Now that they were safe inside the cave Bion had a chance to look around. The cave was a great assortment of minerals, aside from the gaping hole at the end of course. But it wasn’t the exact minerals that the mining company wanted. It would be far too easy of a day to just be able to find what they needed in a matter of minutes. No, the brothers were going to have to traverse deeper into the labyrinths of cave; luckily Bion remembered where to go. He motioned to his brother and they walked over to where he had tied the rope to the granite. A little ways beyond that was a slight step-like path to another cave that wrapped down and around the chasm. So they would have to stand close to the wall and inch their way across, but it was the only way they could go. Carson placed his hand on his little brother’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Bion, its safe enough; just don’t slip.” And with that he patted him on the back and took a step in front to lead. Bion followed close behind, near enough that he could grab onto his brother if either of them fell, but not close enough that he was treading on his heels. And, with a reproachful sigh from Bion, they walked forward, into the darkness of new mystery.
As they walked rocks crunched underfoot and fell off into the chasm leaving dust still left hovering in the air. Bion kept his hand on the smooth wall to steady himself the whole way. Occasionally looking into the darkness for the ledge Carson had landed on. Not a word had passed between the brothers until Bion saw a twinkling light in the dark. “Carson, look over there,” He pointed, “It’s the ledge, you left a flashlight on it.”
Carson squinted in the dark, “Yea, I took out my mini light to see where I was, I must have left it on. It’s too late now though; unless you want to be the one to go back and get it.” Bion shook his head vigorously and Carson laughed at his brother’s enthusiasm. “Didn’t think so, let’s just keep going. The battery should wear out in a few days anyway.” So they kept inching along slowly making their way to the opening at the end of the path.
When they reached the safety of open cave Bion threw himself in, almost falling on his face in the process. Carson let out another chuckle but immediately started scanning the place looking for possible minerals and other optional caves. It looked at lot like the last cave they had been in but this one had an odd shaped passageway hidden towards the back. Shaped like a doorway it was scarcely taller than the boys, maybe five feet and a few inches. It was worn away as if by water, but Bion took out his flashlight and examined it even closer. “Carson, it looks like someone did this with tools.”
“How can you tell?”
“Well, look here.” He pointed at a spot that was a slight different color and texture that its counterparts, “Groves, as if someone ground it away slowly. It would have taken some care to be able to make this look so natural. Unless it was done a while ago and eroded through time.” Bion looked up at his brother with an awed expression, “Do you think we’re stumbling on and ancient civilization?”
Carson crouched down next to his brother and looked at the groves, “Well if we do, they better at least give us some time off or something.”
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