Free Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music by Darlene Foster Page A

Catacombs
    â€œNot more tombs and dead bodies,” muttered Leah.
    Amanda and Leah walked down a long set of marble stairs and entered a cold, moist, gloomy chamber. They heard voices. Curious, they followed the sounds along a dimly lit hallway. Nowhere else to go, they entered a room filled with tarnished metal coffins. Urns of various sizes and shapes sat on shelves and in glass cabinets. A tour had already started.
    â€œIn this room, the coffins hold the bodies and the urns contain hearts and other organs belonging to members of the Hapsburg family,” explained a guide. “They believed in order to preserve their bodies, they should be buried separate from their internal organs.”
    â€œEw.” Leah scrunched up her nose and looked away. “How ghastly. I want to leave.”
    Amanda ignored her and followed the group down another narrow, dark hallway and through an iron gate. In front of her lay piles and piles of human bones, all jumbled together like pick-up sticks.
    Her mouth dropped open and her hand went to her chest. “Who—who were these people?”
    â€œMany of them died during the great plague of 1735,” explained the guide. “It is believed that this underground burial place holds the remains of over eleven thousand people.”
    A skull looked straight at her. Its open mouth appeared to be saying, ‘Help!’ Amanda shivered. Someone touched her shoulder and she flinched.
    â€œThis is just too creepy. I’m leaving right now,” said Leah.
    Once out of the bone room, they found themselves in another dreary stone hallway. Amanda thought she heard a moan. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.
    â€œNo,” said Leah, walking briskly ahead of her.
    â€œStop, Leah. I heard it again. Someone moaned. It’s coming from that doorway.” Amanda pointed to the right.
    â€œI am not going in there. There will only be another pile of bones. I’ve seen enough to give me nightmares for years.”
    Amanda pushed against a heavy wooden door. It wouldn’t budge. She pushed again and still it wouldn’t open. She backed up and pushed hard with her shoulder. The door swung open. She fell forward into a dark room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Amanda saw the outline of a large coffin with a metal cross laying on top. She crept a little closer when she heard another moan.
    â€œLeah, there’s someone in here.” She heard the moan again.
    Amanda pulled out a small flashlight from her backpack and shone it around the room. She covered her mouth to stop a scream. At the back of the casket, someone lay tied up and gagged. She cautiously walked over to the person.
    â€œDavid?” Her eyes bugged out. She quickly removed the gag. “Are you OK?”
    â€œ
Danke
. I am happy to see you. I have been very frightened.
Bitte,
I mean please, let us leave this place.”
    Amanda dug to the bottom of her backpack and pulled out her Swiss army knife. She cut the ropes binding the boy’s arms and feet. “First, let’s get you out of here, then you can tell us what happened.”
    Once out of the gloomy crypt and sombre cathedral, Leah took a deep breath. “I am so glad we are out of there.” She turned to David. “What nasty person put you in that awful place?”
    â€œThey came to the room on the boat and knocked on the door. They said I had to leave with them or I would be hurt. They said they would protect me.” David’s eyes filled with tears. “But they did not tell the truth.”
    â€œWho were they?” asked Amanda.
    â€œI don’t know. A man and a woman.” David bit his lip. “They didn’t tell me their names but they said they knew my family.”
    â€œAmanda! Leah! Over here!” Amanda’s mom called from across the street.
    The girls each took one of David’s hands and crossed the street.
    â€œWhere have you been?” asked Mrs.