Dark Cave

• Emma Christie, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2007

“Do you think we are safe from that lion?” I said in a frightened whisper. “Not for long! We’d better get out of here, otherwise WE are going to be dinner tonight!” my friend Sally replied quietly. We quietly snuck through a bush and hid in a cave. I said, “we should be safe in here. I’ll start a fire.” “I think I might go and look around this cave. Remember, don’t go anywhere, and I’ll be back soon,” Sally replied.
I was feeling frightened and alone while Sally was exploring the cave. I tried to stay awake until Sally returned, but I unfortunately fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning, Sally was nowhere to be seen.
“Sally, Sally!” I yelled. I thought I should go and look for her, but I remembered that I couldn’t leave the cave until she came back. The question was to leave or not to leave? If I stayed, she could be in DANGER, but if I went, she could return and think that I had gone missing.
Ten minutes later, I thought that I had better go and look for her because she had been missing for quite a while by then. As I was about to enter the cave, out of nowhere, a large shadow appeared, blocking the entrance. I was too frightened to run around. Then the shadow began to speak. As it spoke, I realized it was the night watchman.
“Who are you, and where am I?” I said in a calm whisper. The night watchman replied, “I am Tim, Tim the night Watchman. You are at the African Zoo. You are so very lucky to be found, little lady.” “Have you found my friend, Sally?” I asked him. “Indeed I did. I found her wandering around the zoo, trying to find you,” he told me.
Tim took me back to the headquarters. “Sally! Sally!” I shouted happily. I quickly ran over to her. “Where have you been?” I said. “I got lost in the cave,” Sally replied. “Cave! What cave?” the night watchman butted in. “There are no caves in this zoo!’ “There is one down in the jungle,” I replied.
We went outside to show him the cave. When we got there, the cave was what they called a cage. The lion was actually in a barred cage. The fire was actually a little lamp, and the shadow was really Tim’s shadow. We felt pretty silly.
After that Tim took us home. When we got home mum and dad were so pleased to see us! We hope to never do that LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE AGAIN (even though it was pretty wicked).