Day in Life 2026

Modified: 2026-02-04 9:43 PM CST

2026

Another cold night engulfs me and my family as night falls. We worked together to earlier gather firewood for what we knew would be a bone-chilling night. My husband throws another log on the fire as we all huddled together hoping our body heat would help keep us that much warmer. My mind drifts to the coming morning ahead. What would we eat? We would have to pack up our meager belongings and set out to scavenge for food early. The early bird catches the worm. Did that saying really apply in our situation.

We arose early, packed our belongings, wrapped in our skins for warmth, packed the few logs of wood we had left, put out the fire, and set out to find food. We headed toward the river hoping to catch some fish and hopefully, forge for berries and anything else we could find along the way. We gathered sticks to fish with as we moved along. We were not able to gather any food on the way to the river. We only caught 2 fish for a family of five,but we are grateful. We found a place to setup camp for the night so we could clean the fish and prepare over a fire for dinner. We will repeat the same steps the next morning. It's called survival.

As the weather begins to drop colder and colder, our need for more resources arises. Today we would have to brave the cold and go get more supplies for food, heat, and comfort. I arose from my warm pile of animal hides and layered up with the hides to ensure warmth on my journey outside. Finding food in this icy weather is difficult, because plants and berries are frozen over, and animals are in hibernation. My tribe and I stepped foot outside the warmth of our cave, and set off. Our faces were touched with red, and noses dripped as we crunched through the icy terrain. After an hour we saw a huge lump above the snow. We approached the lump cautiously with our spears held tight, the ropes that tied the spear together digging into the palms of our hands. The lump we had seen was a dead mammoth. It had appeared his ankle was broken, and that had been the fall of this great beast. My tribe and I cried out with victory and pride, for we had dinner and warmth. We thanked our ancestors for giving us this offering, and we set up a sled made of tree planks, vines tied in the form of ropes, and hoisted the mammoth with all of our strength onto the plank. We drug the beast back to our cave with higher hopes now of getting through this winter. The men broke down the mammoth and prepared pieces to eat, and pieces to store. The women took the hides of the mammoth and began to help make coverings and jackets. I myself began to write my entry of the day on the cave wall. For today was successful, and I can only hope tomorrow will be as today was.

I wake up as the sun rises barely over the horizon. The cave is cold, and I have to be cuddled up next to my family for warmth. I squint my sensitive eyes over toward where the fire used to be, which is now just a pile of ash and a small trace of smoke. I must listen before moving from my position to ensure there is no danger outside the cave. I step outside and realize that it is way colder than I originally thought; the bottoms of my feet are becoming colder by the second. I must go on the hunt for more dry wood for the fire to be rekindled. When I arrived back at the cave, the family was starting wake up. The men leave at dawn with their spears to hunt; I wish them off and then go back to join the other women. The women all go down to the river for the day to get water, berries, and supplies for the camp. As the sun reaches its peak, it becomes very warm, so we seek shade and rest our feet. I am already tired, but I keep moving throughout the day.  We return to our caves and start sifting through what we found that day. We get the fire roaring for the men to arrive back from their hunt. When the men return, we cook their catch from the day to feed the family. Thankfully, today they returned with meat, as sometimes they do not, and we must wait. When night falls, we sit around the fire and look at the stars, thankful for what the day has brought. I sleep knowing that tomorrow will look the same as today, knowing I will be pushed to my limits just to survive. 

The day begins as the sound of animals pull me from my sleep. The fire has gone out and the ground beneath me is cold. I rise and search for more wood before the light is here. Without fire, the animals come too close. When the sun appears, we move away from the shelter. I carry a stone I shaped for myself for protection. As the sun drops, we return to shelter. when darkness comes, we sit near the fire. 

I first start my day by waking up and getting out of our homemade beds once it starts to become light outside. We use animal fur and leaves to remain warm as I sleep on the ground withmy family. My father and I usually start the day off by looking around our camp to make sure nothing could potentially harm the family or me. When it's safe, it's time to search for food. Along with a few of the men from my village, I go on walks where we dig up roots, pick berries, and occasionally catch bugs. The nicest part of the day is when the hunters are lucky enough to return with some meat, and we all feast like kings. During the day, I usually just follow the older males to see what's going on. I also play with rocks, banging them together to create sharp edges for tools to chop meat, scrape skins, or fight off anything that attempts to harm us. At night, we remain surrounding the fire because as the sun sets, it keeps us warm, keeps animals away, and cooks our food. Before I go to bed, I make sure the fire is still going, collect some additional leaves and fur to make my spot a bit cozier, and take one final look around for anything dangerous. I'm exhausted by the time I lie down, but I have to remain cautious since all that I do is crucial to our survival. Being out here with my community helps me feel like I truly belongand can handle anything that comes our way, even though some days are harder than others .

