{"id":877,"date":"2023-05-02T18:13:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T01:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=877"},"modified":"2023-05-02T18:13:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T01:13:57","slug":"petting-zoo-ch-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/?p=877","title":{"rendered":"Petting Zoo Ch. 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

A very unusual petting zoo comes to town and it changes people in its wake<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The squeaky third wheel of the cart screeched in the packed grocery store, pulling the cart hard to the right before Emi pulled it back to the left.\u00a0 She eyed a parked cart sitting beside a display stand of mixed vegetables.\u00a0 It looked newer and she was sure she could move the contents to her cart before the old, bent-backed gray haired woman browsing nearby noticed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Any fruits?” Janelle asked, tapping a long nail against reddened lips as she turned around the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What pairs well with wine?” Emi replied, sighing regretfully as they moved past the beautiful cart and its probably well-oiled wheels.\u00a0 “And what doesn’t taste disgusting coming back up in the middle of the night?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Girl, how much wine are you planning to drink?” Janelle asked, cocking a slim eyebrow while looking down at her friend.\u00a0 “You’re turning twenty-seven, not forty.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“A bottle for every year,” she told her, tugging the cart back in line.\u00a0 “I’m single and nearing thirty.\u00a0 My mom keeps tagging me in posts of her friends and their brand new grandbabies.\u00a0 She’s all like ‘Oh, Emiiii, isn’t this a cute baby?!’\u00a0 and ‘Emiiiii didn’t you just have your period?\u00a0 Aren’t you ovulating?\u00a0 Look, Jack from your 3rd grade class just changed his status to single.\u00a0 I gave him your number!'”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come on,” Janelle laughed softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She did,” Emi groaned, leaning forward to lay her forehead down on the handle of the cart.\u00a0 “Jack called me last night.\u00a0 He’s got a kid already and he’s shaped like a Matryoshka doll with less hair.\u00a0 The outside one.\u00a0 The big one.\u00a0 And he brays like a donkey when he laughs.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Jesus,” her friend said, shaking her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I mean, yeah, it’s been a bit and I could use some attention,” Emi conceded.\u00a0 “But, Jack?\u00a0 Jack from 3rd grade?\u00a0 He used to eat mud on dares.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What about Caleb?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Caleb from the club last week or Caleb that works at Starbucks?” Emi asked, turning her head to look up at her friend from the side.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The club,” came the reply.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dating someone else,” she answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“But-“<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, yeah,” she sighed.\u00a0 “I gave him my number and he called me and flirted and set up a date.\u00a0 I shaved, got all ready and then looked him up.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why?” her friend asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why what?” Emi said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Why the hell would you do that?” Janelle replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Because he’s already dating someone else,” Emi said, rolling her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No, that’s what you <\/span>found<\/i><\/b>,” her friend told her.\u00a0 “Why would you look him up?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Because he’s dating someone else!” she said, throwing her hands up and then grabbing the cart again when it tried to bolt.\u00a0 “They all are!\u00a0 They’re all, ‘Awww, Emi, you’re sooo cute and small.\u00a0 I could just pick you up and carry you!’ and then I see the ring or their kids’ names as a tattoo or, whatever.\u00a0 I’m old, Janelle.\u00a0 Shriveled up.\u00a0 That reminds me, maybe grab some dried apricots?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You just need to get out more,” the girl said, shaking her head. \u00a0 “And stop creepin’ on everyone.\u00a0 Just relax and enjoy yourself once in a while.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That sounds like I need even more wine,” Emi groaned.\u00a0 “Can you grab a box of the crackers over there?\u00a0 Top shelf on the left?\u00a0 The high fiber ones because I’m <\/span>old<\/i><\/b> and basically dead and far too short to reach it myself.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rather than answer, her friend reached up to grab a box of Ritz crackers.\u00a0 She placed it next to a block of asiago cheese on the crowded cart.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Four bottles are more than enough,” Janelle said.\u00a0 “Let’s go check out.\u00a0 I have a surprise before we go to your apartment.\u00a0 Something to offset all the whining you’ll be doing later about your bad taste in men.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I <\/span>said<\/i><\/b> we’d go dancing tomorrow,” Emi pouted, pushing the cart to the front of the store.\u00a0 “Anyways, what surprise?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’ll see,” the other girl smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 Way,” Emi said, leaning forward in her car seat with a gigantic smile on her face.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The building before the car was unremarkable by itself.\u00a0 It loomed in the middle of a gigantic parking lot and the faded K-Mart logo was still recognizable across the facade.\u00a0 Workers milled about and a few cars tentatively drove into the parking lot to see what was happening to the old, abandoned store.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A homemade wooden signed proclaimed, simply: “Lady Lilith’s Exotic Petting Zoo”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No way!” Emi said again, lightly punching Janelle’s arm.