A Story A Day. Story 70 of 365: Fire.

It was getting dark and the temperature was dropping. They had been lucky they had found the cave amidst the storm, but they knew they needed fire to spend the night. And none really knew how to set one. All the wood was wet, and the matches too. 

-We should have taken a lighter.- regretted Carl. 

-The wood would be wet all the same- stated Elizabeth.- Are you sure there wasn't any animal inside this? 

-I didn't see any.

Carl gathered some timber that wasn't as wet as the rest, and tried, fruitlessly, to get a spark from crashing two stones. Elizabeth took the flashlight and explored the insides of the cavern.

-I'm sure there is some kind of animal living in here. There are bones and stuff scatered on the floor. It's gross! 

-Whatever it is won't come back if we have a fire. So help me light it. I really wish I had been a Boy Scout right now,...

They tried to light the fire for hours, at one point they were even excited because they managed to produce some smoke. However, in the end, they gave up and bundled together inside a sleeping bag. Elizabet woke up, alarmed, in the middle of the night. 

-Carl. Carl. There's something in here with us.- she said pulling his arm. 

He woke up disoriented. 

-What did you say? 

-The animal! It's in the cave!- she was doing her best efforts not to scream. 

-Ok, stay calm. If we don't hurt it, it won't hurt us. 

He could hear the sound it was making. Ripping meat, crushing bones. Elizabeth was trembling in his arms. His eyes grew acostumed to the darkness and he started seeing shadows, but none of them looked like an animal. The cavern grew silent. Whatever it was moved without making any perceptible noise. Carl was holding his breath, when whatever it was hissed at them. He turned on the flashlight, fast. A set of eyes reflected the light before running away.

-A cat! It was a goddamn cat!