minette turns squirrel and streaks up the trunk of a young oak tree, pausing on a branch twelve feet from the ground. Her long fur is splotched like sunlight, her ears tawnily tufted, her golden eyes rimmed mascara-black. There are Siberian tree-cats in her ancestry, and it shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Minette turns brown bear and descends tail-first, paw over paw. She often uses this skill to impress her humans, who laugh and applaud. They\u2019re absent now, the cottage is shuttered, but it\u2019s good to keep in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Minette turns hare and bounds over the field, skimming wet grass, to the farm where her meals are left on a dish by the back door. The farm cats won\u2019t let her inside, but she doesn\u2019t care. The servings are adequate if supplemented with warm fresh fieldmouse. The cottage is her place, shuttered or not, empty or not. On wet days, she curls up in the woodshed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Tonight, in the dark of the moon, she\u2019s asleep on a sack when a vehicle stops in the drive. Minette goes out to check if it\u2019s her humans returned, but the voices are wrong, low and rumbly. Wisps of tobacco smoke drift up the garden. A banging begins, a splintering of wood, muffled cursing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Minette turns pipistrelle bat, dive-bombs the tallest man\u2019s head as he crowbars a shutter. He swears loudly and is hushed by the others. Another man swings a hammer and looses a musical tinkle of glass. Minette turns viper and shoots past their feet, an arrowing flash in the torchbeam. The man with the hammer jumps straight up in the air, lands on his ankle, curses as it twists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Both shutters are off now. The smallest man climbs on the sill, and reaches between glass-shards to turn the catch. The window swings open. All three men climb in, the injured one grunting in pain, and drop to the livingroom floor. Minette follows, noiseless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The room where she\u2019s often stretched on the rug, stared gold-eyed into the flames of a log fire, lain purring on friendly knees, now smells of spiders and damp. Cupboards are open, objects scattered on the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Minette turns fire salamander. Not a small black-and-yellow newt like the ones in the garden, but a three-metre beast that crouches on the cold hearth, blinking eyes of living flame. She gives a hissing roar, her breath like the clash of live coals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The torch drops and smashes. Blood smears the window-shards as the men tumble out, fall on the grass screaming and sobbing, stagger to their van, and screech away into the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dedication <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Minette.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"658\" height=\"980\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/Minette.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/Minette.jpg 658w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/Minette-201x300.jpg 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Patience Mackarness<\/strong> lives and writes in Brittany, in a cottage that sometimes attracts burglars, with a cat who is sadly not a shapeshifter. Her work has appeared in <em>JMWW<\/em>, <em>Lost Balloon<\/em>, <em>Lunch Ticket<\/em>, <em>Citron Review<\/em>, <em>Flash Flood<\/em>, and elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/three-poems-2\/\"> Back<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/three-poems-3\/\">Next <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shapeshifter Patience Mackarness __________ Minette turns squirrel and streaks up the trunk of a young oak tree, pausing on a branch twelve feet from the ground. Her long fur is splotched like sunlight, her ears tawnily tufted, her golden eyes rimmed mascara-black. There are Siberian tree-cats in her ancestry, and it shows. Minette turns brown&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[205],"tags":[75,146],"class_list":["post-16557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boudin-april-24-pet","tag-boudin","tag-fiction-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16557"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18022,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16557\/revisions\/18022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}