I woke up this morning, just like any morning it’s about 6:00 AM. It’s a bit colder this morning than it has been. Because of this, the first thing I do is make a small fire to keep me warm while I eat my breakfast. I am having some berries that I have collected for myself the past few days while I was out hunting for food. After I finish eating, I head down to the river to wash off before I go hunting again today. I have chosen to just catch my food today from the river. After I have caught some fish for lunch and dinner, I head back to my shelter. My fire is still slightly burning so I add some more sticks to it to pick it up enough to be able to cook my lunch. After I have eaten, I have some time to spare for the rest of the day. I have decided to go out and explore around my shelter. While I am out, I grab some of my favorite berries to take back with me to have with my dinner and again for breakfast in the morning. After about 5 hours of exploring, I made my way back to the shelter to cook the rest of the fish I caught earlier today. I sat back and enjoyed my dinner while admiring the beautiful scenery around me. After dinner, I got comfortable on the bed I made from leaves under the animal skin blanket I have made for warmth and fastly fell asleep. I woke up this morning, just like any morning it’s about 6:00 AM. It’s a bit colder this morning than it has been. Because of this, the first thing I do is make a small fire to keep me warm while I eat my breakfast. I am having some berries that I have collected for myself the past few days while I was out hunting for food. After I finish eating, I head down to the river to wash off before I go hunting again today. I have chosen to just catch my food today from the river. After I have caught some fish for lunch and dinner, I head back to my shelter. My fire is still slightly burning so I add some more sticks to it to pick it up enough to be able to cook my lunch. After I have eaten, I have some time to spare for the rest of the day. I have decided to go out and explore around my shelter. While I am out, I grab some of my favorite berries to take back with me to have with my dinner and again for breakfast in the morning. After about 5 hours of exploring, I made my way back to the shelter to cook the rest of the fish I caught earlier today. I sat back and enjoyed my dinner while admiring the beautiful scenery around me. After dinner, I got comfortable on the bed I made from leaves under the animal skin blanket I have made for warmth and fastly fell asleep. 

I wake up before the sun comes up. The air is cold on my skin, and I feel stiff from sleeping on the ground. The fire is almost out, so I put dry sticks and grass on it until it burns again. I looked around our shelter to see if any animals came close during the night. When the light gets brighter, we start looking for food. I walk with my group across the land we know well. We move slowly and stay quiet. I dig roots out of the dirt with a stone and pick berries I recognize. If we find bugs or eggs, we take them too. Some people follow animal tracks while the rest of us listen and watch for danger. When the sun is high in the sky, we stop and eat. We share what we found, so no one is left out. After eating, I work on making tools. I hit one stone against another to make a sharp edge. The tool helps us cut wood, skin animals, and prepare food. My hands are rough and sometimes bleeding, but I am used to it. Later in the day, we walked to the water. I drink until I am full and wash dirt from my hands and face. I stay alert while I do this because animals also come to drink. As the sky starts to darken, the hunters come back. Sometimes they bring meat, and sometimes they do not. If they do, we cook it over the fire and protect it. At night, we sit close together. We make sounds and use movements to share stories and warnings. I fell asleep near the fire, knowing tomorrow will be the same. Life is hard, but we help each other survive every single day together as one group always.

I woke up under a tree that I had to make my new room, while laying on a bed of leaves that I used as my mattress. What woke me up was me shivering because of how cold I was because the fire I made had gone out, so I went to the pile I had of sticks that I had gathered the night before. I decided to get up and walk and see if I could find anything to eat. I went down and came up to a lake which was perfect. I had to grab the fish out of the water with my hands and with the stick that I found laying around. I also drank some of the water with my hands and decided to cook the fish above my fire, and then decided to move my camp site for the day to be closer to the lake to be able to have water. 

