Monster

Based on “Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

The boy woke up to the sun glistening off the melting snow outside his makeshift house of twigs and stone. Shivering, he pulled his thick parka of animal skin closer around his body and stepped outside into the cold. The wind had scattered the ashes of last night’s fire. The waterdrops of his breath were visible in the air. After a walk of a few miles, he located a nest from the sound of a chirping bird. With a solemn prayer to the creature, he shot it down with his slingshot and crammed the game into his pack. Gripping the branches, he climbed the tree and raided the nest of its eggs. To satisfy his hunger, he gulped the eggs down raw. As evening approached, he discovered a cave near a stream and ventured inside. Inside the cave were strange scribbles of a enormous monster. Backing up from the terrifying scrawls, he tripped over a pile of bones. Through examining the skull, he knew it had been human. By his side was a tattered coat, chipped spearheads, too decayed to salvage. Curiously he inspected a carved bowl’s craftmanship. Inside there were a few tiny seeds. Although the cave was shelter from the wind, the boy was afraid to stay near images of a monster and a skeleton of a human. Taking the bowl, he ran from the place. He immediately regretted this. Outside the cave was the monster that had been inside on the walls. Rearing two large ivory tusks, the monster turned from the stream and looked towards the boy. Throwing the bowl with the seeds to the ground, the boy retreated into the cave. Days later, he finally emerged out of thirst. The monster was gone. In its place was a small plant growing from the seeds.