Gerald The Caveman

• Felix Kwintowski, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2021

Back when cave people still roamed there was a man called Gerald. He worked for the town’s selfish cave chief. Day in and day out, Gerald worked for the mean chief. He cleaned the hut, entertained the rotten chief, and cooked glorious food. After some time, Gerald grew tired of his pitiful life.

The night he ran away was eery and quiet. The wind brushed against his face as he sprinted into the darkness, fireflies glowed dimly in the shadow-filled forest.

Gerald sensed dark figures circling him, it was a pack of wolves. A wolf lurched at Gerald causing him to dive sideways. He dodged another wolf. Then, he jumped onto a wolf’s back. The wolf scurried around trying to shake Gerald off, but he held on tight, determined to survive.
Yet Gerald hadn’t held on tight enough and with a thump he crashed onto the grotty forest floor. Without wasting time on the ground he jumped onto his feet and sprinted to the largest tree trunk. He clambered up to a thick branch and spent the rest of the night there.
When the morning sun arose, he began making a spear. Every day he ventured further and further into the vast bush.

One day Gerald came across a narrow dirt track. He followed it, for he was curious to see where it would take him. As he walked along the track Gerald heard footsteps approaching, he dived into the shrubbery and nervously watched what caused the sound. Another caveman!
The man sighed, ‘Why do I have to go on night patrol, it must be the worst job in the world.’

Gerald couldn’t hide anymore, he jumped up and spoke to the other man. ‘No – it isn’t! In my last job I had to scrub my chief’s toenails!’
The other man screamed when he saw Gerald and blew through a horn – almost immediately more people surrounded him. They blindfolded Gerald, and he was marched to their village.

The town's chief was waiting in a magnificent hut. The mighty chief told Gerald that if he collected the powerful fire crystal his life would be spared, but if he ran away during the mission he would be tracked down and fed to the local sabres. When Gerald was asleep, they hid a tracker in his hair.

The chief told him to head north. Gerald set off.

After a day of walking, there was a growl, and a sabre tooth tiger was in front of him. He gulped. Then an idea struck him, he could swing along the vines.

He was too slow.

The tiger leapt with claws outstretched. It rammed into Gerald, causing blood to trickle from his forearm. The tiger licked his lips and circled the wounded prey. Just as he was about to pounce again, the ground rumbled and a huge Allosaurus came into view behind him. It dived.

The next day, Gerald set off in a new set of Allosaurus armour and a sabre spear.