Free Case File 13 #3 by J. Scott Savage

boys crossed the basketball courts and sat down beneath the shade of an old oak. Carter unzipped his pack and eased the homunculus out. “How are you feeling, little guy?”
    Angelo studied the creature, which at the moment looked like Carter. “Its skin seems kind of green.”
    â€œMaybe we should try giving it medicine,” Nick said.
    Angelo immediately shook his head. “It would be impossible to know how it might react. Plus, how would you calculate the right dose?”
    The homunculus clutched its stomach and moaned. It was pitiful to hear. “We can’t just let him suffer,” Carter said.
    The three boys stared at the little creature, unsure of what to do. Before they could come up with a plan, the little Carter opened its mouth and let out a belch that echoed across the playground.
    â€œWhoa,” Carter said. “That was awesome, little dude. I guess it wasn’t the licorice after all. Maybe I gave him too much Mountain Dew.”
    Angelo slapped a hand to his forehead. “You’ve been feeding him candy and soda? What were you thinking?”
    Carter held out his hands, palms up. “I figured since he looked like me, he should probably eat like me.”
    The homunculus looked up and gave a wide grin. “I’m hungry.”
    â€œSee,” Carter said. “It takes one candy-aholic to know one.”
    â€œWhat is that?” a voice asked.
    Nick and his friends turned to see Angie, Dana, and Tiffany standing right behindthem.

Nick immediately moved between the girls and the homunculus. “You were spying on us!”
    â€œAs if,” Tiffany said, shaking out her dark hair.
    â€œWhy would we want to spy on you ?” Dana asked.
    â€œThen get lost,” Nick said.
    â€œWe were coming to see if you were going to Monster Movie Madness Saturday at the mall,” Angie said. “But we’re not going anywhere until you tell us what you were doing with that doll.”
    â€œIt’s not a doll,” Carter said as Angelo tried to hush him.
    â€œIt’s not anything. Now scram,” Nick hissed.
    â€œIt’s not anything,” a miniature Nick repeated, jumping onto Nick’s shoulder.
    Angie’s eyes went wide as the homunculus changed into a perfect copy of her, tilted its chin, and said, “I guess I lose a chocolate cupcake.”
    Carter’s mouth swung open like a box on a hinge. “Carter Junior can turn into a girl?”
    Angelo grabbed the creature. It glared up at him with a perfect Angie sneer and said, “I bet Dana that at least one of you would get lost in the woods and they’d have to send out search-and-rescue.”
    â€œIt’s alive.” Angie stared at her tiny double. “Did you . . . make it somehow?”
    Angelo shook his head. “We found it while we were camping.”
    â€œAn imp?” Dana asked. “Or some type of fairy?”
    â€œThat’s what I thought at first,” Angelo said, pulling out his notebook. “But after moreresearch I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s either a homunculus or a mandragora.”
    â€œA tiny human,” Dana whispered almost reverently. “Does anyone else know about it?”
    â€œNo,” Nick said at once. “And we want to keep it that way. Do you have any idea what people would do if they found out we have this?”
    â€œFound out you have what?” a voice asked snottily. It was Kimber Tidwell. “Obviously not body odor. Because everyone knows you have that.”
    Rebel spotted the homunculus Angelo was still gripping. “He has a doll that looks just like Angie.”
    Torrie giggled. “Is she your girlfriend, brainiac? Even you can do better than that.”
    Before Angelo could stop it, the homunculus squirmed out of his grip and turned into Kimber. Waving its hands theatrically in the air, it said, “Soon everyone will be wearing puffy skirts.” Instantly