I wake up as the sun rises barely over the horizon. The cave is cold, and I have to be cuddled up next to my family for warmth. I squint my sensitive eyes over toward where the fire used to be, which is now just a pile of ash and a small trace of smoke. I must listen before moving from my position to ensure there is no danger outside the cave. I step outside and realize that it is way colder than I originally thought; the bottoms of my feet are becoming colder by the second. I must go on the hunt for more dry wood for the fire to be rekindled. When I arrived back at the cave, the family was starting wake up. The men leave at dawn with their spears to hunt; I wish them off and then go back to join the other women. The women all go down to the river for the day to get water, berries, and supplies for the camp. As the sun reaches its peak, it becomes very warm, so we seek shade and rest our feet. I am already tired, but I keep moving throughout the day.  We return to our caves and start sifting through what we found that day. We get the fire roaring for the men to arrive back from their hunt. When the men return, we cook their catch from the day to feed the family. Thankfully, today they returned with meat, as sometimes they do not, and we must wait. When night falls, we sit around the fire and look at the stars, thankful for what the day has brought. I sleep knowing that tomorrow will look the same as today, knowing I will be pushed to my limits just to survive. 

If I lived one million years ago, my daily routine would be focused entirely on survival, even if I didn’t consciously think of it that way. I would wake up at sunrise because my body would be used to the natural light, not because I planned to. Sleeping would have been light and cautious, since staying alert to danger would be important. I would stay close to others in my group for safety and warmth.  Most of my day would be spent looking for food. I would walk long distances with my group, paying close attention to my surroundings. I would gather plants, roots, and insects, and sometimes eat meat if it was available. According to Chapter 2, early human behavior was shaped by evolution, so skills like attention, perception, and memory would be necessary just to survive. I would need to remember which foods were safe and where they could usually be found.  Social interaction would be a major part of my day. I would rely on others for protection and cooperation. Even without language, communication through gestures, sounds, and facial expressions would help the group work together. Emotions like fear and attachment would guide my behavior and help keep the group connected.  During the hottest part of the day, we would rest. This time could be spent hanging out with each other, watching others, or learning through observation. As evening came, we would return to a safer area to stay together through the night.  Overall, my routine would be simple but demanding. Every action would be shaped by biological needs and adaptation, showing how basic psychological processes existed long before psychology became a formal science. 

i woke up this morning to the sounds of nature the family was waking up but the guys had already left to go out and hunt for lunch and dinner. It's a constant wonder if the men will find food or not but they always provide.  As i step out into the sunlight it's a little warmer than i imagined it would be , me and the rest of the family are getting ready to do our daily chores which consist of finding fresh water for the day finding more objects that can help us and our shelter. when the guys get back, we help with preparing the food and finding berries or fruits to go with the meat. To try and get some peace i go to a nearby creek and watch the animals running around there is a peaceful sound of running water as i start heading back towards the camp i see the guys laughing talking about their day. Today the men were successful with their hunting they got a doe and some rabbits for us to help clean and eat. Finally, as the end of the day comes everyone's sitting around the table enjoying the meal talking about how the day was and what we hoped for the next few days everyone said goodnight and went to the shelter. 

Today started out rather harshly due to my fire going out in the middle of the night. I wanted to go get more supplies, but the never-ending rain seems destined to destroy any of my plans. Luckily my partner likes the rain much more than I and went and got us more food and some wood. I struggled at first to get the fire going again, but I managed to create a spark by rubbing some odd-looking rocks around. I spent the rest of the rainy day inside feasting on the plants and berries I got some days ago. The hut could use some renovations, and I could work on carving a new tool, but I figured today was a day I could use for rest. I will work on getting supplies once the rain stops but for now I will reserve my energy.

I wake up to the sun on my face but turn the other way, hoping to rest just a little longer, but the movement of others around me tells me a new day has already begun, and I must get up and help. I rise and follow the older women’s footsteps as we go out and search for food, staying alert as we move across unknown land. We searched for roots in the dirt, berries we knew, and even small insects, anything that could help the group as we were all going to have to share. When our hands were full, we made our way back very carefully, making sure the young kids always stayed close beside us. As the hunters returned and the sun began to lower, I helped the women prepare the food, cleaning what we found and placing it near our fire. When the food was ready, we sat together and shared everything we had, thankful for another day. As the night went on, we stayed close to the fire for warmth and safety, listening to the quiet sounds of nature around us. My feet ached but I knew it was all worth it. I lay down close to my people and closed my eyes, ready to face another day in a couple of hours.

