Mia turns off the torch. “It’s a lot cooler like that,” she says. It is pitch-dark. I can’t see anything at all. I can’t even see Mia. But I can hear her. I follow her steps.
“Ouch...oh no,” Mia calls out, “I’ve walked into the rock.”
I have to laugh, and I edge forward cautiously. Suddenly, I can’t go any further. I am standing in front of a wall of black. I feel around it with my hands, touching the cold rock. Suddenly, a flash of light dazzles me. It’s Mia with her torch.
“Watch out for the bend!” she says, winking at me. She turns the torch off again. We feel our way forwards. It’s like a labyrinth. Then, finally, we see light at the end of the tunnel. We run towards the exit. There, we can make out two shadows. It’s grandma and Bella, who is jumping wildly for joy and wanting to greet Mia. Mia falls over onto her bottom. But the dog is not to be stopped. She runs her wet tongue all over Mia’s face.
“Get off, Bella!” she shouts, pushing the dog away. Grandma and I have to laugh – so much that our stomachs hurt.
“Bella’s tongue is completely black,” I say. Mia is also black on her face and hands. “That’s sure to be the charcoal,” says grandma.
“Charcoal?” we chorus together. Grandma nods, and explains that charcoal used to be stored in the cave.
