Charlie Morphs Into a Mammoth

by Sam Copeland

  So, we very much look forward to seeing Charlie turn into a mammoth very soon!

  Yours sincerely,

  The Publisher

  Dear Puffin Books,

  Yup – don’t you worry. Charlie will be turning into a mammoth really, really soon. Promise.

  Yours truthfully, your honest author,

  Sam Copeland

  Over the next few days, several more animals – this time dogs – went missing from addresses all across town, and finally the newspapers were joining the dots.

  ‘Pilfering Pet-Predator Poaches Pooches!’ read one headline.

  ‘Dog-Gone Mystery Sends Town Barking Mad!’ read another.

  ‘Interest Rates Set to Rise as Inflation Slows Down!’ read another, which only ever printed the really boring news.

  The police were baffled. All sorts of animals were going missing and there was a growing collection of conflicting clues: bones in the Pit of Penguins at the zoo, the video of a small bear at the school and large feline footprints in people’s back gardens – it seemed like the whole town had gone wild.

  Charlie’s friends had stopped accusing him directly, but he could see – even behind Flora’s eyes and despite her strenuous denials – that there was still doubt there.

  It was agreed that they should break into the zoo as soon as possible.

  ‘So we can finally found out the truth about Charlie,’ said Mohsen.

  ‘No!’ said Flora, glancing at Charlie. ‘So we can stop more animals from getting eaten!’

  So the following day, the four friends found themselves outside the zoo just after closing time. Their faces were stern, ready for action.

  ‘Right,’ said Flora. ‘We need to be extra careful to make sure nobody sees Charlie changing now. Because if anybody else finds out, they’re going to think he’s the one eating the animals.’

  ‘Ah,’ said Wogan. ‘There might be a little problem with –’

  ‘It’s fine, Flora,’ Mohsen was simultaneously replying. ‘Apart from us, only Dylan knows about Charlie’s powers. And no one is going to believe him. So as long as we keep completely quiet, everything will be OK.’

  ‘Yes, about that,’ said Wogan. ‘There’s a chance I might have –’

  ‘You’re right, Mohsen,’ said Flora. ‘I shouldn’t worry. It’s not like any of us would be stupid enough to blab to anyone.’

  ‘Hi, guys!’ said a voice suddenly.

  Three of the four friends swung round in shock; the fourth looked guilty. It was Daisy and Lola.

  ‘Erm, hi. What are you doing here?’ asked Flora.

  ‘We’re here to help break into the zoo,’ said Daisy brightly.

  ‘To see if it’s Charlie eating all the animals,’ explained Lola. ‘You know, when he changes into an animal himself.’

  ‘H-h-how did you …?’ stammered Flora.

  ‘Thanks for inviting us, Wogan!’ said Daisy. ‘Hey, why are you running away?’

  ‘WOGAN! COME BACK HERE IMMEDIATELY!’ roared Flora.

  Wogan slunk back to the gang, a look of terror on his face.

  ‘I-I-I …’ Wogan stuttered.

  ‘DO NOT SAY A WORD,’ Flora roared again.

  ‘Look,’ said Charlie, glaring at Wogan. ‘It can’t be helped now, so let’s carry on and find out what’s happening, OK? Anybody have an idea how to get in?’

  Charlie looked up at the huge wire fence that confronted them.

  ‘Well, we could just use the key,’ said Lola, holding up a key.

  ‘What’s that?’ asked Charlie.

  ‘It’s the key,’ replied Lola, looking at Charlie as if he was simple. ‘To the zoo.’

  ‘H-h-how …?’ stammered Charlie.

  ‘Do you guys always stammer this much?’ asked Daisy.

  ‘My mum’s one of the hippo-keepers,’ said Lola. ‘So I borrowed the key when she wasn’t looking. I thought it would be useful. You know, since we’re breaking into the zoo.’

  The four friends stood there in stunned silence until Wogan broke it.

  ‘Yes! That’s … That’s why I invited them! I knew Lola’s mum worked here so I knew she’d bring the key!’

  Five deeply suspicious faces hard-stared at Wogan.

  ‘Anyway!’ said Wogan brightly. ‘Enough friendly chit-chat. Let’s get going!’

  Lola sprang into action, unlocked the gate and, a moment later, they were all inside.

  ‘Right,’ said Mohsen. ‘Which way? Which animals should we talk to first?’

  ‘Well, which were the first to go missing?’ asked Charlie.

