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    Matthes and the Aruba Treasure
    Matthes and the Aruba Treasure
    Matthes and the Aruba Treasure
    Ebook191 pages1 hour

    Matthes and the Aruba Treasure

    By Christian Rook

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    About this ebook

    The book, Matthes and the Aruba Treasure, is an adventure tale for children and young adults that combines humor, mystery, and elements of exploration. It tells the story of Matthes, a locomotive enthusiast, and his trusty steam engine, Emma, as they navigate unexpected adventures tied to a mysterious treasure. The story begins in the quaint town of Kaltenbach but soon expands into a thrilling quest linked to the Caribbean island of Aruba, secret maps, and legendary treasure. Along the way, the narrative explores themes of courage, teamwork, and problem-solving, with a blend of lighthearted moments and suspense.
    LanguageEnglish
    Publishertredition
    Release dateDec 5, 2024
    ISBN9783384446039
    Matthes and the Aruba Treasure
    Author

    Christian Rook

    Christian Rook wurde 1968 in Schwerin, Mecklenburg, geboren. Er ist ein vielseitiger Künstler und Autor, der sowohl Jugendbücher als auch Gedichte schreibt. Neben seiner Tätigkeit als Autor ist er auch als Hörbuchsprecher tätig und arbeitet hauptberuflich als Manager und Unternehmensberater. Christian Rook ist außerdem Dichter, Komponist und Digital Artist. Er lebt derzeit in Lahr im Schwarzwald und ist stolzer Vater von vier Kindern. Eine Auswahl seiner Veröffentlichungen umfasst die Gedichtbände "Es gibt für alles ein Problem" aus dem Jahr 2019, "Nur Wasser und CD" sowie die Märchen-Adaptation "Das sehr kalte Herz" aus dem Jahr 2022. Mit seinem ersten Jugendbuch betritt Christian Rook die Welt der Jugendliteratur und begeistert junge Leserinnen und Leser mit seinen einfallsreichen und fesselnden Geschichten.

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      Book preview

      Matthes and the Aruba Treasure - Christian Rook

      1

      MATTHES AND THE JOURNEY TO THE CARIBBEAN

      Lilli and Jan snuggled up to me, ready for their bedtime story, and I began to weave the tale .

      Telling bedtime stories had always been a tradition in our family, a ritual we shared every night before sleep. I usually made up stories on the spot, inspired by whatever crossed my mind or whatever the kids had been excited about that day or week.

      But tonight, I had something different planned. And so, I began.

      Jan immediately protested, Wait! It’s called PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, not JOURNEY TO THE CARIBBEAN!

      Don’t worry, I’ll explain. It’ll all make sense soon. We could even call it ‘Matthes and the Treasure in the Caribbean’ if you’d like, or Matthes and the Aruba Treasure, I said, trying to reassure them.

      And that’s how it usually went: I’d start a story, only to be interrupted every few minutes with helpful suggestions, questions about the plot, or a loud, exasperated What?

      So, let’s begin … again:

      2

      MATTHES AND THE ARUBA TREASURE

      Once again, Matthes’s phone was ringing. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Early. Very early.

      Matthes, a tall man in his mid-forties with dark brown, shoulder-length hair, heard the ringing and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. The phone rang a second time. Matthes yawned and stretched. It rang a third time. Matthes got to his feet and shuffled, eyes half-closed, toward his desk. By the fourth ring, he finally picked up the bulky receiver of the massive, old-fashioned black telephone. Without knowing who was on the other end, he asked, Willi?

      And yes, it was none other than Willi Hoffmann, the mayor of Kaltenbach.

      Kaltenbach was a small, quiet town nestled in the Black Forest, home to about 6,233 and a half residents.

      Willi was fifty-five and skinny, with an unmistakably bureaucratic look about him—always. Even on Sundays. Early in the morning, though, he usually had a distinct Did-you-just-roll-out-of-bed-Mr.-Mayor appearance. His outfit? A long white nightshirt, matching white slippers, and a white nightcap, almost like Mr. Lampel in Wilhelm Busch’s Max and Moritz story.

      I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Scout’s honor from your storyteller dad.

      Now, picture it: a split screen. On the left, we have a groggy Matthes, yawning and fresh out of bed, clutching the oversized black telephone receiver. On the right, there’s Willi Hoffmann, sitting at his grand mayoral desk in his office, dressed in his spotless white sleepwear, complete with nightcap, holding a similar old-fashioned black telephone.

      Their conversations usually would begin like this:

      Mayor: Mr. Matthes… uh… Matthes?

      Matthes: Hello, Mr. Mayor. What’s going on?

      Mayor: You need to come quickly. Very quickly. Something terrible has happened!

      At this point, Matthes would usually throw on some clothes, gulp down a cup of black coffee—no cream, no sugar—and dash down the 21 steps to his engine shed. There, Emma, his trusty locomotive, would be waiting, ready to set off on their next adventure.

      Stop! Lilli shouted, interrupting the story. She sounded annoyed. You’re just telling us about this stupid train so we’ll go with you to the museum tomorrow!

