Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music

by Darlene Foster

  “Auf Wiedersehen,” said the friendly storekeeper.

  The rain stopped as they walked down the narrow cobblestone street and rounded a corner. Leah tripped over something.

  “Ouch!”

  “Who said that?” Amanda looked around and noticed a body lying in a doorway. She gasped. “Oh my, it’s a person.”

  “I didn’t see your leg sticking out. Sorry,” said Leah.

  A young boy with curly hair sat up and rubbed his leg.

  Leah jumped back. “Is it…Sebastian?”

  “No, it isn’t.” Amanda recognized the boy who gave her the violin to look after. She crouched down beside him. “Are you OK?”

  “I am fine, danke.” He brushed his hair from his face and forced a smile.

  Amanda noticed the dirty, blood-stained bandage still on his thumb and nodded at it.

  “You have to get a clean bandage or you’ll get an infection. Come with us to the boat and the doctor there will look at it.”

  “I cannot go on the boat.” The young boy’s face turned white.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get you on the boat and no one will know.”

  “We will?” Leah’s eyes grew wide.

  “Yes. Leah, give me your lipstick from your purse.” She took off her raincoat. “Here put this on. It’s a little big but it’s OK.”

  Amanda applied lipstick to the boy’s lips and rubbed a bit on his cheeks, giving them a rosy glow. She pulled the hood up over his head and tugged out a few stands of curly hair to frame his face. She rolled up the coat sleeves.

  “There, you look like a sweet little girl.” Amanda grabbed his hand. “Come with us and you will be fine.”

  The young boy reluctantly let Amanda lead him.

  “What is your name by the way?”

  “It is David.”

  “Great. For today it will be Davina.”

  “Amanda, you are bonkers. Totally bonkers.” Leah rolled her eyes. She took hold of his other hand. “Davina, it looks like you are coming with us.”

  Three girls boarded the boat and immediately went to the First Aid station. The young man attending explained the doctor wasn’t in, but he was a certified nurse from Turkey and could tend to the injured thumb.

  “My name is Tabeeb.” He removed the dirty bandage. “This looks bad. It is good you came to see me now. Infection has started to set in, but we will clean it up and apply medicine. It will be fine.” He dabbed the ugly cut with a cloth. “How did you come by this injury?”

  David’s eyes grew wide with fear.

  Amanda jumped in. “He—I mean, she doesn’t speak much English. She caught it on a nail a couple of days ago. I think she’s afraid of doctors, so she didn’t come here right away.”

  “Nothing to be afraid of, my dear.” Tabeeb put on a fresh bandage and patted David’s head. “Keep it clean. Here are a couple more bandages. Come back if it gets worse.” The young man gave them a warm smile. Amanda thought he was quite nice and very handsome.

  They left the First Aid station just as the boat pulled away from the dock.

  “O nein!” exclaimed David. “What am I to do? I cannot be seen on this boat.” David looked around like a caged animal.

  “You can stay in our room. No one will need to know.” Amanda grabbed David’s hand. “Come quickly.”

  Leah followed, shaking her head.

  10

  Amanda.” Leah tugged at her friend’s sleeve and hissed, “What do you think you are doing?”

  “Don’t worry. It’ll be OK.” Amanda looked over her shoulder. “I think I hear someone coming. Quick, let’s hide in here.” She pulled David with her into an open doorway. Leah followed.

  Seconds later, footsteps clomped past and up the stairs.

  Amanda let out her breath. “That was close.” She looked around the dimly lit room. “I wonder what they use this room for.”

  Clang!

  “Blimey, I tripped over something—again.” Leah held up a round, shiny object. “This time, it wasn’t a foot. Looks like a cymbal.”

  Amanda’s eyes grew accustomed to the dim light. She noticed violins, accordions, drums, saxophones and clarinets strewn around like dead bodies. “This must be where they store instruments for the entertainment.”

  “It is,” said David as he stroked a violin.

  “Have you played on this boat?” asked Amanda.

  “Yes, before I was told I wasn’t allowed on the boat.”

