Tag Archives: bandersnatch

The Shape of Family – Finale

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Hey hey, Internet! It’s Tuesday, and better than that, it’s the climax of this ridiculous shapeshifter story. Part Seventeen coming at you!

<- Part Sixteen – Confrontation

If you’re looking for the start to Volume 2, look no further! Volume 2, The Wings Take Shape, starts right here!

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The Shape of Family

Finale – Part Seventeen – Meld

by Rick Cook Jr

Claire stared at the creature known as the bandersnatch. It shifted to a dragon eerily similar to Sadie’s form. He rushed her as the fire ignited the pitch in the roof, and with a deafening crunch the wall collapsed behind her as they fell into daylight. The melee was so loud it could have been right next to Claire. So great was her surprise that she hardly felt the splintered wood as it slid out of her side. She collapsed and Jeffrey yanked her to her feet.

“Am I seeing this?” he asked, and she held the open wound, feeling faint.

“Dragons. They’re dragons,” she said. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Sixteen

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It’s Tuesday and there’s a shapeshifter lurking about. You seen her? She’s been known to take the form of a horse, a jellyfish, and a mouse. What form is she taking today?

<- Part Fifteen – Bond

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The Shape of Family

Part Sixteen – Confrontation

by Rick Cook Jr

They rode before dawn, headed to their deaths.

Could Sadie hurt the creature once more? He had called her a mutt. Was there a connection between the skinchangers and whatever he was? It appeared so.

But she couldn’t Change. Not right now. Walking was hard enough.

She was glad of Jeffrey’s warmth behind her on the saddle. Sergeant Hughes had outfitted her with a change of clothing and a dagger. Little good it would do her.

The fingers of dawn stretched and cracked their knuckles through the bloody wood. The creatures of the night retreated around them, but the woods were still dangerous. If the beast didn’t find them, something else might.

Sadie had been so worried about the bandersnatch that she had forgotten to be wary of the other beasts of the forest. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Fifteen

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It’s Tuesday! Captain Claire Claymonte continues leading the charge against the Bandersnatch in today’s entry by… taking a bath? We’re so close to the end, you guys. Can you feel it?

<- Part Fourteen – Pieces

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The Shape of Family

Part Fifteen – Bond

by Rick Cook Jr

The tension should have drained from Claire as she eased into the tub. Maggie waited on her hand and foot, scrubbing her back, washing her hair, cleaning her wounds. Claire wasn’t sure she loved this woman, but it was a near thing, and every minute that passed without Claire confronting her on what she knew of this sun cult, the cords of her neck strained. The ale in her stomach churned. She wanted to vomit. She held it in.

Maggie said, “I can just hardly believe it. A monster, and those poor twins. What’s the world coming to?”

Claire stiffened, the sweet scent of the soapy water cloying when usually she would lavish in it. Now she felt dirty letting Maggie touch her. She said nothing.

Maggie asked, “What will you do?”

Claire wiped tears from her eyes before Maggie could see them and cleared her throat, feigning a cough. “Give us a drink, will you?” Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Fourteen

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It’s Tuesday!

Go home, Tuesday, you’re drunk.

No? You’re gonna have your say and damn the consequences? Well, okay, but only if you promise to talk about a certain Captain Claymonte and her Winged Riders today. You will? Way to go, Tuesday!

<- Part Thirteen – Worship

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The Shape of Family

Part Fourteen – Pieces

by Rick Cook Jr

Their injuries were great, but Claire’s need was greater. She helped those most able to patch her soldiers up, kicked at Combs a couple of times to try and wake him. He mumbled but didn’t stir.

Hughes and Dawson. Were they dead? The bandersnatch made a point in not killing the rest of them, so why would he do so with Sergeant Hughes and Private Dawson? He nudged Jeffrey again after tending the worst of the wounds. Sadie leaned against a wall, nursing her own shredded legs, naked once more and no longer seeming to care that she was.

When she still couldn’t rouse her traitor, Claire knelt beside the pool of water and felt around for the man’s jacket, lost in the transformation Sadie had undergone to the jellyfish. She pulled it free and made a sound of disgust as skin and hair slid free from it. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Thirteen

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Tuesday is the day for words placed sequentially in order to have meaning from a fictional standpoint. It’s time for the weekly entry into the lives of shapeshifters!

Last week the bandersnatch escaped with the twins, leaving Claire and her Winged Riders – as well as Sadie – injured and lost in his den. We’re following that devilish bandersnatch this week, so get your hate stares on.

<- Part Twelve – Family

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The Shape of Family

Part Thirteen – Worship

by Rick Cook Jr

A setback, a setback. It’s only a setback, he thought. Twisting through the woods, shifting constantly to carry the girls. Pushing  himself harder than he should with his injuries.

Injured by a mutt. An abomination.  The bitch. The shapeshifting bitch.

But it was okay. It would be okay once he got to the church.