\u00a0 “Do they have pigs?\u00a0 Little pigs?\u00a0 The little ones that fit in a cup?\u00a0 Janelle.\u00a0 Janelle.\u00a0 Can I <\/span>buy<\/i><\/b> one of the pigs?\u00a0 Oh my god.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Janelle laughed as she navigated over cracks and chunks of asphalt until she reached the front of the lot.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They aren’t open yet,” Janelle told her as she pulled into a space marked by faded paint. \u00a0 “But I called and they said they were allowing some people a special preview.\u00a0 I told them about the state fair we went to last year and how you spent the entire day in the barn area playing with sheep and pigs and, well, here we are.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You are the absolute best friend,” Emi sighed.\u00a0 She tapped her fingers on the dashboard while staring at the large store until Janelle pushed her gently with her elbow.\u00a0 The smaller girl opened the door with one hand while undoing her seatbelt.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I did <\/span>not<\/i><\/b> tell them that you tried to steal a pig.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It called to me, Janelle,” Emi said.\u00a0 “It went right up to me and wouldn’t leave me alone.\u00a0 It followed me around with its little curly tail wiggling and went right up to my lap.\u00a0 It even fits in my jacket pocket!\u00a0 Oh my god, so tiny.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They were actually mad at you, Em,” her friend said.\u00a0 “And they yelled at me, too.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I almost made it out with little Torturo,” she said, her lips pressed together and her eyes dark with the loss of her pig.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“They didn’t even have names,” Janelle groaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Welcome!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Gah!” Emi said, grabbing her friend’s arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A tall woman smiled at them from the midst of the crew working around the entrance.\u00a0 Her black hair was braided in tight, intricate weaves that reached her thighs.\u00a0 She was dressed impeccably in slacks, shiny black shoes, a silver shirt with alternating black lines hidden beneath a silk vest.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You <\/span>must<\/i><\/b> be Emi,” the woman said with a smile.\u00a0 It was impossible to guess her age as she projected a maturity belied by a lack of wrinkles.\u00a0 When she moved in the afternoon light, she appeared to fluctuate between early 20s and late 40s.\u00a0 “I’m Lady Lilith and it’s a pleasure to meet you both.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hi,” Emi answered shyly.\u00a0 She pulled away, blushing in embarrassment.\u00a0 “I’m so excited to be here!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” the woman said with a sly wink.\u00a0 “Let me be your guide!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned and a worker opened the door for them.\u00a0 Emi’s eyes widened as she followed the other two women inside.\u00a0 The entire store was gutted and the tile floor replaced with dirt.\u00a0 Stones created a path that branched off to different sections.\u00a0 Low stone walls separated the animals – all who appeared content within their little areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Holy shit, Janelle, look!” Emi grabbed her friend, tugging her as she pointed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A worker dangled branches from a raised scissor lift and a graceful giraffe nibbled slowly on the leaves. The small woman watched the creature’s dark purple tongue coil around the branch until it closed its mouth to pull the leaves free.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We haven’t finished stocking the zoo,” Lilith said.\u00a0 She brought the pair to long tables laid out before the pens.\u00a0 “Please, grab a basket of food and follow me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Janelle tapped Emi to get her attention away from the giraffe and they both browsed through the baskets before choosing one each.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“How do they stay where they are?” Emi asked, holding the basket close to her stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The older woman shrugged.\u00a0 She stood for a moment, surveying the zoo until, with a backwards glance at Emi, she took the left path.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’m exceptionally good with animals,” she told them.\u00a0 “I was raised with them and they understand me.\u00a0 I feed them well and care for them as if they were my own children.\u00a0 The back of the building is reserved for a place for them to run when they need exercise but they’re otherwise content to rest in their areas.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Wow,” Emi said.\u00a0 Her eyes wandered but settled on an approaching woman.\u00a0 She was slight and pale with loose red hair cascading down her back and a small, happy smile on her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey, isn’t that your coworker?” Janelle started to ask.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah! Hey Siobhan!” she said loudly, waving a free arm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Emi?\u00a0 Are you off work today?” the redhead asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah, it’s my birthday,” she answered.\u00a0 “Isn’t this place amazing!\u00a0 How’d you hear about it and why didn’t you tell me?!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I saw a flier,” her coworker said.\u00a0 “On.\u00a0 Uhh.\u00a0 On.\u00a0 Where was that?\u00a0 Well, somewhere.\u00a0 Emi, they have lions!\u00a0 Well, one.\u00a0 A lioness.\u00a0 She was beautiful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Did they let you pet her?” Emi asked, grabbing her co-worker’s arm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yes, god yes and it was amazing,” the girl said.\u00a0 “Her eyes were so pretty and at the end, she stood up and nuzzled my stomach.\u00a0 I never even felt scared.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If you please, Emi?” Lilith asked politely.