Read Riley's Journey for Free Online

going home. You can’t keep me here. It isn’t legal. Open this door!” She stormed to the moveable rock wall and waited for him to open it.
    “Whatever you want,” he said as he slid the door open, “it’s your funeral.”
    Faltering, she stopped, “Wha…what do you mean?”
    “I mean if you go out there after dark, and it’s after dark now, you could run into a cave bear, or if you get really lucky, you might even run into a saber toothed cat. There’s still a few of those running around.”
    “That’s ridiculous! And if you think I’m going to believe all this garbage you’ve been handing me, you’re crazy!”
    “Think what you want, but before you step outside, consider that I might be telling the truth.” He rolled the huge rock aside, motioning for her to go.
    It was dark outside, the moon reflecting off the snow, but not bright enough for her to be able to see anything clearly, let alone the approach of a wild animal. Nervously, she perused the landscape. On the small chance that he might just be telling the truth, she hesitated. “Maybe it would be better if I waited until morning.”
    “Suit yourself,” he said, rolling the rock back into place, “but that’s the last time tonight I push that rock back.” He turned and re-entered the living area of the cave. Riley waited for a few minutes, unsure what to do.
    “You might as well come on back in here,” he called, “it’s going to get cold out there.”
    Bemused and disgruntled, Riley followed him in. “Fine, but I expect you to help me find the research team in the morning.”
    Shaking his head in frustration, he began pulling out plates, cups and eating utensils and then started to prepare a meal. “Take off your coat and stay awhile,” he instructed. “You’ll roast if you don’t.”
    She thankfully shrugged off the heavy outer coat, relieved to be free of it for awhile.
    “I hate to ask this,” she said hesitantly, “but I need to go to the bathroom. Where do I go?”
    Motioning her to the far room, he pulled the skin aside and held it for her to enter. A bed covered by skins nestled against one wall of the cave along with a small log table holding a number of personal items and pegs on the walls for clothing. The cave stretched further back and she could hear running water. In a smaller enclave, a spring emptied into a clear pool, draining down through a hole in the rock wall. On the other side of the rock wall, Nathan had fashioned a toilet, complete with running water. “Uh, sorry, but no toilet paper. There is a good selection of leaves in the box to the right,” he apologized.
    “No, that’s okay. I’m not complaining. This is so impressive,” she exclaimed, surprised by his ingenuity. “What gave you the idea?”
    “Didn’t take much to figure it out and the stream ran out of here anyway, so it just seemed like the perfect answer. I even have a shower over here,” he said, motioning to an area by the pool. “You have to heat water though, and then pour it into the recess above. Works pretty good but you have to shower fast.”
    “Aren’t you polluting the environment?”
    He laughed. “It’s an underground stream, doesn’t seem to ever run to the surface, not anywhere close that is. By the time it does reach the surface, I’m sure natural filters have cleansed it completely.”
    Riley nodded, impressed in spite of herself, almost all the comforts of home. “You’ve done well.”
    He returned to the outer area, allowing her some privacy.
    Food was on the table by the time she re-entered the living area. The dog was stretched out by the fireplace and barely acknowledged her as she entered. That was a positive sign—not being bitten was a good thing. Nathan ladled out stew and poured some sort of hot tea, both of which tasted wonderful. They ate in companionable silence, the dog interested but his manners were impeccable. After they were finished, Nathan scooped a bowl out and gave it to the dog, who made