Candyland chapter 2 The Long Descent

Now a lot of boys would have just sat down and cried. I would have. But Larry was very brave. After several minutes he began to see clearer in the dark. The light glistened on what looked like very old steps that led down into the ground. The steps were small as steps go and water trickled down off the side of the tunnel walls and flowed down either side of the steps. Larry did the only thing he could do. He started descending the steps one by one.

The tunnel curved here and there but always led downward, deeper into the ground. Sometimes the water flowing next to the steps, would slip into some crack and disappear only for new rivulets to form as he descended deeper. The only constant was the soft light that drifted up from below. After what seemed like hours of descending Larry thought that the light might be getting brighter. The rivulets became a small stream that spilled out onto the steps in places. He had to be very careful not to fall as the steps became very slippery.

The light definitely became brighter and Larry in the far distance saw a bright light shining from deep below. How strange, he wondered, that this light had traveled so far, as he looked over his shoulder from where he had come. As he climbed down, the stairs now became the center of a tumbling stream.

He could not help but get wet. He braced his hands on the sides of the tunnel and headed for the light. Finally he came out to sight of amazement. The stream exited what looked like the side of a mountain from which he had just emerged and a few feet later became a waterfall falling several hundred feet below. On the right side a few stones were carefully placed that led to a rock ledge upon which Larry
stepped.

He was on the side of what appeared to be a huge mountain that went in both directions. Above him, not too far, he could see snow as the mountain climbed up until it was hidden in clouds.Below him lay a valley with hills, trees and fields. In the distance he saw other mountains, rivers and lakes. In the distance he could see mountains all around that went up to what looked like sky. There were white clouds here and there, but try as he could, he could see no sun. "Where am I," he thought. "I am deep under the ground and it is like another world." The colors were bright. He could see what looked like fields of flowers far below. Then he noticed it. Leading from the ledge upon which he stood, there was faint path that again led down, along the side of the mountain. Larry looked carefully for any footprints but there were none to be seen. But it was a footpath and it led down. Again, the very brave boy began his descent, but this time on the side of a mountain, to some unknown valley and whatever else lay below.