\u00a0 “I have many things to do but I’d be a poor host if I didn’t guide you through our little zoo.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, sorry,” she said abashedly.\u00a0 “I’ll see you tomorrow, Siobhan.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sure,” the other woman said, scratching at her arms.\u00a0 “I have to head back to work anyway.\u00a0 Took a late lunch just to see what this was all about.\u00a0 Worth it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They continued, nearing the giraffe before stopping two pens away from the huge beast.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Emi,” the woman said.\u00a0 “May I present Charlotte, our resident red kangaroo.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oooooh my gosh,” Emi crooned quietly as the Kangaroo came to them.\u00a0 “She’s so pretty.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It leaned forward, resting its front paws and tail on the ground before raising its long feet.\u00a0 Just at the edge of the wall, it stopped and stood, cocking its head with its thick ears back.\u00a0 It leaned forward, waving its paws before its body.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, do you want some?” Emi asked, grabbing some long grass from her basket.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The kangaroo gently grabbed Emi’s arm to hold her steady.\u00a0 The girl turned to her friend with watery eyes and a tremulous smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s touching me oh my gosh its hands are so soft and it’s touching me, Janelle,” she rambled.\u00a0 “Please tell me it has a baby hiding in its pouch.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No,” Lilith said.\u00a0 “I’m afraid not.\u00a0 Not at the moment.\u00a0 However, eventually I will pair all of them off with mates.\u00a0 I’m simply very selective and the search takes time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Can I pet her head?” Emi asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, yes,” the other woman said, waving her hand.\u00a0 “They’re all very docile.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey,” Emi said, reaching out her other arm.\u00a0 The kangaroo’s ears lowered but it stayed in place, leaning into the basket to forage for more food.\u00a0 “Hey there.\u00a0 Oh god, she’s so soft.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The small woman stroked the kangaroo’s head slowly from brow to her ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Its nails tickle,” the girl said.\u00a0 “This is so amazing.\u00a0 Janelle, do you want to-“<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” Lilith said.\u00a0 “I thought we might visit our giraffes before I hand you off to an associate to finish the tour.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Okay,” Emi said.\u00a0 “Bye, little one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She’s taller than you, Em,” Janelle noted.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Everything’s taller than me,” the girl sighed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“And this,” Lilith said, gesturing with a sleeved arm.\u00a0 “Is Adaeze.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The tall giraffe ducked her head as the scissor lift began its descent.\u00a0 She stomped and her tail slapped against her side before she turned to spy the three women standing by her pen.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What an-” Janelle started to say.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>The giraffe ducked her head lower and its tongue lashed out to wrap around Janelle’s neck.\u00a0 The woman shrieked but Adaeze bent lower to rub itself against the woman’s face and shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Ah, ah god, it’s so sticky,” Janelle groaned.\u00a0 “And now I’m going to smell like a gross wet animal the rest of the day.\u00a0 Man.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” Lililth said, her thin eyebrows raising.\u00a0 “She’s taken a liking to you, I’d say.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Or the apples in my basket.”\u00a0 She disentangled herself from the creature, rubbing at her neck before grabbing an apple to offer to the creature.\u00a0 It licked her hand and then carefully grabbed the apple with its protruding front teeth.\u00a0 The giraffe stepped back, dipping its head while bending its front legs.\u00a0 “Did she just curtsy to me?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I did say I’m quite good with animals,” Lililth said with a smile and a nod toward the creature.\u00a0 “Ah, here’s Rosaria to guide you the rest of the way.\u00a0 I’m afraid I must be off but I’m quite pleased you both stopped by.\u00a0 Don’t forget to sign the guestbook.\u00a0 If you leave your phone number, we’ll contact you when the zoo is officially open.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A thin, quiet brunette stood waiting nearby.\u00a0 She grinned at the two women as Lilith swept away.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“If you’ll follow me?” the woman said, gesturing towards a pen with a monstrous looking dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Janelle,” Emi said once they were back in the car.\u00a0 “That was literally the best birthday gift I’ve ever had.\u00a0 And that’s including the one time my dad got me fireworks and a BB gun to go with the dolls my mom got me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the car backed up, Janelle reached up to scratch at her neck.\u00a0 She rolled her head on her shoulders and winced at the cracking sounds beneath.\u00a0 The fetid, dried drool flaked away at her touch and she gagged briefly.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I need a fucking shower,” the woman grumped.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I thought it was sweet,” Emi said.\u00a0 She scratched at the faint red marks surrounding her left wrist.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Well,” Janelle retorted.\u00a0 “You weren’t the one getting a tongue bath by something that probably rolls around in its own poop and drinks standing water.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Can it roll around?” Emi mused while staring out of her window.\u00a0 “Does it just like, flop on its side and lay there?