Cave Girl

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. The room was really just a niche in their cave and the window was a small opening that was kept blocked with a stone to keep out the cold. She wasn’t supposed to move the stone, but when her father was out hunting, she couldn’t help herself. She would peak out at the frozen landscape hoping to see her father returning.

The girl had lived for twelve years and had spent most of the last three of those years inside their cave. That was when the cold had come and never left. Her father had told her since he was a boy the cold times had been getting longer and longer until they finally didn’t go away. He said there used to be many members of their tribe, but now he and the girl were all that remained. Their people could not cope with the cold. As food became scarce, they died off and the survivors scattered as they searched for better places to live. They had been fortunate to find the cave, but it wasn’t enough to save the girl’s mother. She had died a short time after they settled in.

The cave was her entire world. It was cold inside, but she had become accustomed to it. She kept a small fire going at all times, burning whatever wood and dried moss her father could scavenge. As he was climbing up to the cave’s small entrance her father would always remind her to keep the fire lit. Then he would assure her that he would be back soon. It was always at that moment that she felt the fear and loneliness rise within her. She would run to the window to watch as he walked away and begin the vigil waiting for his return.

She had no real way to mark the time. The landscape was so gray that she couldn’t really tell the movement of the sun. Still, on this day, it seemed like he had been gone longer that usual. He had told her it had been harder of late to find animals he could hunt on his own. Years ago, when his people hunted in groups it was not hard for them to bring down large prey that could feed them all for many days. Now, her father could only catch small animals that they would try to make last as long as possible. She never complained. The girl knew how hard it was for her father to keep them alive.

She was getting very worried when she suddenly noticed a dark figure moving through the blowing snow. It was a great relief as the figure of her father became clearer. Her relief turned to fear when she realized that he was running.

The girl’s father was strong and solid, but he was not fast. She watched as two other figures appeared, chasing her father. They were taller and faster. She recognized them as the “others,”

Her father had told her that from the time he was a boy he could remember seeing the “others.” In some ways they were like him and his people, but there were differences, too. Besides being taller and thinner, these people were not as bothered by the cold. They were very good hunters and had different tools they used in the hunt. They had many offspring and their groups seemed to get larger all the time. Her father said they were to be avoided. He told her that sometimes they would meet peacefully, but would often be hostile. The two “others” chasing her father did not seem interested in peace.

Her father must have sensed they were getting close to him. He stopped running and faced the two men. One came at him with a spear but her father was able to catch the man and toss him to the side. The man hit the frozen ground with a thud and a scream of pain. The second man stabbed at her father with his spear, piercing his side. The girl screamed, but her father seemed unaffected. He grabbed the second man and threw him down near his companion. The two “others” got to their feet, but did not attack again. They backed off slowly and then turned and ran.

Her father began running toward the cave. The girl waited for him by the entrance. When he came in, he smiled at her, but she could tell he was badly hurt. Blood was pouring out where he held his hand at his side. The girl led her father to the pile of straw and skins near the fire. She got some water as he took off his fur cloak and lay down.

The girl cleaned the stab wound. She could tell it was bad, but her father assured her he was fine. She packed moss over the wound and then wrapped leather straps around him to stop the bleeding. He drank a bit of water but wouldn’t eat.

Her father told her to look at the things he had found. There were two large pieces of nearly frozen meat. It was from a large animal. He said that it had been killed by a group of “others” but he had managed to sneak it away. Unfortunately, two of the hunters had chased after him. She thanked her father then told him to rest. She would prepare some of the meat so he could get strong again. She squeezed his hand and he smiled at her. Then he closed his eyes and slept.

By the time the meat was cooked, her father was dead. When the girl couldn’t wake him, she threw herself on his chest and cried for a long time. When she finally composed herself, she decided to eat the food she had prepared. She knew her father would have wanted that. She thanked him again when she was finished.

The girl worked into the night preparing her father’s body for the next life. She cleaned him and wrapped him in warm furs, including those he wore to hunt. She put a spear and some dried meat with him. She couldn’t decide if she should include the talisman he always wore around his neck. It was a small animal carved from bone tied to a leather strap. She decided to keep it for herself to remember her father.

The next morning, she dug a grave at the back of the cave near where her mother was buried. She dragged him in and covered him over. She called to the spirit of her mother to welcome her father. Then, she sat by the graves for most of the day crying. She was sad for the loss of her father, but also for herself. She did not know what would happen to her now.

She spent her days looking out her window, hoping to see some change in the weather. She was always disappointed. The white landscape never changed. The girl ate little, hoping to make her food last as long as possible. She also kept her fires small. Nonetheless, her supplies were soon dwindling. She knew that she would need to take her chances outside the cave.

She waited for a morning when the air was still and the sky was bright. She packed up what food she had left and took two of her father’s spears. She climbed up to the cave opening and took her first steps outside.

The girl was surprised at the cold. Her fur pelts did a good job protecting her, but anywhere there was exposed skin the air was biting. She randomly chose a direction and started walking. She worried that it was a mistake to abandon her cave, but she knew that she wouldn’t survive alone.

After a full day of walking, she found herself in a wooded area. The girl managed to make a small fire and ate the last of her food. Then she huddled beneath her furs as next to the fire.

The girl awoke to find herself partly covered in snow. A storm had struck overnight. The wind and blowing snow made it hard for her to walk, but she had no choice. She struggled on for a long time hoping to find some sign of people. As she continued through the woods she was shivering and exhausted. It was still daylight when she collapsed.

A man and woman walked amongst the trees collecting fallen branches. They felt the cold, but they were accustomed to it. They talked and laughed as they worked. The man saw something ahead of him and went to investigate. He was hoping it was a fallen animal that they could bring back to the caves. When he got close, he was surprised to see that it was a girl. He called his companion to come see. They thought she was dead until they saw her trying to open her eyes.

The girl was not fully awake, but she could see a man and woman standing over her. They were tall and thin and she realized they were “others,” She wanted to run, but she couldn’t even move. The two seemed to be arguing.

The man recognized the girl was from one of the different peoples and wanted to just leave her. The woman refused. She said it was just a harmless little girl and said they needed to help her. She made the man pick her up and together they headed back to their tribe. The woman said something soothing to the girl in a language she did not understand. She smiled and put her hand on the girl’s cheek. The girl didn’t know what was happening, but she did not feel afraid anymore.

The woman nursed the girl back to health. She kept her as a daughter and the rest of the tribe came to accept the girl as one of them. The girl also stopped thinking of the tribe as “others”.

The girl grew old with the tribe. She had children and grandchildren, but she was really the last true Neanderthal, as her people would one day be known. When she died, there was great sorrow. Her tribe buried her with the respect due any elder. Around her neck she still wore the talisman of the small animal that had been her father’s.