"Christy," David said, turning to her with quiet excitement, "would you like to go with me into the heart of Bowl Top Mountain? I can show you how I learned to use growstones just like Papa taught me." "There are hidden caves deeper in," David explained, lowering his voice slightly as they approached the mountain face. "Once we’re inside, those howls will fade and most of them are just wind echoing through tunnels." David stopped walking,” turning fully to face her under the dim glowstones.” "Christy," he said gently but firmly, "are you willing to explore the deep caves inside Bowl Top Mountain with me? "David," she admitted, biting her lip slightly, "it does sound scary. Those caves… the dark." A pause,” then determination flashed in her eyes.” "But. If you're leading me? Showing me every step? Then I'll go anywhere with you to help our people." Her voice didn’t waver at the end.” The howling wind grew louder as they neared the mountain face, echoing through unseen caves ahead. "Don’t worry," David said firmly, his voice steady over the noise. "God is in this mountain too." David crouched slightly, gesturing upward into the cave opening. "Look," he said softly, his voice warm with pride. "You can see some of the glowstones lighting up inside." Can we just look at them? Christy said. For the rest of my life," David thought silently, watching her face lit by glowstone light. But when he realized she might’ve heard that in her heart his cheeks warmed slightly.
The fruit trees outside rustled in the breeze, their leaves shimmering like scattered jewels, Christy bent down and grabbed a handful of flowers she saw at the cave opening. The moment shattered. A loud thud echoed from deep inside the cave. David froze, his eyes snapping toward the sound. Even Christy tensed, her breath catching. They exchanged a glance. Something wasn’t right, David said. Without hesitation. David took her hand and they stepped into darkness, but almost immediately the water greeted them, ”a rushing brook at the cave base stronger than expected.” Its current was very swift and unpredictable. Without hesitation, David dropped to one knee by the cave entrance, "his fingers sliding under a loose rock.” Hidden there is a small pouch of glowstones tied securely to thin rope clearly designed for emergencies like this. He unclipped it swiftly with the bag glowing faintly in his palm. Christy realized instantly, “This was exactly how they'd cross safely over that roaring brook ahead,” David had planned for this moment before. "Just hold on," David instructed gently, his voice steady over the rushing water. "Let go of the rock and relax."
Christy inhaled and then released her grip. The glowstones activated and then a soft blue light pulsed from the pouch lifting her effortlessly like floating on air. She reached out instinctively and David caught her hand, pulling her across safely step by step until she stood beside him at last. The brook raged below them. But they were now together again, dry and unharmed. Without missing a beat. David reattached the glowstone bag exactly where it belonged and now their emergency tool is secured once more for later use in these caves! They stepped into Bowl Top Mountain through its narrow opening and the air instantly became cooler, and heavier. The cave walls glowed faintly from embedded glowstones above,” But their light flickered unevenly.” Some areas are brighter than others. David knew this place well, keeping his voice calm but firm as they moved deeper into the cave opening. "Christy," he said without turning around, "I left my lantern near a special chair up ahead." "There's one dark spot coming up where the glowstones thin out. “And there is almost no light there." One second later Christy blinked.
The glowstones thinned ahead and suddenly, David was gone from her sight. Swallowed by unnatural darkness. Her heart jumped."David?!" Then there was a firm grip on her hand as he reappeared like magic. Without hesitation,”David unzipped his pack.” and pulled out coiled rope (thick enough to matter) tied securely around Christy’s waistline first.
The knot wasn't tight but very sturdy making a lifeline between them if either slipped near an unseen drop or hidden shaft in the blackness beyond our sight. This precaution showed how seriously he took their safety through these caves! Now they could move forward together through the damp dark air in the cave. David angled forward, his boots crunching softly on the cave floor. Ahead into through darkness the silhouette of Throne Rock emerged.” A massive stone formation shaped like a grand chair.” Its backrest rising high as if meant for royalty,” David thought.” He knew exactly where it was… but couldn't see far beyond that in this eerie glowless zone. Yet David stayed calm because the lifeline (rope) remained slack with no sudden tugs or resistance from behind him. That meant Christy was moving steadily at her own pace gracefully not stumbling, not lost just following quietly through blackness toward safety ahead with him with every step. Without breaking stride, David reached one hand backward into the darkness. His fingers brushed hers instantly and Christy was right there.