\u00a0 Or does it sleep sitting up?\u00a0 Does it anchor itself with its head against the ground?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Janelle rubbed her neck in the hopes it would lessen the smell.\u00a0 More clear flakes fell away to reveal a small ashen gray spot in the middle of her neck amidst the surrounding brown skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It <\/span>is<\/i><\/b> pretty strong smelling,” Emi admitted, pressing her fingers against her nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yeah,” the other girl grunted.\u00a0 She wiped her hand on her pants and then rubbed her nose, breathing deeply for a brief moment before gagging once more.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What now?” the smaller girl asked as she drummed her fingers on her legs.\u00a0 She bounced her toes in the flooring of the car as the scenery raced past.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Now,” Janelle said, signaling for a turn.\u00a0 “Now we eat and get drunk.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan stretched next to her small car, raising up to her tiptoes and smiling at the sun with her eyes closed.\u00a0 She groaned happily as the warmth surrounded her and the groan deepened to a short rumble as cartilage formed against her hyoid bone.\u00a0 It lengthened to attach to her skull and she dropped down to her feet just as a coughing fit overtook her.\u00a0 She covered her mouth with the crook of her bent arm, as the harsh cough tore through her.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the fit subsided, she growled quietly and rumbled her throat to clear the itchiness within.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Normally the young woman slept in her car during her lunch break and she’d dreaded returning to work, assuming she’d struggle throughout the rest of the day.\u00a0 However, as she stood in the warm evening air, she felt full of energy.\u00a0 She patted down her skirt, adjusted her blouse and stepped quickly on her light blue pumps, eyeing the path before her while breathing deeply of the trees surrounding her office.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Light brown cracks appeared at the inside of her chartreuse irises.\u00a0 They caught the sun and brightened to honey as they took root, winding slowly through the rest of her eyes until she pushed open the double glass doors to survey the office building with brilliant, alert eyes the color of marigold.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Tom,” she acknowledged with a brisk nod of her head as she entered the building.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hey Siobhan,” he said, grabbing papers from the office copy machine.\u00a0 He followed beside her and his cologne rose to her nose.\u00a0 “How was the zoo?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Faint tan hairs, too small to notice, emerged along the bridge of her wrinkled nose and the tip of her tongue slid between her teeth.\u00a0 Her mouth hung open briefly as she scented him and her throat rumbled once more.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Easy on the body wash,<\/span><\/i> she told him in her imagination.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Amazing,” she said out loud.\u00a0 “Honestly, I have no idea how they’re able to handle and show that many exotic animals.\u00a0 They even had a Komodo dragon!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Are you serious?” he asked, stopping at his cubicle.\u00a0 “Where was this?\u00a0 I want to go see.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Oh, it was over by-” she paused, tilting her head as the location lay on the tip of her tongue.\u00a0 “The, uhh.\u00a0 It was- Huh.\u00a0 I think I have the flier somewhere so I’ll dig it up and email you the address when I find it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Sounds great,” he said.\u00a0 His smile faltered as he stared into her eyes.\u00a0 An ancient, primal instinct screamed at him from the depths of his unconscious but he couldn’t hear it.\u00a0 Instead, he shuddered and rubbed his arms.\u00a0 “Just let me know, yeah?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan nodded and continued on her way, her head snapping to catch movements until she sat in her rolling chair.\u00a0 She pushed back into it, sitting up straight as bones within her hips grated uncomfortably against each other.\u00a0 The redhead wiggled in her seat and then toyed with the lever for the lumbar support, shoving her ass back with a huff until her tailbone cracked and the pain vanished.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Good,” she said, pulling herself forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More sand-colored hairs rose along her arm.\u00a0 They were thin and sparse and hidden against the pale white of her skin and scattered freckles.\u00a0 She moved her mouse and the screen woke as her fingers found the home row on the keyboard.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her finger reached forward for the first letter of her password.\u00a0 A milky white line appeared in the middle of her long nail when it suddenly bent down the middle, folding her nail in half.\u00a0 Skin bulged around the base of her nail bed as the nail pulled back until it barely covered the tip of her finger.\u00a0 Keratin flowed from the base of the nail, doubling the thickness as it widened while continuing to bend.\u00a0 Her other nails followed suit in random order, clacking loudly against the plastic keys as she typed out her password.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She scanned the spreadsheet on the monitor as her tongue roamed against her canines.\u00a0 Her jaw throbbed at the edge of pain as the teeth lengthened, pressing against their neighbors while forcing her lips outward.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A single white hair sprouted from the nub of her tragus in front of her left ear.\u00a0 Two more followed.\u00a0 A fourth joined the three already in place as a lone hair slowly pushed through the inner fold of her right ear.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan’s sheaths clicked against her mouse as she pushed it around.\u00a0 She sat up in her seat, purposefully rubbing the rough fabric against her lower back as she looked through the large windows at the side of the office.