It was a hot summer’s day in a small village on the edge of a forest. Katrin, Kevin, Anna and Tom, four inseparable friends, were sitting lazily on the grass behind Katrin’s house, trying to escape the sweltering heat. “I’m so bored,” Kevin grumbled, throwing a stone into the stream.
“Me too,” Anna agreed, waving a piece of cardboard in the air. “Isn’t there anything exciting to do around here?”
Katrin sat up and grinned. “Have you ever heard of the old house on the edge of the forest? It’s supposed to be abandoned and have a secret entrance to a stalactite cave in the basement.”
Tom, who had been silently leafing through a book, looked up. “That sounds like a real adventure story,” he said with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Exactly!” said Katrin enthusiastically. “Just imagine what we could discover there!”
“Do you think we should really go there?” Anna asked skeptically. “It could be dangerous.”
Kevin waved it off. “Oh, come on, we’re well prepared. We’ve got everything we need. And besides… when has a little danger ever stopped us?”
Tom nodded in agreement. “It’ll be a real adventure. And who knows, maybe there really is a cave down there. That would be amazing!”
“Okay, I’m in,” Anna finally said, infected by the enthusiasm of her friends. “But only if we prepare well and take care.”
Katrin clapped her hands. “Great! Then we’ll meet here tomorrow morning and pack everything we need. Nobody tells our parents what we’re really up to. We just say we’re going camping.”
“It’s a deal!” they all shout at the same time and laugh.
The friends set off for home, full of anticipation for the great adventure that awaited them. The plan was set and the excitement kept them from sleeping.
The next morning dawned and the sun shone brightly from a clear sky. Katrin was the first to arrive at home, followed by Kevin, Anna and finally Tom. Each of them was carrying a bulging backpack.
“Have you got everything?” Katrin asked, checking her own equipment once more. “Provisions, tent, torches, ropes, first-aid kit…”
Kevin nodded. “Yes, and I even found some old maps. Maybe they’ll help us find the entrance to the cave.”
Anna took out a water bottle and laughed. “I’ve got enough water for all of us. We don’t want to dehydrate.”
Tom lifted a small folding shovel and a few flares into the air. “In case we have to dig ourselves in or someone finds us.”
“Perfect!” said Katrin, satisfied. “Then we can get started. Let’s tell our parents.”
The friends went home to say goodbye to their parents. “We’re going camping in the forest,” Katrin explained to her mother. “We’ll be back in a few days.”
Her mother smiled and nodded. “Take care and have fun, but be careful.”
After saying goodbye to their parents, the four friends met up again at Katrin’s house. “Are we ready?” Kevin asked excitedly.
“Absolutely,” Anna replied, closing her backpack. “Let’s go!”
Full of excitement and anticipation, they set off on their adventure. The path led them through dense forests, past babbling brooks and over moss-covered hills. They laughed and joked along the way, their excitement growing with every step.
“I can’t wait to see the old house,” said Tom, brandishing his flashlight like a sword. “Who knows what secrets await us there.”
“And the cave,” added Katrin. “I’ve heard of stalactite caves, but I’ve never seen one.”
“Hopefully we’ll find the entrance,” said Anna. “It would be really disappointing if we’d come all this way for nothing.”
“Don’t worry,” said Kevin confidently. “We’ll make it. And if we don’t, it’ll still be a great adventure.”
The forest seemed to come to life as the friends ventured deeper into it. The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional crackling of branches under their feet created an exciting atmosphere. The sun’s rays fell through the canopy of leaves, bathing the path in a magical light.
“I’m curious to see what’s waiting for us there,” said Katrin, looking around curiously. “Maybe we’ll come across something old or hidden.”
Anna smiled. “Or maybe just a lot of dust and cobwebs. But the adventure counts!”
Kevin, who had gone ahead, turned around. “No matter what we discover, it will definitely be exciting. I just hope we haven’t forgotten anything important.”
Tom laughed. “We’re well prepared. Besides, it wouldn’t be an adventure anymore if we knew everything.”
The hike became steeper and steeper, and the friends had to mobilize their strength to make progress. The path was not always clear, but Kevin’s maps helped them to find the right way.
“This way,” Kevin called, pointing to a narrow path that led deeper into the forest. “We’re almost there.”
“Hopefully,” Anna gasped, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “I need a break.”
“As soon as we reach the old house, we’ll take a break,” Katrin promised. “It can’t be much further.”
After another exhausting kilometer through the dense forest, the old, abandoned house finally appeared before them. It was overgrown with ivy and looked as dilapidated as they had imagined. The windows were broken, the doors hung crookedly on their hinges and the roof had collapsed in several places.
“There it is,” said Tom quietly, as if he didn’t want to disturb the silence of the place. “The old house.”
“It looks really creepy,” Anna whispered, coming up to Kevin.
“Perfect for our adventure,” said Kevin, grinning broadly. “Let’s go inside.”