No hesitation. She stepped forward and slipped her hand into his like it belonged. Now they walked side by side through that eerie black stretch now hand in hand. The rope between them wasn’t needed anymore with their grip saying everything: Christy said, "We’re together now my Love.” as Christy said? with a small smile tugged at her lips despite the dark surroundings. This simple contact made all those scary seconds before worth it for Christy. David felt it too after feeling the quiet joy of being linked again after losing sight briefly. Christy stared up at the massive stone throne exactly like the one David had mentioned to her before. It was even more impressive in person to see your throne David, Christy said, jumping with excitement. Its a regal seat carved naturally from rock Large enough for two with a naturally carved backrest towering like a crown.” said his beautiful Christy.” David turned to her, his smile warm under the faint glowstones now visible above them. "Yeah," he said simply. "This is my throne." Then David without hesitation took her hand again and softly lifted her into their new chair and instead of sitting alone David lifted himself onto the broad seat next to Christy and grabbed her holding her hand again first feeling the space beside him being dark and calm .Their shared throne. No longer just David's place but theirs together now that she’d joined him here!
Christy tilted her head slightly, studying the glowstones embedded in the cave ceiling. "They’re so pretty," she mused aloud. "But I bet nobody really knows what they are or where they came from, do they David?" Chrisy said softly with her beautiful voice. David shook his head."No," he admitted softly.” "Most folks down in Smallville? They think Bowl Top Mountain is haunted." Then with a smile tugged at him as he added," The smaller a glowstone gets more shimmer as it glows when seen from outside." This made townspeople believe magic or ghosts were at work up here. And honestly? David didn't mind that superstition one bit
Because to him, this place wasn't haunted but it was their paradise on top of everything else! Then came an idea," What if we just simply let people keep believing it?" David said as he walked toward Christy. "See," David said with quiet conviction, his gaze drifting toward the cave entrance they'd just come through. "If we keep this mountain mysterious and mystical people won't try to climb up here or take from it." The logic was simple, said David,” let them believe in magic and the haunting.” Then no one would disturb their paradise
And more importantly David and Christy could help others without being noticed. David turned back to Christy and said, "Every time we bring food down? Medicine? Clothes? The town gets better and glows and no one even knows where it came from." His smile returned, then gentle but proud thought of their secret mission.” David stood, turning to face Christy with full seriousness."This is gonna feel weird at first," he admitted honestly. "Flying isn't natural for humans, Christy said knowingly, “especially not during my first time." But seeing the determination in Christy's eyes? She was ready. So without hesitation David pulled out a custom harness that he had woven rope designed specifically for this first step. The seat (a loop of thick cord) went around her waist securely tied with an expert knot she couldn’t undo easily. Then came the glowstone pack glowing brightly, the one that powered his own flight.
Now it would lift Christy. David double and triple checked every connection. Finally David grabbed hold of the attached safety rope firmly between them and said Christy "I’ll control how fast you go," he promised. "No sudden takeoffs." David positioned her carefully beside Throne Rock, it being the perfect takeoff spot. Then, to show what she was in for, David released one small glowstone from his pack. It shot upward like a tiny comet zipping through the vertical cave shaft looking like a thin beam of light piercing through darkness ahead. Christy watched intently as it climbed higher… higher…Until it shot through the top! At the very top where Skyland began. The glowstone flared bright, totally illuminating the mountainside exit briefly like sunlight breaking through clouds. A shooting star effect indeed. David held his breath...Assuming she might regret this whole thing now...But then?💋 Christy kissed him suddenly, very soft but sure and whispered "Let's go home." David's heart melted instantly.
There wasn't any hesitation about it. Christy truly wanted to see their paradise together! "Let's go!" David called over the rush of air. The glowstone pack activated instantly, lifting Christy upward in a smooth but sudden rise! She gasped, gripping the harness instinctively as she floated about three feet off the ground suddenly higher than expected already.
