Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask Read Free Page B

her mom and dad.
    â€œCan I go, Aunt Ella?”
    â€œOf course. Go and have fun,” said her aunt as she tossed a load of laundry into the washer. “Take a hat and some water. It will be hot.”
    ***
    Leah’s mother seemed to know a lot about the area and pointed out interesting locations and buildings as they drove along. They drove past a beautiful, large, white house surrounded by a high wall. She explained that it was the winter palace of the local Sheik and his family.
    â€œHave you ever been inside?” asked Amanda.
    â€œYes, I have a couple of times. I used to tutor the Sheik’s grandson to improve his English. When he was staying at the palace, I would tutor him there. It is very ornate and beautiful inside.”
    They passed some camels in a field, nibbling on the lower leaves of a tree. Amanda waved at them and said, “Hi you guys.”
    â€œYou really have a thing for camels, don’t you,” commented Leah crinkling her nose.
    â€œYeah, I really like them.”
    â€œBut they are so ugly and smelly and sometimes mean,” said Leah.
    â€œI guess so. But they are so ugly, they are cute,” laughed Amanda. “And Ali Baba isn’t smelly or mean at all.”
    Leah sighed. Amanda wondered what her new friend thought of her. She really hoped Leah liked her and didn’t think she was a weirdo.
    â€œWhat place is this?” asked Amanda as they turned into a village with streets thick with sand. There didn’t seem to be any people around, just a few scraggy goats that scurried past the jeep into some bushes.
    â€œThis is Jamal, a deserted village.” Leah’s mother stopped her car in front of a weathered mud–brick wall.
    â€œWhere are the people who used to live here?” Amanda stared around her.
    â€œThey have moved to another village a few miles away.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œThe local people are Bedouins. For centuries, they were nomads living on the desert and in the mountains. They would move from place to place looking for food and water. They are used to looking for better places.” Leah’s mother checked to make sure they had their hats and water bottles as they left the air conditioned car and went into the hot afternoon sun. “Even now, an entire village will sometimes pick up and move to a new and better location.”
    Amanda found it hard to believe but there in front of her was a row of empty mud–brick houses in perfect condition and streets of sand with no people on them. At least – none that she could see.

Chapter 6
    â€œSee you in about one hour,” said Leah’s mom as she rolled up her window and drove away.
    Amanda wandered away from Leah when she noticed a pretty little window with decorative wrought iron grilles and wooden shutters faded by the hot sun on the side of a house. She went closer to study the window and jumped back when she saw someone inside. When she looked in once more, the figure was gone. ‘Perhaps my eyes are playing tricks on me,’ she thought. ‘There is obviously nobody here.’ She felt a chill in spite of the heat.
    Amanda wandered around on her own and was drawn to a half–open, painted door. The colours of the door had begun to fade but she could see that the swirls in the geometric design had been painted turquoise, pink and purple. She had to push hard on the heavy door to open it all the way, as a lot of sand had blown into the house. Once inside she couldn’t help wondering who had lived there before and where they were now.
    Suddenly, a young woman appeared in front of Amanda. She looked beautiful in her green, silk, gold–trimmed dress, her green veil revealing only her large oval, black–outlined eyes.
    â€œDo you have the perfume flask?” she whispered.
    Amanda’s mouth went dry. Her knees felt like noodles unable to hold her up.
    â€œPlease, do not be afraid.” The young woman drew closer and