Free Flash Fiction: The First Cave Painting, Maybe
A grin crossed Howl’s face as the chief’s daughter walked by.
“Hi Ember. I’m going up to one of the caves. Wanna come?” he asked the lovely girl who no longer hung out with him.
The stunningly beautiful young woman looked down her nose at him, sitting by the small fire. “I can’t. I have to paint dad’s ceremonial mask,” she said and turned away.
Howl knew an excuse when he heard it. Especially from her. They had been playmates their entire lives. She only went exploring with senior hunters now. Then an idea hit him.
“There are mushrooms there,” he said very slowly is a voice that would carry no further than her ears.
Ember froze, turned and came back. Keeping her voice even quieter, she asked, “Which ones?”
He knew that look too. He dropped his voice even lower. “Exactly the ones you’re thinking about.”
Her eyes flashed about, noting who was watching. Then she bit her lip and whispered, “I’ll meet you at the washing creek.”
So, she didn’t want anyone to tell the senior hunters she had gone off with him, did she? No matter, if she went up there, after she had a few mushrooms, he would be exploring the cave he really wanted to visit. That was what really mattered. He dearly hoped no one else had found his stash.
“What about painting your father’s mask?” he mocked.
“Easy enough. I can take the mask and paint with me.”
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So how much of these cave painting were just stone age kids writing on the wall like they today?