      Just listen! I said, trying to calm her down. It’s not as bad as you think.

      Jan was still completely hooked on the story, listening intently.

      Let’s keep going.

      Since the train line between Kaltenbach and the nearby county seat was shut down fifteen years ago, the tracks from the engine shed to Kaltenbach had belonged entirely to Matthes and Emma.

      The Kaltenbach station only saw a train these days when Emma and Matthes rolled in.

      And when they did, the mayor was usually standing on the platform in his nightwear, awaiting their arrival.

      I have to tell you that Mayor Hoffmann never revealed over the phone what these terrible events were. He would patiently wait at the station until Emma puffed into town, and Matthes stepped onto Platform Number 1.

      3

      AT THE STATION IN KALTENBACH

      Today, though, was different. The mayor didn’t sound worried at all on the phone. In fact, he was whistling, and Matthes could hear a faint One, two, one, two coming through the receiver.

      Willi? Matthes asked, slightly confused. The mayor hadn’t answered his earlier question.

      "Yes! A very good morning to you, my dear Matthes!" Willi replied cheerfully.

      Mornin’, Matthes grumbled sleepily. Why are you calling me so early if it’s just an ordinary, beautiful day?

      I went jogging this morning, the mayor said proudly, sounding both energetic and awake. Picked up some fresh rolls from the bakery, too. Oh, the air is so crisp, today, and the sun is shining so brightly.

      And that’s why you woke me up? Matthes asked, rubbing his eyes.

      Well, Matthes, I thought, after our exciting trip to Aruba a few weeks ago, and now that we know each other a little bit better… maybe you’d like to come over for breakfast?

      ‘Breakfast?‘ Matthes thought. Truth be told, he’d much rather stay in his warm, cozy bed. Breakfast didn’t seem worth leaving that fluffy sanctuary for.

      But the mayor wasn’t wrong. After all, they had just returned from a thrilling and adventurous trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba, and it was nice that, for once, there wasn’t something terrible that had happened in Kaltenbach, nothing that needed to be fixed, nobody needing any rescuing. Why not have a relaxed breakfast in town and spend a few pleasant hours with his new friend Willi Hoffmann?

      4

      ON THE WAY TO KALTENBACH

      So, Matthes agreed. He got ready and set off.

      When he stepped into the engine shed, Emma was already waiting for him.

      Emma was Matthes’s locomotive, an old retired steam engine for passenger trains—a P8 workhorse from 1923.

      Now, you’re probably wondering about the name Emma. Well, Matthes was a huge fan of Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver, and naming his locomotive after Luke’s Emma felt like the perfect tribute. He had read the book more than 20 times and loved the stories dearly. That’s why he named his locomotive also Emma. It was as simple as that.

      The story of Luke, Emma, and Jim Button wasn’t bad, Lilli interjected, trying to sound a little more diplomatic.

      They even have a ride with that name at Europa-Park! Jan added excitedly.

      But that is not all, I explained, E-M-M-A also stands for something else. It’s an acronym.

      Like CEO or FBI or…? Jan started, trying to think of more examples.

      Or E.A.S.T.! Lilli chimed in quickly, jumping at the chance to outwit her brother.

      E.A.S.T.?

      Yes, Lilli said with a triumphant grin. She always relished the opportunity to one-up her brother. "It stands for Enough Already Stop Talking! I want to hear the story!"

      Jan rolled his eyes and sulked.

      So, I continued, "E-M-M-A stands for —An Extraordinarily Mighty Machine for Adventures. Really!"

      Emma wasn’t just any locomotive. Emma could speak. She was Matthes’s best friend, his confidant, and his partner in every adventure.

      All aboard for Kaltenbach!

      Matthes and Emma rolled out of the shed, chugging along the tracks over flat terrain, then through a tunnel. On the other side, the landscape opened up—lush green meadows with grazing cows to the right and rows of apple orchards to the left. The route climbed a hill past an old, abandoned mine, then curved around the mountain until the towering church spire of Kaltenbach came into view. Just a few more minutes, and they would reach the station.

      Emma pulled up to its destination and slowed to a stop.

      There, as usual, stood Mayor Hoffmann—but today, he was dressed differently. Gone was the nightgown. Instead, he stood beaming in modern jogging attire: bright pink and white. He even jogged in place on the platform, lips moving as he silently counted, One, two, one, two.

      Emma came to a halt, and Matthes jumped down from the train.

      5

      IN KALTENBACH

      G reat to see you! the mayor called out, brimming with enthusiasm. He held up two bags of fresh rolls triumphantly.

      Let’s go! Let’s! Before they get cold! Willi urged, jogging and skipping down the steps to the marketplace.

      Matthes could hardly believe his eyes. This couldn’t be the same cautious, meticulous mayor he knew. This was a whole new Willi—energetic, lively, practically glowing.

      ‘Well, alright then’, Matthes thought as he followed the jogging mayor across the marketplace and into

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