They entered the house carefully, the floorboards creaking under their feet. Dust swirled up as they moved through the old, abandoned rooms. They laughed and had a lot of fun scaring each other and examining the old furniture.
“Look at that!” Katrin called, pointing to an old, dusty clock hanging on the wall. “It must have been here forever.”
“And look at the old pictures,” Anna added. “Who do you think lived here?”
Tom spotted a half-ruined cupboard and opened it curiously. “Maybe we’ll find something useful in here.”
Kevin, who had run into the hallway, suddenly called out: “I think I’ve found the cellar!”
The others hurried over and saw a heavy trapdoor in the floor, half-hidden under an old cupboard.
“That must be the entrance,” Katrin called excitedly. “Let’s open the trapdoor!”
The friends stood around the heavy trapdoor and stared spellbound at the old wood. Kevin knelt down and put his ear to the door. “I don’t hear anything,” he said, looking up at the others. “Help me open this thing.”
“Come on, let’s get started,” said Tom and went to the other side of the trapdoor. Together they lifted it, but the wood creaked and hardly budged.
“It’s really heavy,” Kevin gasped. “Anna… Katrin… help us.”
The two girls came over and together they managed to slowly lift the trapdoor. With a loud creak and a jerk, it finally opened, revealing a dark staircase leading down into the depths.
“There it is,” whispered Katrin in awe. “The stairs to the basement.”
“Who goes first?” Anna asked nervously, squinting into the darkness.
Kevin pulled out his flashlight and switched it on. “I’ll go first. Stay close behind me.”
With a pounding heart, Kevin descended the creaking stairs, closely followed by the others. The beam of his flashlight illuminated the way and revealed the damp, stone walls of the cellar. The room was large and cool, the air smelled of mold and dust.
“It’s kind of creepy,” Tom murmured, looking around.
“But it’s also exciting,” added Katrin. “Just imagine what we could find down here.”
They searched the cellar for clues to the secret entrance to the cave. Finally, Anna came across a wall that looked different from the others. “Look here! This wall looks somehow newer.”
Kevin came closer and shone the torch on the stones. “You’re right. Maybe this is the entrance.”
“How do we get the wall open?” asked Tom, knocking on the stones. “There’s no obvious lever or anything.”
“Let’s take a closer look at the wall,” said Katrin, starting to feel around the stones. “Maybe there’s a hidden mechanism.”
After a few minutes, Anna called excitedly: “I think I’ve found something!” She pressed a small, barely visible stone and with a soft click, the wall began to move. Slowly, part of the wall slid aside, revealing a dark opening.
“This must be the entrance to the cave!” Kevin exclaimed excitedly. “Let’s attach the ropes and climb down.”
They carefully attached their ropes to a sturdy beam and checked the knots. Kevin went down first, followed by Katrin, Anna and finally Tom. Darkness surrounded them, only the beams of their torches lit the way.
“Wow,” whispered Tom as he arrived at the bottom.
They were standing at the entrance to a huge cave that opened up before them. Sparkling stalactites and stalagmites glistened in the light of their torches, and the walls shimmered in different colors.
“It’s breathtaking,” said Anna, unable to take her eyes off the formations.
The air was cool and damp, and a faint dripping echoed through the room. Kevin raised his flashlight and shone it deeper into the cave. “Come on, let’s keep going. Who knows what else we might discover.
Katrin nodded and took the lead. “Stay close together. We don’t want to get lost.”
They walked on slowly, the beams of their torches dancing across the cave walls. The stalactites and stalagmites shimmered in different colors, as if they were glowing from within. Again and again, the friends stopped to marvel at the fascinating formations.
“Look at that,” said Tom, pointing to a particularly large stalagmite that looked like a giant crystal.
“I wonder how deep this cave is,” Anna said aloud. “Maybe there are more secrets to discover.”
“We’ll find out,” said Kevin determinedly.
After a while, they came to a place where the cave widened. In the middle stood an old rusty kettle. Next to it were scattered tools and a half-ruined box.
“What is that?” Katrin asked, kneeling down next to the kettle to examine it more closely.
“It looks like someone was working here,” said Tom, picking up one of the tools. “Maybe people were looking for something here.”
“Or it was a hiding place,” speculated Anna. “A secret place to hide treasures.”
Kevin searched the dilapidated box and found a few old coins and some rusty jewelry. “Look, these are real antiques!”
“That’s incredible,” said Katrin, taking one of the coins in her hand. “We really have found something special.”
Suddenly they heard a strange noise from the depths of the cave. It sounded like a whisper, followed by a soft laugh. The friends looked at each other in shock.
“Did you hear that too?” Anna asked in a trembling voice.
Kevin nodded. “Yes, it came from over there.”
“What do we do now?” Tom asked nervously. “Should we go and see?”
“We’ve come this far,” said Katrin firmly. “We can’t just turn around now. Let’s take a look carefully.”
Slowly and carefully, they continued in the direction from which the noises had come. The whispering grew louder and the laughter sounded clearer. Finally, they reached a bend in the cave and saw a faint light in the distance.
