Seven Days in the Cave

It was a warm summer afternoon when Arman and his friends went on a trip to the mountains. The sky was blue, and the birds were singing. Arman was excited. He loved nature, and this was his first time visiting the old mountain that people in the village called "The Whispering Hill."

They had heard many stories about the mountain. Some people said there were hidden caves. Others said strange things happened there. But Arman was not afraid. He wanted to explore.

Day One: The Fall As they were walking along a narrow path, Arman saw something shiny near some rocks. He went closer to look. Suddenly, the ground under his feet broke. He fell into a deep hole.

“Help!” he shouted, but his friends were far ahead and did not hear him.

He hit the ground hard. It was dark, and he could not see anything. He stood up slowly. Nothing was broken, but he was scared.

He turned on the small flashlight he always kept in his pocket. The light showed him he was in a cave. The walls were rough, and the air was cold.

“I must find a way out,” he said to himself.

Day Two: Searching for a Way Arman did not sleep well that night. The ground was hard, and strange sounds came from the cave. He missed his home, his family, and warm food.

In the morning, he began to walk. The cave was big and had many paths. Some led to water, and some to dead ends. He left small stones behind him to remember which way he came from.

He found some water dripping from a rock. He drank it slowly. Then he saw something on the wall — drawings made by people long ago. There were pictures of animals, stars, and people dancing.

“Who lived here?” he wondered.

Day Three: Fear in the Dark On the third day, Arman heard something. A sound like a whisper. It was not the wind. It was soft but clear.

“Go back... Go back…”

He stopped walking. His heart beat fast.

“Is someone here?” he shouted.

But there was no answer.

He waited for a long time, then kept moving. He was tired, and fear made him slow. But he did not give up.

He remembered what his grandfather once told him, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but going forward even when you are afraid.”

Day Four: A Friend in the Cave On the fourth day, Arman saw eyes in the dark. He held up his flashlight. A small animal stared at him — a fox!

The fox was thin and quiet. It looked at him but did not run away.

Arman threw it a piece of bread from his backpack. The fox sniffed it and ate it quickly. Then it sat down and looked at him again.

“You are alone too,” Arman said softly.

He named the fox Shadow, because it moved like one.

From that moment, Shadow followed Arman through the cave. It gave him company and helped him feel less afraid.

Day Five: The Secret Door While walking with Shadow, Arman saw something strange — a flat wall that didn’t look natural. He touched it, and it moved a little. He pushed harder, and the wall opened like a door.

Behind it was a small room. In the center, there was a stone table with a box on top. Arman opened the box. Inside, there were old coins, a wooden flute, and a letter written on animal skin.

He couldn’t read the whole letter, but he saw a few words: “We hid here... the storm came... we left this for the one who finds it.”

“Someone lived here a long time ago,” Arman whispered.

He did not take anything. He closed the box and bowed his head.

“This is their story,” he said. “And now, part of mine.”

Day Six: The Way Out Arman was weak. His food was almost gone, and he missed the sun. Shadow still stayed with him, and they both walked quietly.

That afternoon, Arman saw light ahead. Real light. He ran towards it. It was a small hole, high up in the wall.

“I can’t climb that,” he said. But then he saw stones nearby. He began to stack them.

It took him hours, but finally, he reached the hole. He pushed through, and the sun hit his face.

He was outside.

He laughed and cried at the same time.

Shadow came out too. For a moment, they both stood in silence, feeling the wind and the light.

Day Seven: Home Again Arman walked down the hill. He was tired, dirty, and thin. But he was alive. He saw a group of people near the bottom. One of them shouted, “It’s him! It’s Arman!”

His friends and family ran to him. His mother hugged him tight and cried.

“Where were you?” they asked.

He looked at the mountain and smiled.

“I was in the heart of the earth. I was lost, but I found more than just a way out. I found a story.”

Shadow stayed on a rock, watching. Then it turned and ran back to the cave, its home.

Arman never forgot the seven days he spent in the cave. It changed him forever.

The End Would you like a version in Pashto as well or illustrations based on the story?