\u00a0 A bird landed on a branch outside and she watched it, envious of its freedom before it zipped away.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a sigh, she sat down, scratching at her back before focusing on her work.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two empty wine bottles lay on the coffee table with a third opened next to them.\u00a0 An old cutting board held the remains of cheese, crackers and various sliced meats.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Emi giggled as she swirled the white wine in her glass.\u00a0 She had her toes on the edge of the rectangular table and her legs bounced restlessly.\u00a0 The bones within her feet ached even though she’d taken her shoes off hours before.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The small girl pushed a thumb hard against her lower back, stealing a glance at Janelle before blushing and rubbing the strangely sensitive spot.\u00a0 She’d discovered earlier that it felt incredibly good to massage herself there.\u00a0 <\/span>Too<\/i><\/b> good, in fact.\u00a0 Orgasmically good.\u00a0 Her hand kept finding its way back to the spot for her to knuckle into or scratch against.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You’re drunk already,” Janelle sighed.\u00a0 She looked at the slim gold watch on her wrist but she knew it was getting late without even checking. Dusk had settled long before they’d opened the third bottle.\u00a0 She’d hoped one would be enough but it was Emi’s birthday and the girl kept insisting.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tiny gray spots pockmarked her neck.\u00a0 They reached up to her jaw and dipped down between her shoulder blades.\u00a0 The first to appear in the car had grown larger and lightened over time, fading to alabaster.\u00a0 She massaged her neck and looked away as blood rushed to her ears.\u00a0 Her nails clawed against her skin and she breathed deeply.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The scent from earlier filled her and she shifted in place on the couch.\u00a0 She wasn’t sure when it happened but the smell of the drool and unwashed animal pelt had changed from disgusting to something else entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She rubbed her nose and breathed in again, closing her eyes as the smell filled her.\u00a0 Her tongue darted out to lick her palm and then her hand raised, nails scratching through her hair.\u00a0 Cartilage formed high on her forehead, beneath her hair, building in circular layers that pushed against her skin.\u00a0 With each new growth, the previous layer ossified.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her nails scratched against the ossicones and her tongue slipped between her lips.\u00a0 Magenta streaks lined her tongue and it waggled as it slid low enough to rub against her chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Emi’s eyes drooped and her hand wavered before firming and she sipped her drink.\u00a0 Janelle stared at her and then glanced at her watch.\u00a0 She’d planned to finish out the evening and go home to sleep since it was a weeknight but she felt too awake.\u00a0 And as she clawed at the base of her ossicones and bit her lips to hold the quiet moan that threatened to escape, she realized she wanted to go out.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her apartment was empty.\u00a0 Despite giving her friend a hard time, her own love life was embarrassingly blank at the moment. She took a sip of her wine and her tongue dipped into the glass to lap up the drink.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A stretch mark appeared low on her neck, just above her shoulders.\u00a0 She groaned as the cervical vertebrae within her neck widened fractionally, pulling at the discs and ligaments between.\u00a0 Small gray spots formed as the stretch marks slowly healed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Janelle rubbed at her neck with a sigh and her thumb flattened soft white and black hairs growing from the nape of her neck.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Go out dancing with me,” she said suddenly, pushing at Emi’s bouncing leg with her toe.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It’s late,” Emi said with a yawn.\u00a0 She pushed the base of her palm against her thigh.\u00a0 Muscles beneath the normally soft skin rubbed against each other.\u00a0 “Had too much to drink.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I’ll drive,” Janelle said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Emi tossed back the rest of her drink.\u00a0 She tried to set the glass down on the end table, missed and then tried again.\u00a0 The skin around her knees was reddened and irritated but she ignored it as she squeezed her thigh.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unnoticed by either of them, the small girl’s legs lengthened.\u00a0 Her femur broke and then grew more dense as collagen filled the gaps, hardening when calcium phosphate surrounded the soft protein.\u00a0 Her stretching skin pulled tight to reveal lines of muscles in her thighs.\u00a0 The soft gray cotton shorts she wore rode higher as her legs continued to grow, until they pulled tight against her crotch.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Come on,” Janelle pleaded.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“No.\u00a0 No, no, no,” Emi said, pushing her thumb against the taut skin and bulging muscles beneath.\u00a0 Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as her brain tried uselessly to tell her something was wrong.\u00a0 “Imma sleep.\u00a0 You go.\u00a0 You go have fun.\u00a0 Just.\u00a0 Sleep just here.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Janelle looked at her watch once more.\u00a0 She knew she <\/span>should<\/i><\/b> go home and go to sleep but she felt restless.\u00a0 Anxious for a reason she couldn’t pinpoint.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With a heavy sigh, she got up as Emi burrowed deep into the couch.\u00a0 She set her glass down and made her way into her friend’s bedroom to steal a blanket.\u00a0 When she returned, Emi was snoring softly with her legs tucked against her body and her feet deep into the cushions on the back of the couch.