Julia Scharf September 26, 2012 English 6 Weekly Writing 2 Weekly Writing 2 By Julia Scharf It all started when

I was strolling through the trees on my way home from school and came across the cave that changed my life forever. It was hidden in the blackberry bushes so I completely understood why it had never been discovered before. In fact, I would never had found it if it hadnt been for the wind and the fact that I hadnt closed my backpack. It was chilly and the light breeze was really picking up. The ground was covered in a blanket of red, brown, and gold as the fall season slowly rolled in. It was typical weather for an autumn day in Oregon. The clouds covered the sun and I could hear the crunch of fallen leaves under my feet. Everything about that that day had been normal: I woke up (like I always do), went to school, received homework, and was now walking home. It was a completely unexciting Tuesday that is until the wind became so harsh it blew my English homework into the blackberry bushes! Of course with my luck the paper got stuck at the very top of the shrubbery. I had to stand on my very tippy-toes to even come close to reaching it, but that still wasnt close enough. I was getting really frustrated because by then it was becoming viciously cold and I knew that there was some of my moms famous hot

chocolate waiting for me at home. So I did the one thing you should not do while standing by a blackberry bush I jumped. I wasnt trying to go forward at all. I was merely trying to jump up and then reach my hand out to grab my paper. I must have been standing at an odd angle, or maybe I just needed to pay better attention during gym class when Mr. Mason was teaching us how to propel ourselves upward with something he calls the rocketjump. (Trust me its not nearly as amusing as you might think!). Anyhow, I managed to rocket-jump myself right into the razor sharp thorns that were obscuring the entrance to a never before discovered prehistoric cave. I kept waiting for myself to slam into the side of the big hill that lines the bike path I was roaming, but it never happened. I kept feeling the quick pokes of the blackberry vines through my jacket, but luckily that morning my mom had made me dress head to toe in thick clothing insisting it was going to rain. I was falling; much farther than I thought the bushes extended. The experience seemed to be going on forever. I was continuously being pricked in the face, and it was extremely painful. It felt like it was never going to end until suddenly it came to an unexpected end and I was no longer hazardously plummeting through fruit plants. Instead I landed smack on my stomach on the hard, cold, wet ground. I heard a startling loud crunch and at first I thought I had broken a bone or two. Carefully I stood up and shook out my arms and legs. I felt no pain, so I was aware hadnt broken my body. I tried to take in my surroundings but it was pitch black in whatever space I landed. I waited for my eyes to adjust, and the first

thing I saw were the huge stalactites, which were like massive icicles hanging down from the roof of my hidden shelter. They were extremely pointy and dangerous looking. The next thing I noticed was a dripping sound that seemed to be coming from above. Was there a leak in the ceiling? I thought to myself. I reached up to touch the roof of the chamber I had discovered. My arm barely had to extend to reach the freezing , wet, bumpy surface above me. After a split second I recoiled my arm. Where was I? What kind of a place was hidden by thorny bushes to reveal a wet and cold cave? Cave! I yelled out loud! Of course thats what it was. To this day I still cant believe that after falling into the side of a mountain, hearing the dripping of water, feeling the cold walls, and seeing the stalactites it took me that long to realize it was a cave! To be honest I was tremendously disappointed in myself for not making the connection. My eyes had finally adjusted and I could now see that the chamber kept extending on like a hallway. I decided to keep on walking for I was in no mood to try to find some way exit the cave. I straightened up and took a step in the direction leading me away from the entrance in which I fell through. The ground was soaked and resulted in a highly irritating squeaking sound as my sneakers made their way across the floor. Oh shoot! I exclaimed as the toe of my shoe got caught on something and I was sent tumbling down once again that day. I looked at the object I had tripped on. It resembled a skull. It cant be. I told myself as I backed away, more than a little frightened by the mysterious or

incredible item in front of me. The face was too long to be that of a modern human, and the eye sockets were much to large, not to mention the jaw was huge! Cautiously I stood up and circled the artifact too afraid to actually touch it, but still wanting to get a better look at it. All the facial features seemed to be in the correct place, but they just didnt seem right. The nose was far too broad to belong on the face of a human. It looked more like a face in development. What was it that Ms. Childress had taught as about? What were they again? Oh right! Hominids. Thats what it looked like. But that couldnt possibly be a hominid skull, though it did remind me a lot of what Ms. Childress had described to us as a Homo Sapiens Neanderthal. Although it couldnt possibly be have been one of those because they lived in caves, which I was currently in. I freaked out! I had just uncovered a prehistoric human skull! This was amazing. This was extraordinary. How would everybody react? What would they say? Would they ask to see the cave? Do I really want to show it to them? Would they even believe me? These were the thoughts that went through my mind as I pushed myself off the floor and continued down the cool, moist, slippery, dark, narrow passageway. As I made my way down the corridor, every few steps I would stop and examine the area for any traces of ancient civilization. Eventually that corridor fed into another large chamber much like the one I first came across. Unfortunately, I found nothing largely interesting for about ten minutes. I was considering turning around and heading back to the main room when a flash of color caught my eye. I spun around to look at the far wall, and there was an incredible mural.

I distinctly remembered Ms. Childress talking about type of art. It was a cave painting, and a massive one at that. I guess Neanderthals werent the only ones who occupied this cave. Homo Sapiens Sapiens was the first human and also the first to paint cave paintings. I admired the painting for quite some time. It took up a whole side of the room, but it was beautiful. It appeared to be a hunting scene. There were people with bows and arrows, and spears, and knives, establishing that there was not a lack of weaponry. The hunters seemed to be approaching a group of various animals such as deer, elephants, birds, and oxen. Some animals had their backs facing the humans indicating they were trying to run away. Other creatures were lying on the ground with blood flowing out of their wounds. And yet others just stood there, I expected they were too shocked to move or do anything to protect them. The feelings that filled me were a mix of amazement and terror. I had never experienced a piece of art so dark. I no longer wanted to stand in its presence, plus my internal clock was telling me it was getting late. I thought about how worried my mother must be about my whereabouts. I made my made my way to the place where I first entered the incredible cave. That day was the most memorable day of my life. I stared at the opening that was covered by prickly bushes. Now, the only question left was how was I going to get out of that cave?