Three Days of Stone

Day Three

They would never see me coming.

It was dawn when I left my cave. My sharpest spear hung proudly from my carefully re-inforced leathers. A slight breeze whipped my hair round my shoulders, and I glanced skywards to check for signs of snowfall. There were not any. The sky was navy blue, streaked with shades of dark yellow and pale pink.

The snow on the ground was less deep than it had been. Spring must be nearing. I had to be more careful as my footsteps were not muffled so well.

There was not a sound in the air. The world was still. I knew I would have to bide my time near the cave of the ape men until they set off to gather food. They would never know what had hit them.

Living alone for many years meant I knew my surroundings well. I remembered perfectly the route to the cave the lesser men called home. I heard them before I saw them, their colossal noses making considerable noise as all three of them snored in their slumber.

I would have to wait until they woke.

***

The ape men had left, presumably to gather food, a short while ago. I looked around the treasure cove that was their cave, and gaped at how well organised it was, at how much it looked like... mine.

Intricate etchings and paintings adorned the large cave walls, depicting the ape men hunting animals, and caring for each other. Some of the etchings were so deep that it must've taken some time for the image to be completed.

Slightly further into the cave I found stored acorns. I took these, as I knew they would roast beautifully. There was a vulture carcass sprawled on the ground to my left, half of its ebony feathers missing from its lifeless body. I wondered, what could they possibly want with these? They must've been using the carcass for the feathers alone, as the bodies of these birds were far too acidic to consume.

I had not heard a sound before I felt breath on my neck. The last thing I remembered was the pain of a rough, cold rock whacking the back of my head.

***

My eyes felt heavy as I came round. My head throbbed, with intermittent twangs of sharp pain ricocheting from one temple to the other. I touched the most painful spot on the back of my head, and a small amount of blood came away on my hand.

I looked up and saw one of the ape-like females staring at me quizzically, looking a little intrigued and a little frightened at the same time. I tried to jump up to fight but I was hit with waves of dizziness and stumbled, crashing back onto the ground. My hands were grazed by the cave floor, the top layer of my skin slight scraped away. I winced.

She looked startled, jumping back herself when I moved. She looked even more afraid now.

Obviously aware of my current weakness, she approached me, cocking her head to the side. She reached her hand out to mine and touched it gently, looking hesitant. My heart leapt into my throat. Was she going to kill me? Stab me with my own spear?

It was then I noticed that none of my weapons were on my person. The ape woman had probably moved them. Clever.

I thought about how I might escape. Should I wound her? Kill her? Wait til she left or fell asleep and hope she did not gut me alive first?

She stopped and sighed loudly, a guttural sound due to the size of her nose. From this close distance, it really did look large. I wondered if she had a better sense of smell than me.

I raised my hands to the sides of my head, shaking slightly. I wanted to show her that I was no threat, that she could let me go unharmed. She did not understand my gesture, and leaped backwards with surprising agility.

The next few moments were a blur.

Her family, friends, lovers, comrades, whatever they may have been - they had returned. Three pairs of dark eyes stared down on me, the male's in particular looked menacing. This was it. I was going to die here.

My heart thumped in my chest as adrenaline kicked in. I jumped onto my feet, balancing myself on the wall when a wave of dizziness hit me. I was ready to fight. I had to, for my life.

I stepped forward, pulling my shoulders back in an attempt to intimidate. My gaze flickered to my left, and I saw a large, cumbersome-looking weapon. It was almost like a spear, but larger, the stone point looking more rough. I grabbed it, and within seconds, plunged it into the chest of the male ape man. He left out a loud, stifled cry, as blood poured like a fountain around my weapon. I drew the spear from his body and blood began spurting out. The light left his eyes in seconds.

The women looked terrified now. The one who had arrived with the now corpse lurched towards me, her sharp nails scraping onto my neck. She was too rash, too unprotected. I destroyed her in the same way as the first, a quick but vicious death.

Shivering wails escaped the mouth of the surviving woman. The tears she shed could only have been those for family. I recognised that look, her desperate scream, her realisation that she was now alone.

She was, in that moment, a mirror of myself the day my parents were taken from me.

The memory touched a raw nerve. I felt her pain. I pitied her too. Guilt crept into my body - did I have to kill the others? Were they really a threat to me?

I decided I could never have taken that chance. I had to survive. I would do whatever it took.

I dropped the weapon on the ground, and turned to face the woman once more. She looked up at me, confused, as if I were mad, unpredictable. I suppose I was.

I turned my back to her and left the cave, stepping over the bodies I had taken the lives from.