I finally decided to write story what would be longer than one chapter. I didn't finish it yet, it's still in process so I have no idea how often I'll update new chapters but I promise I'll do my best and write new chapters as quickly as possible.

I'd like to thank July, my beta-reader. But even though if you'll find any mistake, I'll take all the responsibility. I have to admit, English isn't my mother language but I still try to do my best.

I hope you'll like this story and please, review it, so I'll know what do you think about it.

Enjoy!

It was a perfect day for looking for some interesting adventures. The sky was blue with only few small white fluffed clouds which ran from time to time across the sun. A light breeze blew leaves off the top of some trees. It was an early morning and the air was full of the noise of busy insects and of bird songs. This lovely spring day couldn't be better.

Helen finally stopped her car and got out. She stretched her arms before she opened the rear door and took out her bag full of tools, equipment, food and water, simply everything what could came up handy while she wanted to spend the whole day outside and far away from any civilization. With a final bang she shut the door, locked the car and looked on the almost invisible pathway she needed to go. A smile appeared on her face when she started her walk. This was something she was looking forward for weeks maybe even for months. She was happy that she could finally make this trip.

With easy pace she walked for almost an hour before she arrived at the place she intended to visit. If the information she had were right, somewhere around here should be an opening to a cave, where Helen wanted to go. She put her bag on the ground, took a bottle of water out of it and looked around while she was drinking. After few sips of water her eyes stopped on some spot to her left. It looked promising.

Helen packed up her bottle and left her bag behind. She went to the place she saw moments ago. There were bushes and ivy all over the spot but that didn't discourage her. Helen took out a knife which was hidden in a holster on her right thigh. With the help of the sharp tool she was able to cut off ivy and some branches of the bushes. When she finished cutting there was an opening to a cave waiting for her. Helen smiled to herself.

She went back to her bag, grabbed it, put it on one shoulder and went back to the opening. In her left hand appeared a light while the knife was still in her right hand. She didn't expect anything extraordinary but it was better to be safe than sorry. It wasn't first time that she did something like this so she wasn't imprudent.

She stopped at the opening and switched the light on. The dark entrance was suddenly illuminated with yellow light. There were cobwebs all over the entrance so Helen used her knife to cut her way in. After the cleaning work she finally stepped inside. She looked around her but she didn't see any threat so she slowly continued walking forward.

Helen felt goose-bumps on her bare arms half from the colder weather in the cave half from the pleasant tension. Even though she has done this many times before she always felt a bit nervous when she stepped into something new, something promising. This was the case definitely. She did some research about the cave long time ago but still wasn't sure if this was really the right place. But that changed when she stepped in the cave. She was a scientist so she knew this was irrational but anyway she felt in her bones that this was the right place. Even if she wanted to she couldn't explain the feeling. But that didn't matter right now.

Helen was slowly walking forward her hand with the light was swinging from side to side to see everything and to prevent some unexpected surprise. She listened intently to every sound but there was dead silence. She could hear only her calm breathing. There wasn't any other sound. At least that was what she thought until she heard something. She stopped to listen more intently. Helen shook her head. The sound was gone. She wasn't even sure what exactly she had heard. After few seconds of listening she decided to continue. But after only few steps she heard the sound again. And as before the sound disappeared when she stopped.

Helen was thinking for a moment until she came into conclusion that someone was following her. The grip over her knife tightened. Whoever was it she was ready. She made a few steps back to the entrance of the cave. There was a turn to the right in front of her. She pressed her body against the cold stone before she quickly looked around the corner. Although she thought anything couldn't surprise her she definitely wasn't ready for what she saw.

"Ashley!" she cried with surprise.

"Mom" blurted out the eleven year old girl.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Helen asked her little daughter. She left her in the Sanctuary. Well, at least that she thought.

Ashley smiled nervously. She wanted to surprise her mom but she wasn't ready to be caught. She had a different plan and this wasn't in it. She looked at her mom and when she didn't see any anger in her eyes she decided it was safe to tell the truth. Even if she wanted to lie she couldn't. Her mom taught her not to and she didn't want to disappoint her.

"I was hiding in the trunk of the car" Ashley answered and she was proud that her voice didn't tremble.

"Oh Ashley" Helen sighed. She finally put the knife back into holster. Ashley was definitely not a threat. "That was really dangerous. I hope you won't do it again. Anyway why did you do that?"

Ashley shifted from her left foot to right one. She was sure her mom would be angry at her but she didn't have another choice. "I wanted to go with you and experience an adventure" Ashley confessed.

Then Ashley explained that she had heard her talking to Ravi about this trip, about all the promising signs Helen had discovered and so Ashley decided it was the right time to experience some adventure herself. But Ashley was sure that Helen wouldn't take her with her. She couldn't came up with a better idea than hiding herself in the trunk in the morning before Helen left and hoped she wouldn't be discovered until they would have left the Sanctuary.

"I was following you after you left the car and then I saw you walk into this cave so I went too. How did you know that I was behind you?"

"It was too quiet here so I heard your footsteps" Helen answered without thinking. Then she finally looked properly at hear daughter and what she saw made her smile.

Ashley was dressed in khaki trousers and a beige T-shirt with brown jumpers over her shoulders. On her shoulders was a bag which was almost bigger than Ashley herself. She really looked like a young explorer and Helen had to admit to herself that she loved the way Ashley looked.

Helen finally smiled at her daughter. "Look at you" Helen said "You seem to be ready for whatever this adventure could bring to us."

Ashley smiled too. She was delighted that her mom wasn't angry at her. She just wanted to be like her mom and to prove her she could be as brave as she is.

"What do you have in your bag?" Helen asked curiously.

Ashley opened her bag and let Helen look inside. Helen could see food, water, blankets, lights, and even Ashley's favourite teddy-bear. Helen found a camera, a notepad and a few pencils. Ashley explained to her that it was for the finding. After that Helen was extremely proud of her daughter. She packed up every important thing Helen had in her bag too.

When Helen finally looked back at her daughter she saw the question in her eyes. She smiled at her and said the exact thing her daughter wanted to hear.

"Let's go and explore whatever is hidden in here," Helen said with big smile on her face.

Ashley beamed and clapped her hands together. She was happy her mom didn't want to take her back to the Sanctuary. She took her mom's hand and they walked together toward an adventure.

TO BE CONTINUED...