  “Why?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  Amanda narrowed her eyes. “And how did you hurt your thumb?”

  “Err, shouldn’t we be getting out of here before we get caught?” asked Leah. She looked both ways down the hall. “The coast is clear.”

  They worked their way back up to the room without being seen.

  “All right! We are here.” Leah crossed her arms and leaned back, clicking their door closed behind her. “Now what?”

  “David can sleep in the bathtub. There are extra blankets and pillows. It’s probably more comfortable than sleeping on the street. We can bring him food from our meals. There’s always way too much anyway.”

  “Looks like you thought of everything, Amanda.” Leah rubbed her forehead. “Why do I have a feeling this will all go terribly wrong?”

  “I—I don’t need to stay and be trouble. I vill leave the boat at next stop.” David blinked to stop tears from escaping.

  Amanda glanced at Leah.

  “You will be safe with us. Don’t worry.” Leah patted the young boy’s shoulder. “We are expected for lunch so we should go. Just keep very quiet and don’t answer the door.”

  “You two must have worked up quite an appetite walking around Passau,” said Amanda’s mom when she saw the plates piled high with food from the buffet.

  “It’s been a long time since breakfast, and we did do a lot of walking,” replied Amanda.

  “I’m glad to see you made it on the boat on time,” said Leah’s dad. “I didn’t see you board.”

  “Oh, I saw them.” Amanda’s dad jumped in the conversation. “They came on board with a younger girl. “Who is your new friend?”

  Amanda’s ears turned red. “Someone we met in town.” She took a large forkful of potato salad. “This is soooo good. We should get the recipe, Mom.”

  “I’m so pleased you are making friends,” said Mrs. Anderson.

  Leah nodded while she filled a buttered bun with cold cuts and cheese. “I’m taking this back to the room in case I get hungry. Dinner is late tonight.” She placed the bun in her napkin and rolled it up.

  “Good idea,” Amanda chimed. She piled cookies in a napkin.

  “Meet us on the top deck soon. We’ll be passing some nice scenery. Bring your camera, Amanda,” said Don Ross. “Perhaps you’ll see your new friend again.”

  When they got back to the room, Leah turned to Amanda. “Whew, that was close.” She unwrapped the bun and gave it to David. “Are you all right?”

  “Someone tried the door. I hid in the closet until they went away.” The young boy eagerly took a bite out of the bun. “Danke.”

  Amanda handed David her napkin. “Here are some cookies too. We’re going on top to watch the scenery with our parents. See you soon.”

  The rain clouds had cleared and the sun shone on the bright green countryside. Amanda kept busy taking pictures of castles and quaint farmhouses as the boat cruised down the mighty Danube.

  She turned to Leah. “This is incredible, isn’t it?”

  “Sort of. I’m a bit bored, though. Wish I had my mobile.” Leah’s face lit up. “I have an idea.” She ran over to her parents.

  “Dad, can I borrow your mobile so I can take pictures of these rad castles and stuff.”

  Mr. Anderson looked surprised but pulled out his cell phone. “Sure, luv. Pleased to see you are enjoying the scenery.”

  Leah took pictures from the other side of the boat. When she thought no one was looking, she sent a couple of text me
ssages.

  “Are you sending messages to your boyfriend?”

  Startled, Leah jumped back and almost dropped the phone. “I didn’t see you there, Klaus.”

  He stepped closer. “I was wondering, who is your little girlfriend I saw you with earlier? I had not seen her on this boat before.”

  “Um, I err, don’t know.” Leah glanced around. “Just someone else on the cruise, I guess.”

  “Leah, there you are. I’ve been looking for you. We’re stopping at a small place called Aschach to pick up some people who went to Salzburg earlier. Do you want to get off and look around?” Amanda smiled politely at Klaus. “Hello, Mr. Schmidt.”

  “Yes!” said Leah, eager to escape Klaus and his questions.

