The Longest Stretch

The cave seemed to stretch on forever, a shimmering, endless tunnel of crystal. Each step echoed, a tiny sound swallowed by the vastness around them. Mina’s legs ached, a dull throb that had started hours ago, or perhaps it was days. Time had become a slippery thing in the perpetual twilight of the cave. Jolley, usually so full of boundless energy, was walking a little slower now, her shoulders slumped just a touch. The initial thrill of adventure had begun to wear thin, replaced by a weary question that hung heavy in the crystalline air: had they made a mistake?

"Are we there yet, Mina?" Jolley’s voice was a small, hopeful whisper, a question she’d asked so many times it had lost its edge, becoming more of a sigh.

Mina forced a smile, though her own heart felt a cold knot of doubt. "Almost, Jolley. The legend said it's a long way. We just have to keep going." She squeezed her sister's hand, trying to infuse her own dwindling courage into their linked fingers. The crystals around them, which had once seemed so magical, now felt like a cold, indifferent audience, watching their struggle.