Adam points at the winding mountain trail. 'Look! There!' Between two giant boulders sits a tiny dark opening. 'A cave!' Mona yells. Nora grabs Adam's arm and tugs him back.
Adam kneels and presses his palm against the cool stone edge. 'Yes,' he whispers. 'Let's find out.' Nora releases his arm and peeks past the rocks. The valley and lake shimmer far below.
Adam squeezes through the narrow opening first. His sneakers scrape against the rocky floor. Mona follows close behind, bumping her shoulder against the stone. 'I can't see anything,' Nora whispers.
Adam reaches forward. His fingers brush something smooth and cold. A soft blue glow fills the cave as a crystal nestled in the rock begins to shine.
A girl in a red jacket gasps. 'Whoa,' she breathes, her eyes wide.
Adam holds the glowing crystal up. The blue light paints all their faces. Nora steps closer, her eyes shining.
Nora grins and reaches out. Her fingers brush the crystal's smooth surface gently. The three of them laugh softly.
Adam carries the crystal close as they back away. The glow brightens with every step they take toward the cave mouth.
Adam lifts the crystal high. Bright sunlight hits the cave entrance and spills over all three of them.
The cave mouth glows gold and blue. The three step out into the warm mountain air.
Nora looks down at the valley. 'We did it,' she says. The crystal pulses softly in Adam's hand.
Adam holds the crystal up one more time. It catches the sun and sends a tiny rainbow across the rocks. The mountain waits for tomorrow.