  The girls enjoyed an easy walk along the water-front, taking in the charming village of Aschach. Amanda snapped pictures of the colourful homes that looked like gingerbread houses. In the middle of the houses stood a tall and narrow blue church, with a white cross on top of the steel-grey onion dome. The lush countryside provided a perfect background. Amanda, pleased with her collection of pictures to show her class at home, took a picture of Leah by the church.

  Once back on the boat, the girls discovered David was not in their room. They looked in the closet, under the bed and in the bathtub. But he was gone, along with Amanda’s purple raincoat.

  11

  A puzzled Amanda stood in the middle of the room. “Where could he have gone?”

  “It is strange that he would leave the room when he seemed so frightened,” said Leah.

  “We need to check around the boat. He has to be on it somewhere!” Amanda headed for the door.

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay and have a lie-down. I’m dead tired.” Leah yawned and turned toward the bed. “I don’t think we should get involved anyway. We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

  “Oh, all right. I’ll have a quick look around and come back to get you for dinner.” Amanda was annoyed at her friend, she could have been more concerned about the poor boy. Amanda walked down the corridors and peered into open doors. She checked the dining room and the lounge. She went downstairs to the instrument storage room, but David wasn’t there either. Deep in thought, she walked past the First Aid station and ran right into Tabeeb.

  “Hello there,” he said, almost laughing. “Are you looking for something?”

  “So sorry. I’m actually looking for the young girl we brought to see you earlier. Have you seen her?”

  “Yes. As a matter of fact, I saw her leave the boat while we were docked in Aschach.”

  “Really?” Amanda knit her brow. “Was she alone?”

  “No, I think she was with her parents. I wanted to ask her about her thumb, but they seemed in a hurry.”

  “Gosh, thanks!” Amanda gave the handsome young man a huge smile. When he smiled back, her cheeks turned crimson. She glanced down at her watch. “I’d better get back for dinner.” She turned and raced back to the room, eager to tell Leah what she found out.

  She flung open the door and found her friend texting. “Where did you get another phone?”

  “It’s my dad’s. He lent it to me to take some pictures.”

  “Leah, we both know you didn’t want it for taking pictures.”

  “I know. But I needed to explain to my mates why I hadn’t been texting anymore. Besides, I’m off that bloke now. My friend texted she saw him at the mall with a girl I dislike. If that’s what he prefers, I’m not interested.” Leah screwed up her face. “You look like you have something to tell me. Did you find David? Is he all right?”

  Amanda explained what Tabeeb told her.

  “Her parents? Who could that have been? And how did she, I mean he, get out of the room?” Leah rubbed the back of her neck. “This is getting too weird.”

  Amanda checked the bottom drawer and found the violin case was still there. Just as well she hadn’t told David where it was. She rubbed her eyebrow. “But what has become of poor David?”

  The next morning they woke up to a sunny day. Outside their window, on the dock, Amanda saw a sign:

  WILLKOMMEN TO MELK

  After another hearty breakfast, both families boarded a bus that took them to Melk Abbey. Amanda, worried about David, hardly even noticed the scenery they passed.

  Once the group was dropped off in the courtyard of the massive abbey, they met Christian, their tour guide. “The Abbey was originally a castle. On condition that there was a place for royalty to stay when passing through, it was given to the Benedictine Monks by King Leopold III in the eleventh century,” explained Christian in crisp English with a slight German accent. “In the early seventeenth century, the Abbey went through a huge renovation in the baroque style which is what you see now.” He swept his hand as he turned around.

  “The monastery has supported itself since the twelfth century by making its own wine. The monks had a harsh life with no indoor heat, no blankets, no meat and only two meals a day.”

  Amanda whispered to Leah, “I couldn’t imagine such a life.”

  Christian led them over marble floors through the royal chambers. Gold-leaf sculptures surrounded displays of the bishops’ heavily jewelled robes and elegant staffs.

  Amanda looked up and noticed the ceilings painted with scenes of cherubs floating in the clouds. She stood in awe for a few minutes. Then she asked, “Can we see the monks’ rooms now?”

  “No. I am sorry, but they are still being used by the monks who live here in the Abbey. You can be sure they are not fancy like these rooms. Would you like to see the library?”

