Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates by Sean Cullen Page A

to weep again.
    The shadowy man cocked his head towards her.
    â€œTo answer your questions in the order they were presented,” he began. He held up a finger. “One: we are Cheese Pirates.” He held up a second finger. “Two: we are here for your cheese.” He held up a third finger that was missing its tip, ending in a scarred knob at the first knuckle. “Three,” he said, “we want you to come with us.”

    Hoots of laughter went up from all the pirates. The Comptesse screamed herself hoarse. A shadow blocked out the stars. She stopped screaming long enough to see that something huge obscured the moon and the few stars peeking through the clouds. She heard the thrum of engines.

Chapter 8
    The next morning, the klaxon sounded at seven. The lights came on, long racks of heartless fluorescent tubes flickering to life. The light of a fluorescent bulb is specially designed to discourage optimism and dampen the spirits of children, 36 and these lights excelled at their allotted task.
    When Mimi woke up she found that Hamish was already dressed. He wore his new pair of overalls but still had the same huge boots on. The cuffs of the overalls had been cut along the seams to accommodate the boots. He sat on his cot, rucksack plunked down on the floor at his feet. A huge book rested on his knees. He was poring through the pages with intense concentration, his golden eyes flicking back and forth.
    Mimi was feeling a bit tired from all the dangling the night before. She propped herself up on one elbow and looked at Hamish X’s boots. They were marvellously smooth and shiny. Hamish X sensed Mimi looking at him.
    â€œGood morning, Mimi.” Hamish X smiled.

    â€œNothin’ particularly good about it,” Mimi grumbled sleepily. “Just don’t puke on me.”
    Parveen returned from the common room. He spent a lot of time there studying whatever reading material he could get. Mrs. Francis saw that he got all of Viggo’s discarded magazines and newspapers as well as whatever used books she could find. She also made sure scraps of paper and pencils found their way into Parveen’s hands. He currently carried a wad of scrap paper. Seeing Mimi and Hamish X awake, he tucked his pencil back behind his right ear. “Hello,” Parveen said. “Did the bowl kites function as I intended?”
    â€œPerfectly.” Hamish X slapped Parveen on the back heartily. The little boy winced.
    â€œThe porridge was a bit of a waste though,” Mimi laughed.
    She described the scene at the door to the cafeteria in detail. Parveen listened in silence to the tale. When it was finished, he turned to Hamish X.

    â€œVoluntary projectile reverse peristalsis,” he said. “Fascinating.”
    â€œMessy, too,” Mimi laughed again.
    â€œYou stole a keycard,” Parveen said, his brow creased in a serious expression much too old for his little brown face. “Such actions are extremely dangerous. They can lead to a lot of trouble.”
    â€œBorrowed,” Hamish X corrected. “Dangerous but necessary.”
    Parveen immediately stepped closer to examine the book on Hamish X’s lap, leaning closer to read the title.
    â€œGreat Plumbers and Their Exploits?” 37
    â€œMy mother left it with me,” Hamish explained. “I read from it every day. I’m sure my mother hid a message for me in it somewhere. If I can just figure it out, I’ll be able to find her one day.”
    â€œYour mother?” Mimi said. “I thought you was an orphan.”
    â€œOnly for the purpose of official classification,” Hamish said breezily. “She was forced to leave me at anorphanage but she left me the book as a clue to where I would find her.”
    â€œWell, I don’t mean to be the squirrel in the peanut butter, but if she’s still out there somewheres, why doesn’t she come and find you ?” Mimi asked.
    Hamish X’s face