But David was ready with one swift step forward. His boot landed on their long safety rope (200+ feet!) taut between them this anchored her perfectly so she wouldn’t drift too far or away too fast. Then gently David began lowering her back down with practiced motions until their eyes met again at eye level close enough to talk easily despite being suspended midair now! Christy exhaled shakily,"Thanks, David, that was scary for half a second." With Christy secured above him in her glowing harness, David double-checked their setup. Then all at once David released the glowstone pack fully, the ropes tightened instantly as light lifted them upward… but only Christy rose smoothly while David stayed grounded for now (his weight anchoring everything). So David dropped a small lead ball (3 inches round) from his belt.
Is it a calculated counterweight to balance their ascent the moment it hits the cave floor? Elevation began! They climbed steadily through the vertical shaft and then Christy craned her neck back down at him with pure joy, "It’s beautiful David!" she called over echoes bouncing off cave walls around them. Each tunnel had its own unique acoustic signature.
But then David remembered something unsettling, that dead-silent zone just 50 feet below Skyland entrance…It even gave him chills sometimes. Without warning suddenly the ascent halted. David had grabbed another weight rock instinctively, stopping their climb mid-shaft and when Christy opened her eyes? Right in front of her face that was embedded in the cave wall there was a green jade emerald gleaming like liquid sunlight. It was breathtaking,”A Deep forest green with subtle veins of gold running through it clearly a native to Bowl Top Mountain itself. Christy gasped. "Oh! David my love can I have it?"
David didn’t hesitate. "No," he said gently but firmly of course not out of stinginess but because this gem belonged to you Christy. "It's yours." She reached out carefully. Her fingers closed around its cool surface just as they began descending again due to his dropped weight! A sharp lurch downward made them both shout in the shaft then their echoes shared a sound of harmony. The further they ascended, the quieter it got. Until suddenly the sound vanished entirely. No echoes. No whispers from rock walls even Just… absolute silence where even their breathing felt too loud. David knew this place well, a cave with no acoustics at all very unnerving for anyone who hadn’t experienced it before.
David reached out slowly and plucked a thin branch (dried from some past plant life) wedged in cracks near the wall of the shaft.”Then without warning SNAP! The brittle wood broke loudly in his hand! Christy flinched hard holding her emerald still clutched tightly—as that single sound exploded through dead air like thunder inside a tomb. Her wide eyes snapped to David: "What was that?!" Christy yelled she wasn't scared exactly but deeply unsettled by how unnatural this quiet really was in the darkness. The final stretch! David dropped the last weight stone and like a rocket, their craft shot upward through the vertical shaft toward the open sky.
The wind rushed past them as they climbed rapidly."Hold on!" David called over gusts, his boot hooking into a metal post he'd installed earlier making sure of a safety measure for landings. Then in one smooth motion: David untied glowstones from harnesses. David then, ”lowered Christy gently beside him.” Her feet touching solid ground just inside Bowl Top Mountain's summit cave entrance. Finally They'd made it to Skyland. Christy didn’t hesitate. She walked straight to her dresser (already set up here), placing that jade emerald carefully atop it. And turned back with tear-bright eyes and said to David "You were right… God really loves us."David didn’t say anything. He just crossed the room in three steps then pulled Christy into his arms without warning. The kiss was soft and warm but so full of everything they’d been through today their first flight together “Discovering the emerald. Surviving that eerie silent cave,” said Christy. All leading to this moment home at last, safe on Skyland’s peak with each other as their greatest treasure when he finally leaned back? David's eyes held nothing but pure adoration for her; there were no words needed. And just like that…Just that kiss—sealing everything beautifully, Their love story unfolding in Skyland’s quiet light with Christy’s emerald glowing on the dresser beside them. David’s arms around her like home itself. It wasn’t grand or dramatic…Just soft, real happiness between two souls who found each other through caves and glowstones. And now? They could finally just be in The Eyes Of Love.
Written and Published by Jack W. Horn
August 29, 2026, 1:16 PM