Martin is in an unusually good mood today. He’s usually in a good mood, but today is different. The old man is walking like he’s twenty years younger, humming songs from his youth and trying to talk to small woodland animals. I keep sharing concerned looks with the boys, hoping he doesn’t go completely insane out here. Either he hasn’t noticed our concern, or he doesn’t care at all.

Once we clear the trees we’re staring at a large hill with a small cave. The boys and I pause to look around, deep down knowing we’re going to enter into this cave. Yeah, Martin has gone off the deep end and we’re all going to be murdered by him here tonight. I don’t even have a connection to the Nexus out here, and the boys don’t have wrist comps or implants as far as I can tell. We wouldn’t even be able to call for help if he went crazy now.

“Let’s go boys,” Martin chuckles, “and man,” he heads into the cave with no hesitation.

I reach for my wrist comp to activate the light as the boys reach for flashlights. Martin puts a stop to that and forces us to all hold hands as he leads us through the darkness, still singing his song and acting as if this is normal.

As we go deeper into the cave we’re greeting by an ever-growing amount of light. It seems that there are plants in this cave that output light of their own. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any above the land that do this.

“The plants are giving off light,” Jacob yells out with joy.

“No, there has to be a light source that they’re reflecting. Plants simply can’t produce light,” Phillip responds but equally excited.

“Relax boys,” I sound like Martin as the words come from my mouth.

There’s more light the further we go, but the cave is also becoming tighter. Martin leads us through tunnel after tunnel as if he’s done this a thousand times before. As the blue and green light surrounds us I can’t help but feel a sense of euphoria washing over me. I’ve heard about plants that can give this sensation to people, I suppose these plants are no different. Perhaps some kind of psychoactive spore.

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“Alright boys, you might need to suck it in, especially you Jacob,” Martin jokes as he squeezes through a small crack in the wall.

“Are we doing this,” David asks as he’s next in line.

“Are we doing this Mr. Efrem,” Phillip asks with a sense of respect I’ve never heard from him.

I think for a moment, “we’re going to trust Martin on this, but I won’t let anything happen to you. Any of you.”

My words must carry some weight with the boys now. Nobody signs, curses or moans. David just takes a deep breath and follows Martin through the crack. Jacob is next, and does indeed need to suck it in. He also needs a little push from Phillip and I. Phillip gives me a concerned glance, and I reassure him with a nod as he passes through. I take a deep breath and make my way into the crack. It’s a tight space, in parts the rocks and glowing plants scratch across my nose. My prosthetic breaks off a small chunk of the wall and for the first time ever I felt claustrophobic. I keep inching towards the light until I’m free.

Outside the cave and I’m standing on sand, staring at a small ocean, lake, I’m not sure. The sand and the water here are nothing I’ve ever seen before. The sand is filled with all kinds of different colors. I’ve seen white sand, brown sand, red sand and so on, but this sand is so many different colors, almost as if crystals were broken down until they were sand. The water is no different, changing colors every time the light hits it at a different angle. Martin is sitting on the sand running it through his hands as the boys run around amazed at what they’re witnessing. It’s nothing that any of us had ever seen.

“What is this place,” I take a seat next to Martin.

“Well, this lake is the hidden jewel here on Asase Ya, most people know it’s here because of the maps, but have no idea how to get here. Discovered it years ago when I came here to do some soul searching. You boys and Pauline, only people I ever showed. I’m sure other people know, but they keep their mouths closed too.”

“How are the sand and water able to change colors.”

“I imagine minerals from all the different environments manage to run into the waters here, but I’m not a scientist.”

“This place is amazing.”

“I used to come once a month, then I got old and once a month turned to once a year, then not at all. Haven’t actually been here in almost a decade. Glad it’s still the same.”

“Well I’m glad you brought us here.”