I wake up to the feeling of the cold air on my feet. We always bundle up and sleep close to the fire this time of year. Unfortunately, our fire didn’t make it through the long night. The first thing I do is use the coals I can find in the pit to start another fire. Once my fire is stable, I set out to relieve myself and then walk down to the stream that is nearby. I rinse my face, take a few sips, and for the first time I feel truly awake. I know there is much to be done so I hurry back to our shelter to awaken the others. First, my brother, then my two sons. I nudge my partner gently on the shoulder before we set out so they can begin their day too. For us, our goal is scouting ahead of our party while scavenging the land for berries, roots, and any other easily accessible source of food. After we finish our scouting, we return to the camp to find that the women and small children that we left behind have packed up the camp and were ready to go. Before leaving we eat smoked fish that we have been collecting from the stream. Full and ready to go, our group sets out on their journey. We stay close to the stream, almost always within our eyesight. After walking for a few hours, we began to search for our next camp site. Before long we saw the perfect place. On a hill about 100 yards from the spring, we spot a rock formation made up of a few large boulders. As we get closer, we can see that three of the boulders are positioned next to each other forming a slight u shape. The opening faced out towards the stream and down the hill. As the women and small children begin to set up our camp, our scouting team has now converted to a hunting party. We collect our spears, our baits, and our bindings before we set out. As we begin our hunt we take a straight path from the camp, placing a few traps along the way. While moving, we observed the land for signs of nearby life. It isn’t long and my brother notices some scatt on the ground. Next one of my sons finds some prints. Quietly we continue following the signs left behind by our prey. Over the next hill, we begin to hear noises. As we get closer, we identify the sounds as being a boar. We each split up and moved into position. A few short moments pass and then a commotion occurs. My brother has spooked the boar in our direction. As it comes by, I release my spear, striking the boar at the top of its back. After finishing our prey, we return to camp to begin preparing for conserving the majority of the meat. It’s a good feeling knowing we have secured more food. However, we know it will not last us long, so just like every day we set out right before dark to check our traps.

I wake up in the cave with dry eyes due to the cold wind. The fire that I started last night went out. Once everyone is awake, we gather our tools and start the hunt for food. I am in charge of gathering berries and collecting sticks for the fire while everyone else goes for the animals. After a long day out, we return to the cave, and I start the fire again while the others prepare to cook the food. Once we have all eaten, we get back into our beds made from logs and palm leaves and go back to sleep to do the same cycle again tomorrow.

As I woke up, A little bit of sun hits my face from the opening of the cave. In comparison to the cold last night, I felt a bit warmer.  I looked around the cave to make sure my family was fine. The pelt skin below us on the ground softens our bodies from the hard ground as we lay. My family is small. It is only the 4 of us and I am the main provider. Soon it was time for me to get up and set out to provide food for them. As I roamed around, I found an area with lots of water which meant there is a river nearby that I can catch fish at. I caught 5 fish, and they were big, meaning it could last us for the night. I thought about how my family would need more wood for the fire at night, So I decided to find sticks to provide the fire so that we would not freeze at night. Soon I finished gathering all the necessary supplies and headed back to my family. It was time for us to continue our journey, so we gathered up our supplies and set out before the night hit, The journey was long, but we eventually found a safe spot to eat and sleep, our bodies tired from the long walk. This journey is not an easy one, but we will eventually make our way back to our people. But, to do that I will make sure that we are prepared for this survival. 

The day started cold, there was no fire in sight due to it going out in the middle of the night. I wake beneath a rock overhang with the warmth and comfort of others. Hunger comes quickly as we all rise from the slumber, listening to the songs of the birds. I make my way to the supplies the earth has offered us. My hands reach for the berries, the last of the food. We will be hunting and fishing soon. The others make their way over to me, and we begin to divide up what remains and make plans for the day. It would be my job to head down the river and catch fish. The sun is now at the peak of the sky. When I finally reached the river, the first thing I did was soak up the cool water and bathe. It felt relaxing to be rid of the dirt even if it is only for the time being. I sat there and waited and waited for something to show its face in the water. After what felt like forever, I finally saw one, a fish. We will not go hungry tonight. I watched as it swam around; I needed to wait for the perfect time to grab it. This went on till almost sunset. I made my way back to the shelter with multiple fish. The others helped cook them on the fire that they had started back up. After dinner, we told stories about our day and then made our way to our designated spots under the rock overhang. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of the wind blowing. I feel myself fall into a deep sleep remembering that I will do it all again tomorrow. 

As the morning air creeps in, and the trees are swaying in the wind. My little family is just starting to wake up from the cold breeze that has come into our little cave. As hungry sat in our stomach, my husband decided to go out and hunt for food by the river side. As for me, I gathered our two kids and went right outside of the cave to some nearby bushes with two distinct types of berries. As my husband was out hunting me and the kids ate on the berries in the meantime. After we at that we went on a hunt for wood for our breakfast. By the time we arrived back at the cave, my husband was just getting back with several fish and some water. The kids started to help me place the wood and prepare the food. After we ate the food, we decided that we should get an early start at hunting for dinner, so we packed up our hunting tools.

