The Secret of the Dark by Barbara Steiner Page A

again.”
    The cave smelled earthy, and it felt damp and colder the farther we walked. The lights were placed so one could see rock formations. “Oh, this is beautiful, Rick.” The rock was slick and caramel colored. It was all rounded like mushroom tops.
    â€œThat one’s nothing compared to what I could show you if you’re daring enough. It’s a flow-stone. Water washed over it for years to make it that smooth. Minerals make it that color. There’s a snow-white one overhead here.” He pointed with his light to show a rock that looked like scoops of ice cream piled up.
    â€œIt’s an ice-cream sundae for giants,” I said.
    â€œThe caramel syrup is iron deposits.”
    We walked around the cave wall. At one place I almost slipped and realized the path was wet. My sandals had smooth crepe on the bottom. Probably not the smartest thing to have worn, not to mention that my toes were cold.
    â€œCareful.” Rick grabbed my arm. “The floor’s wet here. It’s a live cave — still growing. Water seeps in especially when it’s as rainy as it’s been this spring and summer.”
    His hand was warm and I could feel the heat of his body close to mine. I stepped forward and kept walking, hugging the old shirt closer. My legs had goose bumps.
    Suddenly the lights went off and it was dark — darker than I’d ever known it to be. I blinked but nothing got lighter. My eyes couldn’t adjust since there was only darkness.
    â€œRick? What happened to the lights?” No answer. I waited for a moment but all I could hear was a slight dripping sound. “Rick, stop that! I know you’re behind me.” No answer. I already knew him well enough to realize he was trying to scare me. I calmed down and tried to wait patiently, but it was an awful feeling — the total darkness and knowing I was underground. That there were tons of rock overhead.
    â€œRick.” I steadied my voice. “The joke’s over. I’m not scared anymore. Turn the lights back on.” No answer.
    Then his laughter echoed against the walls and bounced down corridors around us. The lights flashed back on. I blinked now to adjust to the sudden light.
    â€œGotcha.” He grabbed me.
    I shrugged away. “You aren’t funny, Rick.” I pretended to be mad, and I didn’t like the joke, but it was something he’d do. I should have expected it. I walked on as if it hadn’t happened.
    â€œScary, wasn’t it? The total darkness. The tourists love it.”
    Yes, it was something he’d do to tourists. Part of the act. I could just see the two girls he’d sold pop to, grabbing him and snuggling close until he turned on the lights. Maybe he’d expected me to do that.
    â€œHow does anyone manage to explore a cave in the first place?” I asked. “A flashlight wouldn’t be much help.”
    â€œPrehistoric people carried torches. We’ve found a few in here. People called the Bluff Dwellers lived in this area. We’ve found bones too. Occasionally some people fell in and died, or maybe they were thrown in for punishment and couldn’t find a way out.”
    I shivered at the idea. Then a patch of crystal-like formations distracted me. “Beautiful! What caused them to form that way?”
    â€œThat’s calcite. All sorts of minerals leak out of the ground overhead. I’ll show you some incredible sights in the bigger cave if you’ve got the nerve to go in there.”
    Daring. Nerve. What would it be like? “Not today.” I wasn’t sure I had enough nerve to go into something wilder than this.
    â€œOf course not. You’re not dressed for it.”
    â€œI can’t remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites.” At least I had remembered the terms from some distant geology lesson.
    â€œStalactites hold tight to the ceiling. Mites are on the ground.”
    â€œSure.