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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

Ali opened her eyes. She was still sitting, but her body extended well above the back of the chair and she was wearing a tweed suit and a plaid tie.

“You look just like him,” Murray said, his voice filled with awe. “I mean, seriously, you look just like him.”

Ali stood up and walked over to the window. The reflection in the glass was of an older, balding man.

Cassie glanced out the door. “Oh no! It’s Ms. Ryder! And she’s coming this way!”

Ali continued to stare out the window, doing her best to stay calm. As long as she didn’t try to talk, everything would be fine.

Ms. Ryder stepped into the room. “Hi, guys! I saw you come in a few minutes ago.” She paused. “Didn’t I see Ali come into the library with you?”

“Uh, she’s in the bathroom,” Murray said. “Want Cassie to go get her?”

For someone capable of creating complex genetic theories, Murray was a lousy liar.

“Goodness, no,” said Ms. Ryder. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Is this your father, Cassie?” she asked.

“It’s . . . my . . . uncle,” a flustered Cassie replied.

Ali wanted to keep looking out the window, but that would be rude. She turned and smiled her C. S. Lewis smile and extended a hand, hoping her teacher wouldn’t find it odd that Cassie’s uncle didn’t say hello.

Ms. Ryder took Ali’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Cassie’s uncle. Have we met? You look familiar.”

Ali shook her head. Behind Ms. Ryder’s back, Murray’s eyes bugged out and Cassie turned a strange grayish pink.

Ms. Ryder seemed rattled. She gave C. S. Lewis an uneasy smile and backed up, bumping into Murray.

“Uh, I guess we should go, Cassie,” said Murray, trying to sound normal, but sounding more like the mechanical voice on the telephone that prompted you to press one if you wished to speak to a customer representative.

Cassie’s voice was equally odd. “Yes, we should go. Uh, Uncle, can we go now?”

Ali nodded, and followed them out of the room. They didn’t speak until they were riding the escalator down to the main level.

“Most. Awkward. Conversation. Ever!” Cassie groaned.

ALI’S RULES TRANSFORMING INTO SOMEONE ELSE

  1. Don’t do it in public!
  2. Try to pick someone whose voice you know.

Ali forgot she was still C. S. Lewis and said, “I didn’t know what to say!” in her Ali voice.

“Let’s go down to the parking garage,” said Murray. “There are plenty of hidden spots where Ali can change back.”

Five minutes later, Ali was herself again. It was only when she was unlocking her bike that she realized things weren’t as they should be. Murray, standing next to her, made a strange choking sound.

Cassie turned to look. “Whoa.”