Flash was so happy to see his grandson, Luuu, he couldn’t think of anything else. He was much bigger now, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. The forest and the open meadow dissolved, and the whale, while not totally forgotten, swam right out of his consciousness.

“Where did you go?” the boy asked.

“I just took the long way back to you,” Flash answered. “I had to pick up some friends, and bring them back here. Besides, sometimes it’s nice to take the long way home.”

They talked about a lot of things, and both enjoyed being together in the shade, just on the edge of the forest. Eventually, Luuu asked “are you ready to go to the cave?”

Flash had almost forgotten. The child would guide him.

Yes, I am ready.

Luuu took Flash by the hand, and they walked together through dappled light. The shaded parts were cool and blue, but the sway of a branch could ignite hidden crystals into brilliant beams at any second.

Luuu walked confidently, and Flash felt safe, no matter how dark or steep the path. The boy sang while he walked, and sometimes said words that flowed from his imagination. Flash wondered what stories might be going through his grandson’s head, or perhaps what Luuu saw along the way that he had missed.

There was a lot to take in! Giant crystals jutted out of the ground, branches ranged from deep blues and purples to every shade of green you could think of. Beings flitted about above and around them, and everything vibrated in the shimmering light.

They may have walked for minutes or hours, feet or miles. Time meant nothing. The travelers just existed in the present, and watched the lovely scenes roll past them.

Nothing had to happen. Flash could have journeyed this way for eternity, never becoming tired or bored, never apprehensive about the path or what might come next.

Luuu led him up a natural stairway. Each step was a different color. At the top, they went down again. It was an arch of long gemstone crystals that would look, from the side, like a rainbow. At the other side was the entrance to a cave.

Luuu sat on the bottom step, and Flash peered into the darkness. He looked back at Luuu, who only shook his head. “This is as far as I can go.”

Flash remembered Bucket’s words, and knew he had to do this on his own.

Unafraid, he turned and vanished through the entrance.

It was dark. So dark, he couldn’t see anything. Not the ground. Not his hand. He looked back and saw his precious grandson sitting on the horizontal blue crystal. It was as though all light was just absorbed out of this cavern. The only sound he heard was his own breath. No. Beneath that, he sensed the rhythm of his heart.

He faced the darkness and stepped into it. The floor was smooth. He held his arms in front of him and walked slowly, so as not to hit a wall. He felt none.

When he looked back again, the illuminated mouth was gone, too.

He wasn’t afraid or brave, he felt comfortable, and walked on.

The words of the king came back to him. This was all a part of him. High above in the dark ceiling, he began to see light in his peripheral vision. When he turned his gaze upward, it was still black.

The further he went, the more distinct the starlike specks appeared. If he looked at one, it vanished, but the others, outside of his direct gaze, seemed brighter.

He continued straight ahead, never turning to the left or right, and thought this must be a simply enormous space.

His left arm grew tired, so he dropped it to his side. He picked up speed, in spite of the fact that an obstruction might be in his way, or the ground could give way to a chasm, and he would be lost in it. No matter.

Oh! The lights above him were definitely getting brighter. Bigger.