“There’s something over there,” Kevin whispered. “Let’s go closer.”
With their hearts pounding, the friends crept closer to the light. When they rounded the bend, they could hardly believe their eyes. In front of them was a large chamber with a fire burning inside. Around the fire sat a group of people dressed in strange, old-fashioned clothes.
“They’re not people,” whispered Anna anxiously. “They’re Neanderthals!”
The friends were rooted to the spot when they saw the Neanderthals gathered around the fire. The prehistoric people looked surprisingly alive and real, their coarse facial features clearly visible in the flickering light of the fire.
“What do we do now?” whispered Tom, clinging to Kevin’s arm.
“We should be careful,” Kevin replied quietly. “Maybe they’re not friendly.”
Katrin, the bravest of the group, stepped forward and raised her hands to show that she posed no threat. “Hello,” she said slowly and clearly. “We come in peace.”
The Neanderthals looked up and watched the four teenagers suspiciously. One of the older ones, probably the leader, rose and slowly walked towards them. He scrutinized them sharply, then made a gesture that they interpreted as an invitation.
“I think he wants us to come closer,” said Anna, and followed Katrin carefully.
Slowly they approached the fire and finally sat in a semi-circle around the flames. The Neanderthals seemed to relax and watched them curiously. Katrin tried to explain with gestures and simple drawings in the sand that they were friends and meant them no harm.
The chief nodded slowly and made a similar gesture, which apparently meant peace. Then he pointed to the fire and offered them a piece of roasted meat.
“This is really crazy,” whispered Tom, accepting the offer. “We’re actually sitting by the fire with Neanderthals.”
“And they seem to accept us,” Anna added. “It’s like a miracle.”
Kevin started drawing simple pictures in the sand with some of the younger Neanderthals. They laughed and imitated his movements, and the ice between the two groups was finally broken.
Time flew by. Through sign language and imitation, the friends learned a lot about the Neanderthals’ lives. They saw how they hunted, made tools and built their simple dwellings in the cave. The Neanderthals showed them how to hunt and where to find water in the cave.
“I never thought we would experience something like this,” said Katrin, as she watched in fascination as the chief lit a fire.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure,” Anna agreed. “I’m so glad we found this place.”
Night fell and the friends prepared to leave. They found it hard to say goodbye to the Neanderthals. The prehistoric family had proved to be friendly and curious, and the teenagers had quickly formed a deep bond with them.
It was with heavy hearts that they began the journey back. The return journey through the cave was quiet and thoughtful. When they climbed the last rock face and emerged into the daylight again, they had the feeling that they had left another world behind them.
“It feels like we’ve been there forever,” said Anna, sitting down on a rock and taking a deep breath.
“Yes, but I’m glad we’re out again,” Tom admitted. “It was an incredible experience, but I have the feeling that we need to process it first.”
Katrin nodded in agreement. “Let’s go home and rest. We can meet up again later and talk about everything.”
The friends walked more slowly than on the way there, their thoughts were with the experiences in the cave.
“We mustn’t tell anyone about this,” Kevin reminded the others. “It’s our secret, to protect the Neanderthals.”
“Absolutely,” agreed Tom. “But we should document everything so that we can tell our own children about it later.”
Kevin took out the coins and jewelry they had found in the cave. “These things are proof of our adventure. We should keep them safe.”
“Maybe we can bury a little treasure,” suggested Tom. “As a reminder of our time with the Neanderthals.”
The idea was well received, and the next day they met to find a secret place in the forest where they could bury their treasure. They marked the spot with a special sign that only they understood.
“This will be our secret place,” said Katrin as she laid the last stone. “We can come here again and again and remember our adventure.”
The friends met regularly to talk about their experiences in the cave. One evening, they were sitting in Katrin’s garden again, the campfire was crackling and the smell of grilled marshmallows filled the air.
“It’s hard to believe that this incredible summer is almost over,” said Tom, looking into the flames. “But I have the feeling that we have experienced more in these weeks than ever before.”
“Yes, and we found something truly unique,” Kevin agreed. “Something that belongs only to us.”
Anna smiled. “We didn’t just find the Neanderthals, we also strengthened our friendship. That’s the most important thing.”
“And we made a promise to each other,” Katrin reminded the group. “A promise we have to keep.”
“Maybe we can come back one day,” said Kevin. “When we’re older and have learned more about the world.”
“Yes, but until then we’ll keep the secret,” said Anna, lifting her marshmallow skewer. “To our adventure and our friendship!”
“To our adventure and our friendship!” the others repeated and raised their skewers in a toast.
The summer was coming to an end, but the memories of the Neanderthals and the time they had spent together in the cave remained vivid. The friends knew that they had opened a special chapter in their lives that would forever bind them together.
At every meeting, they talked about their plans and dreamed of new adventures. But the secret of the stalactite cave remained their most precious treasure, a secret they kept deep in their hearts.
