Free The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity by Carl Ashmore Page A

Stephanie, of the
pain that filled his eyes whenever he mentioned her.
    Getting old sucks, she told herself.
    Just then, she heard Uncle Percy ’ s voice. ‘ Barbie, we ’ re on our way back to Bowen Hall. ’ He spoke into an
unseen microphone. ‘ Would you please compile an optomediaphibic folio of Blackbeard ’ s sail master, Israel
Hands, and join us in Bowen Hall library. Oh, and please make sure a stout
German lady doesn ’ t see you, or neither of us will survive the day. Thank you, my
dear. ’
    Becky leaned forward ‘ What ’ s an optomediathingy? ’
    ‘ An optomediaphibic
folio, ’ Uncle Percy corrected her. ‘ It ’ s a little application I ’ ve inserted into Barbie ’ s control panel. I ’ ve not tried it out yet. Between you and me, I ’ m quite excited to see
how it looks. ’
    ‘ So what is it? ’ Becky pressed.
    ‘ Oh, you ’ ll have to see for
yourself. We ’ ll be there in ten minutes. ’
    Becky ’ s eyes glimmered mischievously ‘ We ’ d be there even quicker if you pressed the ultra-booster. ’
    Uncle Percy gave a playful grin. ‘ Becky, you really are quite the scoundrel. ’ He paused. ‘ But then, so am I… ’
    A seconds later, they were travelling so fast Becky nearly threw up
her lunch.
    *
    Soon, Becky and Joe were watching a nervous Uncle Percy tap softly
on Bowen Hall library door; his gaze flicked left and right as if on lookout
for an unseen enemy. ‘ Come on, Barbie, open up … ’ he pleaded under his breath.
    ‘ Are you really that
scared of Maria? ’ Joe asked.
    ‘ Yes, ’ Uncle Percy replied
without a hint of shame.
      A key turned on the other
side of the door.   Swiftly, Uncle Percy
heaved the door open and disappeared inside. ‘ Come on …quick! ’ he ushered Becky and Joe inside, before
quickly locking the door behind them.
    Bowen Hall Library looked precisely how Becky remembered it: coated
in a light dust and musty, with soaring shelves that bowed under the weight of
thousands of books and parchments. The circular table in the centre of the
room, however, was barely visible beneath the tall stacks of computer printouts
and dozens of leather bound volumes which covered its surface.
    ‘ Nice to have you back,
sir, ’ Barbie said.
    ‘ No sign of Maria then? ’ Uncle Percy asked
anxiously.
    ‘ No, sir. Barbie has
checked her Alto-radar on a recurrent basis. Madame Maria has remained in the
kitchens for the last forty six minutes, preparing what Barbie believes is a
Shepherd ’ s
Pie. ’
    Uncle Percy looked visibly relieved. ‘ Excellent. She really would take a tin opener
to both our heads if she found you in here. Anyway, did you manage to compile
the folio? ’
    ‘ Yes, sir. Barbie has
now uploaded, categorized, and cross-referenced all available information and
constructed the optomediaphibic presentation as requested. ’
    ‘ Then, as they say in
the theatre, break a leg, Barbie. ’
    Barbie paused. ‘ Sir would like Barbie to break her leg? Very well. ’ Barbie raised her
tiny metal fist high, and was about to bring it crashing down on to her leg,
when Uncle Percy held out his hand to stop her.
    ‘ No, ’ he said, flustered. ‘ It ’ s just an expression.
I ’ m sorry.
I mean, please, on with the show … ’
    Barbie tilted her head and looked confused.
    Uncle Percy sighed. ‘ Just start the presentation. ’
    At once, a slight click sounded and Barbie ’ s skull-cap flipped
open. Then a thick shaft of brilliant shimmering light burst from her head,
filling the ceiling.
    Becky gasped loudly as the light swirled in front of them, before
forming clear, distinct, three dimensional images. A young boy, dressed in
tattered rags sat beneath a willow tree, drawing the most detailed picture of a
ship …the same boy (older now) standing proudly on the bridge of a Royal Navy
frigate waving at a small crowd as it set to sea.
    Becky looked gobsmacked.
    The story moved forward as the boy became a man, the naval officer
became a pirate,