  Amanda’s eyes lit up. “Would I?”

  “Well, then follow me.”

  The group entered a room lined with wooden shelves holding books from floor to ceiling. Amanda gasped. “This is the most amazing library I have ever seen!”

  “How many books do you think are in this library?” asked Christian.

  Amanda’s hand shot up. “Ten thousand – maybe?”

  “Much more than that,” replied Christian. “There are over eighty thousand books in here. Some, handwritten by monks, are as old as the year 810.”

  Leather-bound books stood like soldiers behind glass barricades.

  “Can I look at one of them?” asked Amanda.

  “Yes, you may.” Christian opened a door to a room where a hooded monk arranged books on a long wooden table. “If you wish to look at one of these books, you must put on special cotton gloves. The oil from human hands will cause the ancient paper to deteriorate.”

  Christian handed a pair of white gloves to Amanda who carefully pulled them on over her hands. She then sat in front of a large book bound in greasy off-white calfskin, the cover painted with ancient music and a language she had never seen before. The first letter of each line was larger than the rest and in blood red. Amanda took a deep breath, opened the first page and gently smoothed it out with her gloved hand, thrilled to be able to touch something so old. She gaped at the neatly handwritten words in brown ink.

  “Leah, you just have to see this.”

  Leah sneezed. “I have to leave. It’s too dusty for me and my allergies.”

  Amanda turned the delicate page and something fell out. She picked up a piece of paper, unfolded it and saw handwriting in the same style as the book, but in modern English.

  Don’t worry, he is safe

  Bring the violin to the Vienna Opera House

  She stared at the note in her hand. ‘Is this meant for me?’

  The hooded monk approached her and whispered, “I hope you found what you were looking for.” He closed the book and took it away.

  Amanda folded the note and put it in her pocket.

  She removed the gloves and returned them to Christian. “Thanks so much for letting me look at one of the old books. It was totally awesome.”

  “I am so glad you enjoyed the visit to the library.” He turned to the rest of the group. “OK, please follow me to the chapel where you can listen to the mus
ic of the grand organ for as long as you like. Then, you are on your own to either take the bus back to the boat or walk down to the village of Melk and then on to the boat.”

  On the way to the chapel, they stopped to view the picturesque town of Melk from a massive balcony. A jumble of old towers and red clay-roofed buildings lined cobblestone streets below them.

  The Abbey church dripped in ornate gold. Amanda enjoyed the beautiful music from the huge organ while Leah fidgeted beside her. Amanda pulled out the note, leaned over and showed it to her friend.

  “Where did you get this?” Leah’s eyes grew wide.

  “Shhh. I’ll tell you later,” replied Amanda.

  They decided to leave the sanctuary. A hooded monk waited at the door of the chapel. He nodded his head in the direction of a half-open doorway in the courtyard when the girls passed by him.

  “We are going for a cup of tea in that lovely garden,” said Leah’s mother.

  “Leah and I want to look in the gift shop,” said Amanda.

  “Go ahead, sweetie. Meet us here in a few minutes or at the bus.” Amanda’s mom pointed to the tea room. “Don’t be late.”

  Amanda stopped in front of the half-open door. “Let’s see what’s in here.”

  “Do you think we ought to?” Leah looked unsure and stepped back.

  Amanda entered the dim room that smelled of rotten vegetables.

  Leah followed her reluctantly. “Ew. I don’t like it in here. I think we should leave.”

  BANG!

  The door slammed shut. They were left in total darkness…

  12

  Amanda felt something on her arm and screamed.

  “It’s just me, silly.” Amanda heard Leah beside her. “Yeesh, now what are we going to do?”

  “Shhh. Do you see that?”

  A flickering light appeared in the distance. The girls watched in terror as it came closer and closer, floating on air. They held on to each other and backed toward the door. Amanda turned around and tugged on the handle. The door wouldn’t budge.

  The light was almost upon them. Leah covered her face. Amanda gasped. The candle, held by a hooded monk, flickered a ghostly light onto his face.