Evelina and the Time Pirates- Book One

Chapter One

Evelina and the Time Pirates

By

R.A. Donnelly

Copyright 2011 R.A. Donnelly

Chapter One

A kid is like an animal—wild and curious, which often leads to trouble.

But when things get tough, you find out who your friends are. That’s what happened the day Evelina Crimm discovered her powers.

It was the same week her Grammy Crimm died. Emotions were running high, at least Evelina’s were. Grammy Crimm was the only person Evelina had left in the world, and now she was gone.

Evelina was all alone.

At least, she thought she was, until her best friend, Lily Huckabone, overheard Sister Juliana and Sister Roberta whispering in the hall.

 “They’re talking about you!” Lily grabbed Evelina by the arm. “Something about summer vacation I think.”

“Come on!” Evelina’s heart pounded hard as they skidded to a halt outside Sister Roberta’s office, blue, tartan kilts flying. “Give me a boost.”

Evelina wasn’t a kid anymore. She was almost seventeen. But that kid curiosity had never really left her.

“Okay.” Lily pushed her wire-rimmed glasses back up the ridge of her nose, magnifying her milk chocolate eyes a shade darker than her sandy hair, hanging in a long braid down her back. “But, make it quick!”

It was a brilliant stroke of luck, or serendipity as Grammy Crimm would have said. The cavernous halls of Saint Cecelia’s Catholic Boarding School for girls were usually bustling with life, but it was lunchtime and everyone was in the cafeteria, skarfing down whatever offensive gruel was on the menu.

Yesterday it had been black bean soup. The nuns were on a health kick these days. All grease had been banned, along with boys and any mention of sex, except during health class, of course, where it was referred to as reproduction—a necessary evil. The mere thought produced a shiver in Sister Juliana of earthquake proportions.

Lunch was a good hour long, so the chances of detection were slim, unless someone pulled a fire alarm, which was known to happen once a week. But, Evelina was willing to take the chance. She had to know what they were saying. Waiting around until the sisters saw fit to inform her of her future was out of the question.

Her life was already in a shambles.

She needed to know what kind of train wreck, if any, she should brace herself for.

Lily crouched on her hands and knees so that Evelina could step on her shoulders, then slowly drew herself up. It happened quite efficiently, as it wasn’t their first time at spying. Lily, short and muscular, made the perfect base for their human tower, while Evelina stretched her lanky frame up to the window of the door.

“Your hair!” Lily croaked.

“Oh yah.” Evelina stuffed her mass of strawberry blonde waves into the collar of her white blouse. No sense waving a flag.