  ‘Chinchillas,’ said Flora. ‘Then eagles, a llama, and some penguins. The penguins would be a good place to start because that’s where the bones were found and –’

  ‘Ooooooh! Penguins!’ cried Daisy. ‘They’re so sweet! Let’s go to the penguins!’

  ‘Ooooooh!’ agreed Wogan. ‘Yes! Penguins! I love penguins!’

  ‘You’ve changed your tune,’ said Mohsen. ‘Last time we were here you said you hated them. You called them greasy-looking –’

  Wogan shushed Mohsen, glaring at him.

  ‘Aw!’ said Daisy, who fortunately hadn’t heard Mohsen. ‘You like penguins too, Wogan?’

  ‘Oh yeah,’ replied Wogan, nodding. ‘Big fan of penguins. Long-time favourite. Definitely.’

  ‘Me too!’ beamed Daisy. ‘Would you like to come to the school dance, Wogan?’

  ‘I – uh – I guess so! Yes!’ Wogan blushed.

  Daisy rushed off, smiling.

  ‘You don’t mind, do you, Charlie?’ asked Wogan. ‘If I go with Daisy?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Charlie said.

  Flora looked like she was about to lose her temper AGAIN, so before she could say anything, Charlie blurted out, ‘OK then! Penguins it is!’

  They set off quickly. The zoo was eerily silent, apart from the odd snuffle and squeak from a curious animal. If Charlie wasn’t mistaken, there was an air of fear hanging over the place. The animals seemed to be cowering in the corners of their cages as they walked past.

  Presently they arrived at the Pit of Penguins, which had about thirty or so penguins huddling round a large pool.

  ‘I’m going to go around the corner to change,’ Charlie announced, suddenly feeling shy in front of Daisy and Lola. ‘If I’m anything close to a penguin, stick me in there.’

  Charlie went behind a small hut, closed his eyes. He remembered how the day after the school dance, his family was going to be torn apart. Nothing would be the same again.

  It was easy to change. As the electricity ripped through him, he tried to imagine not just a picture of a penguin, but what it was like to BE a penguin. He imagined the little wings and the curved beak. He imagined standing in the freezing Antarctic wind, warming an egg under his bum.

  He was getting smaller – a good sign!

  He was growing feathers – another good sign!

  He was growing wings!

  Was it finally happening? Had he finally worked out how to change into whichever animal he wanted? Charlie thought it was possible, but as he walked out from behind the hut, somehow he didn’t quite feel exactly penguin-y.

  ‘Oh, Charlie!’ grinned Flora as he appeared. ‘You’ve changed into a chicken!’fn1

  Charlie clucked in amusement. That’s close enough. A chicken will have to do! I’m getting better!

  ‘Is that REALLY Charlie?’ gasped Daisy.

  ‘Yup,’ Wogan nodded proudly.

  ‘Right,’ said Flora. ‘Let’s put him in, so he can talk to the penguins and find out who’s been taking these animals.’

  ‘Will they understand him?’ Mohsen asked. ‘Do penguins speak Chicken?’

  ‘We’d better hope there’s some mysterious and never-explained reason why they do,’ Wogan answered.

  ‘Wait!’ Daisy suddenly shouted. ‘With everything that’s going on, the penguins might not trust a strange animal! They might think it’s come to eat them!’

  ‘What? A carnivorous killer c
hicken?!’ Mohsen asked, looking at Daisy like he so often did at Wogan. ‘You think the penguins are going to be scared of that?’

  Mohsen pointed at Charlie. Charlie clucked, offended.

  ‘Wait, maybe Daisy has a point …’ Flora said, rubbing her chin. ‘We could try to make him look a bit more penguin-y. Let’s see what we can find!’

  After a quick search of the area, Lola had found a black bin liner, which they tore up then wrapped round Charlie’s body and wings, so they looked black. Flora had found a white paper plate, which they shoved down his front to give him a white chest. And Daisy had found a yellow plastic cup, which, after a bit of shaping, they stuck on the end of Charlie’s beak to make it look a bit more like a penguin’s.

  ‘You know what?’ said Flora standing back and admiring their handiwork. ‘He doesn’t look half bad!’

  ‘He really does look sort of penguin-y,’ agreed Daisy.

  ‘Maybe if you’re a REALLY stupid penguin,’ Mohsen said.

  ‘Yeah,’ agreed Wogan. ‘I reckon he looks more like a chicken that fell in a dustbin.’

  The girls glared at Wogan and Mohsen.