\u00a0 Janelle covered her friend with a rueful shake of her head and then collected her purse and shoes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>The line of hair down the nape of her neck thickened as more hairs sprouted.\u00a0 White strands grew over the gray spots as black emerged around them.\u00a0 They brushed against her now-loose black hair as she walked to the foyer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the girl bent to slip into her heels, her longer neck pulled her off balance and she squawked, catching herself with a hand against the wall.\u00a0 Her ears slanted back in response to the sudden panic and the inner ridges began to grow smooth.\u00a0 She licked her lips as she stood upright and her tongue bumped against her nose.\u00a0 It appeared darker in the dim light overhead.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Am I okay to drive? <\/span><\/i>she asked herself, suddenly unsure if she’d lost her balance due to tipsiness.\u00a0 Yet, as she worked her feet into her shoes, she realized she felt fine and the buzz coursing through her was due to the excitement of a night out rather than the two glasses of wine she’d had.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With the door opened, she locked the doorknob and glanced back at Emi before slipping into the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan paced in her living room.\u00a0 Pale light streamed through the open curtains from a silvery crescent moon.\u00a0 She’d turned the lights off earlier, finding the darkness preferable for a reason she couldn’t quite understand.\u00a0 She’d felt too exposed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned, running her hands through her hair, pulling them up and back with her fist.\u00a0 The motion drew her claws out briefly but she opened her hand before they could pierce her palm.\u00a0 She shook her head with a growl.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The girl’s red hair moved against her temples and cheeks.\u00a0 Her ears opened as the bumps within pushed outward to leave smooth skin behind.\u00a0 The tips slid through her silky hair and she shivered, clawing at her sides, responding as if a lover nibbled at the sensitive flesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She thought she might explode from the restrained vitality within.\u00a0 It had continued to build throughout the day, causing her to lose focus.\u00a0 She barely remembered the drive home but she’d arrived famished.\u00a0 Empty containers of food lay open on her dining room table.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The girl rubbed her hands on her thighs and rough skin along her palms dragged against the skin-tight yoga pants she wore.\u00a0 Her mat lay unrolled in the corner with gashes from her claws dotting the length of it.\u00a0 She’d tried to relax herself with the few positions she knew but-<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She missed a step at the memory of it.\u00a0 At raising her hips with a growl.\u00a0 Her legs shuddering as she sat on all fours with knees spread and the scent of her sex filled the room.\u00a0 The memory of it made her dig her claws into her side and she snarled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her yoga pants were still wet.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She could still feel her slick muscles deep within her pussy slipping against each other with every step.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her heart raced as she fought with the urge to masturbate.\u00a0 To run.\u00a0 To chase.\u00a0 To fight.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tan hairs covered her cheeks.\u00a0 Her tongue rasped against her black lips and the front of her darkened nostrils.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Dammit!” she cursed, stomping over to her door.\u00a0 She threw it open and it slammed against the wall.\u00a0 Her biceps strained against the tight Dri-Fit long sleeved t-shirt she wore.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A spray of hairs tickled the inside of her constrained breasts when they grew forth.\u00a0 They pressed through her sports bra and she scratched at them, accidentally slicing through shirt and bra with an enormous, translucent claw.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan’s fingers wrapped around her door frame.\u00a0 Her wide sheaths retracted to expose her dense claws in a deadly curl.\u00a0 They screeched as they scored the metal frame.\u00a0 She scented the air and slowly leaned out into the hallway of the second floor.\u00a0 Thick white hairs lined the inside of her ears as they lay exposed from her long hair.\u00a0 Tan hairs covered the backs and her hair swayed softly as her ears rotated to catch the sounds of her neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she stepped into the hallway, closing her door behind her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her bare feet crossed over each other as she walked.\u00a0 Calluses began to form along her forefeet and bottom of her toes.\u00a0 As it grew, it darkened into gray and then obsidian.\u00a0 Muscles swelled within her foot, pushing at her toes to spread them into wide paws that could properly hold her changing body.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Skin bubbled up at the base of the furrow lining the middle of her back.\u00a0 The outline of cylindrical bones appeared before more skin grew to cover the short tail.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The girl flexed her back with her hands open and wide at her side.\u00a0 She made a fist and growled as she rose to the balls of her feet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan ran, the padding on her bare feet protecting her as her claws struck concrete.\u00a0 Her hair streamed behind her as her legs pumped.\u00a0 Cars passed, forcing her further and further into the darkness away from the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trees replaced street lamps but her eyes adjusted, drawing in the light while her pupils dilated far beyond their ordinary means.\u00a0 Colors faded but she barely noticed as she leaped over logs and exposed roots.\u00a0 Her heart pounded and she pushed harder until she struck out, sinking her claws in the bark of a tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Voices.