For Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo prompt

Another bit of fiction – another continuation of previous entries that I have decided to collate in one place – here. Very late this week – it’s not been easy in our lives lately. Hopefully not too late but if it is – hey – I need to keep it going for my sake.

Here Sue’s photo for this week.

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Dawn

By Scott Bailey © 2018

All night she had waited. Watching that dark cave. She knew it was occupied – there had been a fire lit there.

Yet something has held her back. Fear – of what?

Well, for one thing, she did not know how many people were in there. Or what their reception to a stranger might be.

But she was in just as much danger hanging around out here. There were too many wild beasts that would finish her easily.

And she was cold and hungry and alone.

She had nothing left to lose – she told herself. But though she was young, she had lived long enough to know exactly what else she could lose. He life was the least of it.

All night this battle had raged in her, fear of the night, fear of the cave and that fire.

And beneath it all, grief boiled and churned. Tears flowed silently for the family she had lost to that treacherous wave.

Was there a family up there? Huddled in warmth and safety around that fire. She could recall many such scenes with keen sharpness and pain.

Then a thought struck her – if her family had been there they would have posted lookouts. Maybe there were not so many occupants in that shelter.

As she thought over that the sun rose, burst over the cliff top and spilled light like new hope onto the plains.

She stood. Her decision made. She started to climb to towards the cave.

#writephoto