  ‘But I’m sure the penguins will absolutely go for it!’ Wogan added nervously.

  ‘Well, there’s only one way to find out!’

  Mohsen bent down and plucked Charlie off the floor. Holding him at arm’s length, he walked over to the edge of the Pit of Penguins and dropped him inside.

  Charlie flapped his wings without any real effect and crash-landed on to the dusty ground. Thirty penguin heads swivelled round, startled. Then they waddled over to encircle the intruder.

  ‘Vell, vell, vell, Children of the Night,’ said one of the penguins. ‘Vhat is this that has fallen into our lair?’

  ‘Hi,’ said Charlie, not wanting to waste any time. ‘I’m –’

  ‘Ssh,’ said another penguin, pressing his flipper to Charlie’s plastic beak. ‘Don’t talk. It vill be over soon. Your death vill be quick. Once ve finish drinking your blood.’

  ‘Finish WHAT?!’ gasped Charlie. ‘What are you talking about? You don’t drink blood! You’re penguins!’

  ‘Ve are not “pingvins”!’ said the tallest penguin, making air-quotation marks with his flippers. ‘Ve are vampires!’

  ‘What?! You’re not vampires! You’re penguins! You’re cute, with flappy flippers!’

  ‘Ve are not cute!’ gasped the penguins indignantly.

  ‘Yes, you are! Look at you! I want to smoosh your cute penguin faces!’ Charlie said.

  ‘You try smoosh our face,’ said the tall penguin, stepping closer and speaking in a hushed, menacing tone. ‘Then ve bite your neck and drink your blood!fn2 See if you think ve “cute pingvins” then! Ha!’

  ‘You can’t bite my neck!’ replied Charlie. ‘You don’t even have any teeth!’

  This caused the penguins to mutter angrily among themselves. After a few moments, they turned back to Charlie.

  ‘OK,’ said the tallest penguin, holding up a flipper. ‘You have point there. But maybe ve are vampire pingvins then.’

  Charlie stared at the penguins, his beak wide in disbelief.

  ‘Look,’ said the penguin, turning round to show off his back. ‘Ve have capes. See. Vampire pingvins.’

  ‘That’s just your colouring! You have black backs and flippers!’

  ‘It does not matter,’ said the tall penguin. ‘Ve drink your blood now, chicken!’

  The penguins muttered in agreement and took a waddling step towards Charlie.

  ‘What do you mean, “chicken”?’ cried Charlie, trying to back away. ‘I’m a penguin!’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. You have chicken accent. You also have ridiculous plastic beak,’ the tall penguin said, knocking off Charlie’s beak with one swipe of a flipper. ‘That disguise vouldn’t fool baby vampire pingvin.’ The penguins began crowding Charlie even more.

  ‘Aww, how sweet!’ Charlie heard Flora say. ‘The penguins are trying to cuddle Charlie!’

  ‘OK! I’m sorry! You’re right! I’m not a penguin!’ Charlie squawked in a completely obvious chicken-voice.

  The penguins had now totally surrounded Charlie and started bumping him, hissing, and even attempting little pecks at his neck.

  ‘Oh!’ cried Flora. ‘Now they’re trying to kiss him! So adorable!’

  ‘But I came to find out about the animal that ate the penguins!’ Charlie yelled over the hissing.

  ‘You know nothing, chicken!’ the tall penguin declared. ‘It vas no animal. It vas human child. And it did not eat our brothers. It bundle them into sack, scatter some bones on ground, then go.’

  Charlie gasped. ‘Was it a boy or a girl?’

  ‘It vas human boy!’

  Charlie let this news sink in for a moment. It was a boy who was behind the mysterious disappearances. And they hadn’t been eating the animals but kidnapping them and making it look like they’d been eaten!

  ‘OK, thanks, guys!’ he said. ‘You’ve been loads of help! In the end.’

  ‘Shall ve suck his blood now?’ said one of the penguins.

  ‘No!’ snapped the tall penguin. ‘Ve don’t eat chicken! Ve are wegetarian.’

  ‘Are ve? Since vhen?’

  ‘Yes! Remember – ve only eat fish! And humans. And other pingvins. Apart from that, completely, vun hundred per cent wegetarian!’

  Charlie quickly waddled away. As he waddled, he closed his eyes, and breathed in happiness, and thought about his friends waiting for him, and by the time he reached the edge of the Pit of Penguins, he was back to Charlie the boy.

  ‘I think we’ve got just the break we need,’ Charlie grinned, as his friends helped him clamber out of the pit.