The sun was setting. That was good. He could secure his church and fill it with bodies.

He reached the edge of the churchyard, set way back in the woods, but not far from Stalbridge proper. And though the girls fought him, they couldn’t hurt him. Not in this form. But they cursed and cried out and he threw them to the ground in the yard, scoffing. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Twelve

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It’s Tuesday! What’s that mean? you ask. I’ll tell you, it’s storytime! Sadie the skinchanger was juuuust about to have her neck sliced open by the dogged Captain Claire Claymonte of the Winged Riders. Onward to story!

<- Part Eleven – Clash

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The Shape of Family

Part Twelve – Family

by Rick Cook Jr

The woman that appeared from a mouse fell back from Claire’s sword, tripping over Jeffrey’s body and tumbling to the ground. She was screaming something, but Claire couldn’t hear it. She was furious. She would have blood. She dashed forward, sword extended.

Then was knocked to the side, her sword thumping to the ground. Private Tanner stood where Claire had been moments before, shoulder held like a charging spearman. Her side ached where he had pummeled into her.

“What do you think you’re doing, Tanner?” she yelled, struggling to her feet, throwing off the hands of Sergeant Hughes trying to help her up.

“She’s crying for mercy, Captain,” Hughes whispered. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Eleven

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It’s Tuesday, which seems to occur once every seven days, almost like a schedule… It’s time for another entry in this shapeshifting bonanza, following the OG skinchanger, Sadie!

I promise not to type like that again. … For a week or so.

<- Part Ten – Visceral

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The Shape of Family

Part Eleven – Clash

by Rick Cook Jr

The crash to the floor jangled Sadie’s entire body, rattling her frame and sending her into flittering moments of unconsciousness. She should have taken Ursatrundle’s form, fought it out, but subtlety was the game and so she had hidden among the folds of Jeffrey’s trousers as the lowly woodmouse Finkscuttle.

And all she could do was wait. Jeffrey didn’t know she was hitching this ride, and Renee still had  no idea she was anything but a horse they left topside. Jeffrey stopped moving under the weight of the savage beast, but his chest rose and fell.

After the girl screamed, she fled up the dark, dank corridor. The creature shifted from man to shadow, swept her up, threw her in the corner while he dragged Jeffrey to the soldiers as Father Enole once more, trussed him up like a pig, and then smiled at them all. He didn’t seem able to sense Sadie’s presence, and she was glad of that. She watched him from the fold of Jeffrey’s pantleg. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Ten

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It’s Tuesday and we all know by now that means we’re gonna see what some shapeshifters are up to! Today we’re back on the bandersnatch wagon, who you’ll recall is preparing a mating ritual.

<- Part Nine – Rally

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The Shape of Family

Part Ten – Visceral

by Rick Cook Jr

The creature known as the bandersnatch stared at the girl, the twin, the mirror. She was unconscious, would be until the ritual began. The other had escaped too easily. This one would not survive the birth of his brood, and it was up to him to decide which of his children received the final offering of their mother.

Which could prove him or herself in the opening moments? He relished the thought.

And yet he was not done. There were other ingredients necessary, and he had only days to prepare. He left the girl in his den, wondering if the other might come back. Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Nine

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Tuesday is here! It’s time for Part Nine of The Shape of Family, where we’re gonna follow Claire and her Winged Riders a bit longer.

<- Part Eight – Betrayal

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The Shape of Family

Part Nine – Rally

by Rick Cook Jr

“How long for the Kingsguard?” Claire asked Private Hughes as she stepped out of the inn, Maggie trailing behind her, linens still clutched in her hands.

Hughes saluted. “I sent Tanner along to rouse them. We can head over now and they’ll be ready.”

“Good. Saddle the horses and bring them around.”

“Already on it,” she replied, turning to fulfill her orders.

“Wait.” She needed to do this first. She reached into the pouch at her side and drew out an insignia. “Lift your lapel.”

Hughes cocked her head at Claire but obeyed, staring at the pin. Claire fastened the small metal and smoothed the lapel down.

“You’re acting Sergeant until this is over, Hughes.” Continue reading →

The Shape of Family – Part Eight

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Tuesday is here! It’s time for Part Eight of The Shape of Family, where we’re gonna see what Claire’s been up to in Jeffrey’s absence.

<- Part Seven – Reveal

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The Shape of Family

Part Eight – Betrayal

by Rick Cook Jr

Claire and Private Hughes tended to the girl’s wounds while she was unconscious, and then put her to resting in the bed Claire had vacated this morning.  Hughes dropped into a chair, bundling up the bloody cloths and bandages.

Having removed the girl’s jacket and shirt, Claire saw two things: the new wound was not as bad as it looked through the layers of clothing, and this wasn’t Marie.

“This is Renee,” she said after the girl was settled and resting fitfully.

Hughes started. “What?” Continue reading →