Randall Twede

Dar awoke in a cold sweat, the fear engulfing him, the sound of his own screams still ringing inside his head. He trembled in the chill, predawn darkness. It had seemed so real: the pain, his screams, and the shouts of his father and the other hunters.

Today was the day, the culmination of every day that had preceded it. He realized now that his childhood games had been much more than mere games. As the darkness slowly faded, he couldn't help wondering how things would turn out. Would he be the pride of his clan, or it's shame?

His father's sister was the first to wake. He watched silently as she fed the fire and started preparing the morning meal. She looked up and smiled at him. "Are you excited?" she asked. "You should be. Today you become a man."

Dar looked at her. "Perhaps." he replied sullenly. The thoughts raced through his mind. He imagined himself bleeding on the ground, or worse, dropping his spear and running in fear.

One by one the rest of the clan awoke. The smoke from the fire filled the cave burning his eyes, but the smell of the meat cooking made him hungry. He silently waited with the women and the other children for the men to finish. His resolve hardened. "After today I will wait with the children no more!" he thought.

As the sun finally rose above the horizon, the men prepared for the hunt. Dar rose when his father approached and handed him a spear. "Remember, plant the butt of the spear and do not let go of it." He explained. "Come, we go now."

The trail led down from the rocks and into the sunlight-dappled forest. Several of the hunters scouted ahead. Dar could hear their signals, or were they real birds? He couldn't tell. Step by step, his uncertainty growing, he followed the others.

The sun rose higher, warming the air. It was straight overhead when the scouts returned. One of them pointed to the left excitedly. Dar felt self-conscious as all their eyes focused on him. He took a deep breath and headed in the indicated direction as silently as he could.

Alone, he proceeded through the trees for what seemed like an eternity. His ears straining for any sound from up ahead, his heart felt as if it would leap out of his throat. Sweat trickled from his armpits though it was not hot in the shady forest.

He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Ahead he could hear the unmistakable grunting sound. With a loud squeal the boar charged. A sense of déjà vu overwhelmed him. This was just like the dream. Would it end the same way? Remembering his father's words, he planted the butt of the spear in the ground and gripped it till his knuckles turned white.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. He waited for what seemed an eternity, then, suddenly it was over. His clansmen were patting him on the back. The boar lay dead before him, it's fearsome tusks no longer a threat. "Well done son!" his father exclaimed.