  The following morning at first break, Flora called a meeting to discuss what they had discovered at the zoo.

  ‘OK, so now we know a boy is involved,’ she said, as they guzzled their fruit snacks. ‘But does anybody have any ideas who has stolen these animals and why?’

  ‘Rustled,’ corrected Mohsen.

  ‘Who’s Russell?’ asked Wogan. ‘Is he the one we’re looking for? He sounds like a right desperate criminal.’

  ‘Not Russell. Rustled,’ Mohsen replied. ‘Rustling is the proper word for stealing animals.’

  ‘I wonder why,’ said Wogan, thoughtfully. ‘Maybe they rustle if you hide them under a blanket when you steal them?’

  ‘That’s not a bad –’

  ‘Anyway,’ interrupted Flora, ‘as I was saying, does anybody have any idea why these animals are being stolen?’

  ‘Or eaten,’ said Wogan.

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘Just because they’re being stolen first doesn’t mean they aren’t being eaten afterwards.’

  ‘By a boy?’ asked Flora, despairingly. ‘A llama-eating boy? You think there’s a chinchilla-munching child stalking our town?’

  Wogan looked embarrassed. ‘Maybe not.’

  ‘It’s much more likely somebody is stealing these animals and trying to make it look like they’re being eaten!’

  ‘So here’s what we do know, then,’ said Mohsen. ‘A number of animals have gone missing from the zoo and the school and people’s gardens. We know that it was a boy that took the animals from the zoo, and a bear that took the chickens from the school. So we are possibly looking for a boy who owns a bear.’

  ‘Or,’ said Wogan, waggling a finger in the air, ‘a boy who can change into a bear? A boy who we know changes into animals but who maybe can’t remember doing it?’

  Mohsen gasped. ‘You’re saying the wild side has taken over Charlie? That the monster inside him can’t be controlled?’

  Wogan nodded his head once firmly. ‘Exactly.’

  ‘RIGHT, THAT’S IT!’ Charlie roared. ‘I’VE HAD ENOUGH! I AM NOT A MONSTER! IN CASE YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN, THE GREAT CATSBY IS STILL MISSING! DO YOU THINK I HAVE EATEN MY OWN CAT?’

  Charlie was burning with anger. Anger that his friends didn’t believe him, anger that his family was fallin
g apart.

  ‘I’m SICK and TIRED of not being trusted! WHY would I be stealing these animals?’ Charlie ranted. ‘What possible reason could I have for stealing – now let me get this right –’ he counted them off on his fingers – ‘chinchillas, cats, dogs, chickens, penguins, eagles and a llama? And where on earth do you think I’m keeping them all? I –’

  ‘Shush!’ Flora jumped up.

  ‘What do you mean, “shush”? You can’t shush me when I’m ranting!’

  ‘Charlie, do shush just for a minute! I’m trying to think!’ Flora said, closing her eyes.

  Charlie, Wogan and Mohsen fell silent, waiting eagerly to hear what was on Flora’s mind. After about eight seconds the silence was too much for Wogan.

  ‘I think she’s coming up with an idea,’ he whispered.

  ‘That’s definitely her ideas face,’ replied Mohsen.

  ‘Yeah – it’s all scrunched up and red.’

  ‘Yes, she always does that scrunched-up, bright red face like she’s straining to do a poo when she’s concentrating really hard and –’

  ‘WOULD YOU TWO BLATHERING CHATTERBOXES BE QUIET FOR JUST ONE MINUTE!’ Flora thundered. ‘I AM TRYING TO ENTER MY MIND PALACE!’

  Mohsen and Wogan froze in terror, not daring to ask what a mind palace was. After a few more moments of intense thinking,fn1 Flora opened her eyes and announced calmly:

  ‘I think I know what’s going on.’

  ‘What?’ asked Wogan and Mohsen urgently.

  ‘You’re being framed, Charlie,’ Flora said simply.

  The three friends gasped in unison. They had a hundred questions but Flora continued to speak.

  ‘Big cat footprints in people’s back gardens – that doesn’t make sense. Bears in the school playground? That makes even less sense. Unless somebody is trying to make it look like there are lots of different animals on the loose in town, eating people’s pets. Somebody who knows Charlie can change into animals and is trying to make it look like it’s him.’

  ‘But who?’ Wogan asked.

  ‘Dylan,’ said Charlie. ‘Apart from us, he’s the only one who knows I can change into animals.’