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She knelt, panting with her tongue out and her teeth bared.\u00a0 Drunken voices and the scent of cigarettes.\u00a0 And weed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The old part of her told her to go around but a newer part claimed the area for her own.\u00a0 It was the park near her apartments and it was <\/span>hers<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 She wouldn’t show fear in front of these men.\u00a0 She would show herself and let her presence be known.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grass gave way to a dirt path that led to a large lake.\u00a0 She brushed her knees off and stood to walk beneath the flickering light of a lamp at the edge of the water.\u00a0 She could see them now, one sitting on the back of a bench while the other stood.\u00a0 Both had paper bags with a bottle of some alcohol hidden within.\u00a0 The one on the bench passed a joint to the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“-telling you she’s not worth your <\/span>fucking<\/i><\/b> time, man,” the one on the bench said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The short fur along her body stood on end as she neared them.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yo, like, I hear you but she’s banging,” the other man said.\u00a0 The joint glowed as he dragged from it.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Only banging is her banging every fucking guy got money for her,” the first said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fuck if I care as long as I get some.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They both grew quiet as Siobhan approached.\u00a0 She could feel their stares and her hackles rose.\u00a0 Her short tail, barely as long as her thumb, thrashed behind her.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You out late, girl,” laughed the man on the bench.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She slowed to stare at him.\u00a0 He was gaunt with haunted eyes and stubble over a ragged face.\u00a0 And he dared to look back at her.\u00a0 To leer at her body.\u00a0 She felt the anger rise within.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“You lookin’ for somethin’?” asked the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Lookin for my <\/span>dick<\/i><\/b>,” said the first, grabbing at his baggy crotch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her claws dug into the dirt path as she turned to face them and her black lips drew back to show her enlarged fangs.\u00a0 They scraped against the nearby teeth until the pressure of their growth cracked the old teeth.\u00a0 She spat and her ears flattened against her skull<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan roared, burning her throat and chest as she forced the air out with her claws exposed at her side and the muscles bunched at her back and legs, ready to pounce.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fuckin-!” the first man yelled, falling off the back of the bench.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She leaped at the other one and her fist closed around his neck as she bore him to the ground.\u00a0 Her claws bit into his neck and he beat at her until she squeezed and his face began to turn red.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Grk-!” the man tried to say.\u00a0 His hands closed on her wrist but she held tight.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Christ!” the man’s friend yelled.\u00a0 She heard him running.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She roared again and the man looked away from her as spittle splattered against his face.\u00a0 She could smell his bladder release and she huffed, jumping up to stand beside him with her heart hammering in her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man wasted no time in scrambling away but she ignored him as she stood alone beneath the light.\u00a0 She swallowed her anger and wondered at the pride she felt for defending the area.\u00a0 <\/span>Her<\/i><\/b> area.\u00a0 It was an incredible feeling – a sense of power she’d never felt before and never realized she was missing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And all it did was make her that much more aroused.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She clawed at her pussy, easily tearing through her pants and panties to expose her sex.\u00a0 Her swollen lips burned and she yowled as a thick finger slipped between the slick, puffy labia to the tender pussy beneath.\u00a0 Tan hairs emerged from her labia, dragging against her bushy red pubic hairs as they spread, piercing the black yoga pants when they spread down her thighs.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved silently along the path.\u00a0 Hunting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the trees turned to bushes and the streets reappeared, a young man leaned against a bus stop sign.\u00a0 He nodded along to the headphones he wore as she crept forward, listening for others.\u00a0 She breathed him in, growling with need at his clean scent and the masculinity of him.\u00a0 He wasn’t overly large but he was young.\u00a0 Virile.\u00a0 Her tail rubbed painfully against the thick band of her yoga pants while she stalked towards him.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When she entered his line of sight, he glanced over at her and nodded before closing his eyes to bob his head to the beat she could clearly hear.\u00a0 No scent of a female on him.\u00a0 She licked her lips and smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He turned again when she approached and his eyes widened when she grabbed him, pressing her mouth against his to force her tongue against his.\u00a0 He struggled as she growled, kissing him deeply while her paw grabbed at his pants.\u00a0 She bent her fingers, forcing her claws free and then <\/span>pulled<\/i><\/b>, tearing through his clothing until he stood in his boxers.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Jesus, lady!” the young man said when she pulled back.\u00a0 “What the fu-oooh- fuck!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She’d knelt immediately, grabbing his boxers and pulling down to expose him.\u00a0 His dark cock hung low and she yowled, pressing her face against it while cradling his balls.