The Mask of Aribella

Aribella and her friend Theo sat side by side on the deck of the fishing boat, looking out across the lagoon to their island home. Already Burano’s brightly coloured cottages were dissolving into the distance. It was the last morning of September, the day before Aribella’s thirteenth birthday.
‘Aren’t you going to help?’ Theo’s papa called, struggling with the sail. ‘The others are leaving us behind.’
Theo rolled his eyes but sprang to his feet.
Aribella stayed where she was. Girls were bad luck on boats, so fishing folk said. Thankfully, Theo’s papa wasn’t as superstitious as the rest of them and allowed Aribella on board, but he drew the line at her handling the sail. Since he was already doing her a kindness