Lilly and the Pirates

Lilly and the Pirates — page 3 — IM AP Do you think the frangipangi fruit fly has really been sighted he whispered There have been mistaken reports

Lilly and the Pirates — page 4 — before But if the reports are accurate Lilly's momma whispered back And we have an opportunity to study them in their native habitat If only someone knew where that habitat was Maybe we could answer that question We've always dreamed that someday we would study them A soppy sentimental look passed between her parents Lilly knew about their dream She had often heard how her parents had met two extremely shy students whose hands accidentally touched at the library of the Scientific Institute as they both reached for the same book Frangipangi Fruit Fly Fact or Fiction But why were they whispering Something must be really dangerous about where they would be going next Lilly reached for her worry book always at her side ready for her to scribble down any worries she might think of If Lilly worried enough about all the things that could go wrong if she wrote her worries down in her worry book the bad things she worried about might not happen What Lilly wrote in her worry book was one of two secrets she kept from her momma and poppa They were far too scientific to believe that worrying could keep disasters at bay She had started her first worry book not long after the wave that had almost swept her momma and poppa away forever She had found a blank notebook in a crate of books and drawn a picture of an enormous green wave curving menacingly over her

Lilly and the Pirates — page 5 — momma and poppa Then she had scribbled over the whole wave in black crayon closed the book and piled rocks on top of it The next day she had cautiously pushed the rocks away and peeked inside The wave was still there still scribbled out It hadn't escaped and tried to carry her momma and poppa away again That had been her first worry book many worry books ago Lilly couldn't explain why but somehow writing down all the things that could go wrong inside the pages of a book a book she could close seemed to keep those dangers inside where they couldn't harm anyone least of all her momma and poppa who never seemed to understand all the disasters that might be lurking in wait for them But Lilly knew Whatever genes had made her parents brave and fearless had skipped over Lilly Pictures of all the things that could go terribly dreadfully wrong loomed up in Lilly's mind like a giant curling wave An expedition to the Dire Desert What if the camels got lost and sore footed far from an oasis Research in the Mountains of No Return What if a passing yodeler started an avalanche and buried them all Better to worry early and often to cover every disaster than to be sorry afterward That was Lilly's motto Please please Lilly silently implored don't send us over the ocean Who knew what might be hiding under that dark undulating surface Giant squid Bottomless whirlpools Leeches the size of whales If we do decide to accept Lilly's momma went

Lilly and the Pirates — page 6 — what would we do about Lilly finished Lilly's poppa Do about her Lilly sat up straight on her cot Why take her along of course How else could she worry for them and keep them safe She had always gone with them Lilly and her momma and poppa They were a family Maybe it would be better whispered Lilly's momma if Lilly didn't go this time finished her

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