\u00a0 Leaning back, she opened her mouth and her jaw cracked, forcing her cheekbones forward while her face expanded.\u00a0 Her tongue wrapped around him and he hardened as she dragged the tiny spines covering it along his cock.\u00a0 His fingers clamped into her shoulders and he shook, crying out until she lowered her head.\u00a0 She held his back with her left hand while tearing at her shirt and sports bra with the right.\u00a0 Claws slid through the fur growing on her chest as she freed herself, baring her breasts for anyone to see.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan pushed and the man toppled, catching himself awkwardly as she continued to suck him off, bobbing her head while her tongue wrapped around him, swirling and dragging against his skin.\u00a0 She felt an unquenchable heat rising in her and she broke away, growling as she turned to straddle his face.\u00a0 She forced her torn pants down to his mouth, rubbing her engorged pussy over his mouth and chin and nose again and again as her claws dug into his leg.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She shivered when she felt his tongue against her and his hands found her ass, squeezing and pulling as he shoved his face into her.\u00a0 She jerked, laying her head against his thigh when her overly sensitive pussy became too much to process.\u00a0 Her hand squeezed him, jerking him as her hips rocked and a high pitched, drawn out yowl came from her shortened muzzle.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“More!” she yelled, pushing harder.\u00a0 “More!\u00a0 Yes, more, yes!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The girl reached back with both hands, digging her claws into the thick fabric and she pulled, freeing her ass. Fur crept over the curves of her cheeks and up.\u00a0 She grabbed his hand and moved it up, closing his fingers around her tail.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The fuck!” the man said, pulling away and jerking his hand from her back.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She turned, pinning him in place and cleaning his face with her wide, rough tongue while she grinded against his still-hard cock.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Feel so good,” she groaned in his ear, pressing her furred cheek to his.\u00a0 “So hot.\u00a0 Need it so bad.\u00a0 Need it.\u00a0 God, I’m so hot.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Lady, something’s fucking wrong-“<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her mouth met his and then she squeezed his arms painfully before jerking her head back.\u00a0 His cock pressed against her lips and she <\/span>shoved<\/i><\/b>, spearing herself on his fat cock.\u00a0 She shuddered, curling into him and licking his neck before pulling back and shoving down again.\u00a0 The wet slapping of her pussy filled the air along with her high pitched cries as her orgasm grew near.\u00a0 She grabbed his hand and placed it against her tail once more, tugging it to give him encouragement.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fuck,” the man whispered, looking at her closely for the first time.\u00a0 “Fuck, oh god, fuck, that feels- What <\/span>are<\/i><\/b> you?”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Doesn’t-” she panted, shivering and clawing the ground.\u00a0 “Doesn’t- doesn’t matter.\u00a0 Just fuck me.\u00a0 Just fuck me.\u00a0 Just-“<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her claws dug into his chest through his jacket and shirt as she came, roaring into the night.\u00a0 Yet his hands gripped her tail and he pulled her down.\u00a0 She hung in place with her breasts over his face and he leaned up to suck on her exposed nipple as he pounded into her.\u00a0 When her strength returned, she worked her hips to match his rhythm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She lost herself in it, leaning back and grabbing his hands to rub along her body.\u00a0 To cover herself in his scent.\u00a0 He explored her as they fucked and she jerked, grabbing his hand to keep it in place when his fingernail dragged against a reddened, sensitive spot low on her belly, just above the red and tan hairs covering her mound.\u00a0 She squeezed his finger around the tiny teat and he pulled, expressing milk as the ducts formed beneath the skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His orgasm surprised her and she hissed as it forced her over the edge once more.\u00a0 Her lips vibrated as holes opened in the skin and the transparent tips of her whiskers emerged.\u00a0 Siobhan dragged her tongue along his face, cleaning him as he filled her, his arms wrapped around her powerful back.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fuck,” he moaned, thrashing as he came within, filling her again and again.\u00a0 “I- Fuck.\u00a0 Fuuuuck.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Siobhan’s tongue dragged against a single black hair along his jaw and the man flexed his fingers with a growl, digging a claw into her back.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Fuck,” he groaned again.\u00a0 “That feels-\u00a0 I can’t-\u00a0 Fuck.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She pulled herself off of him slowly, regretting the loss of each inch until she stood over him, weak-kneed and still horny.\u00a0 His golden eyes stared into her and she held a hand out, easily pulling him to a standing position before leading him deeper into the park, away from prying eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A very unusual petting zoo comes to town and it changes people in its wake The squeaky third wheel of the cart screeched in the packed grocery store, pulling the cart hard to the right before Emi pulled it back Continue reading Petting Zoo Ch. 01<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[488,490,489,194,9],"class_list":["post-877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-story","tag-giraffe","tag-kangaroo","tag-lioness","tag-slow-changes","tag-transformation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42NMN-e9","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=877"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":878,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877\/revisions\/878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hidden-shelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}