I wake up to the movement of my Mother and Father wandering around in the cave we’ve inhabited for several days, as long as I can remember. I squint my eyes to the beaming sun as it warms up my body from the previously bitter cold night. Our fire that kept us warm is about to burn out and it’s my job as the son to help collect sticks in order to keep it alive. Father will be mad if it burns out again since it’s hard to create one in the first place. My baby sister is too small to help gather and has to be taken care of by my Mother. My Father leaves the cave with his dull spear in hand. Hopefully we can have something warm for our stomachs aside from the fire, which might die out if I don’t gather wood, and the close bundle me and my family create in order to share body warmth. I stretch really well and dust off the animal hide that protects me from the soon to be blazing sun and provides little warmth at night. Mother watches as I depart to ensure I am safe then takes my little sister to go pick berries. She always stays within a short proximity to hear my danger cry in case of emergency. I travel a short distance and begin my search. I found small twigs and a few larger sticks that will take a second trip. Bright blue berries catch my eye but I remember when my Father ate the same ones and vomited. Looking over to my right I see a dull, brown-colored plant that was growing from the base of a tree. My family has never tried these before and I am hungry. I pick it from the ground and sniff around it to see if it produces any aroma. Smells like nothing. I give it a small bite and to my surprise it tastes very earthy but good. I gather more and stuff them in my brown sack. The sun is setting and I make it back home. I brought my family this new plant I found and they seem to be hesitant. I took a bite and panicked both of them but reassured them it was safe. Since my Father didn’t catch anything but a few squirrels, they both ate and beamed with joy on their faces. We went in the cave and watched the fire glow as I added more wood to it. The squirrels were skinned and positioned to cook. We observed the mushrooms and ate from the roasted squirrel. We huddled together as the night grew cold and slept with food in our stomachs, a rare occasion.

My body wakes itself up as the sky becomes lighter. I am met with the morning chirping of the birds. I always rest with the group, making sure I can charge the warmth. The fire has gone out, so I gather sticks and add them to the dying fire to ignite it, scaring away animals.  As the light comes in, we move from our cave shelter to the watering hole. I drink from the hole as the others search for animal tracks. Most of the day involves the search and pursuit of food. We collect berries, nuts, and fruits. When approaching animals, we move slowly, as we quietly close in on our prey. By the middle of the day the sun becomes harsh, so we find an area of shade to rest while we consume what we gathered. We make sure to be aware of the threat that large animals present as we could quickly become their prey.  Later, we return to the watering hole. I clean our spears and gather a supply of water for the night. The others search for dry wood to ignite the fire. Then we retreat to our shelter. At the shelter, we gather and huddle with each other to share our warmth again. As the fire dies, I find a comfortable position to rest in as my eyes slowly drift off to sleep safe in the comfort of my group. 

The bright sunlight woke me as it crept through the cracks of the small branches I had used to form a door for our cave the day before. This was in hopes to keep the bone chilling wind at bay. Over the last few days, it had seemed to begin to get colder and I figured a freeze might be coming. As I rolled out of my bed made from the different grasses around me, I could feel the cold cutting through the makeshift door. I look over and my wife and she are still sleeping. My first goal for this day is to get the bright orange going. My tribe discovered a few years ago that if we hit rocks together with some very small dry grass it will make heat. When it is making this heat turns big and orange, so we call it big orange. It is amazing, it feels as if we have a little piece of sun right here in our cave. So now that I have big orange going back to the plans for my day. The first goal I have for today is to slow the bone chilling air coming through the branches. I must find something to fill the gaps in our door. We also have a large group hunt tomorrow, so I need to prepare my antler handled rock tools for that hunt tomorrow. Now I am all warmed up and have a plan time to get to work. I pushed the branches away and breathed the fresh air and took off on the journey that would be called today.

If I were living one million years ago, my daily routine would be completely different from what it is now. I would wake up at sunrise, probably in a cave or a small shelter made from branches. I’d sit and watch the sun come up; even now, it’s a very beautiful sight. Instead of worrying about getting to class on time, my focus would be finding food and staying alive. Most of what I learned would come from watching the older people in my area. I would spend a lot of time gathering plants, berries, or whatever I could scrape up, having to walk far and long just to find anything we could eat. Given my size, I might also help carry things back to our shelter using animal skins or baskets made from things I’ve collected. There wouldn’t be any laundry to do, but I might wash animal hides or rinse things in a nearby stream. With no video games or phones, I would have a lot of free time on my hands. I might practice using stone tools, sit by the fire and sing caveman songs, or just watch and observe what was happening around me. There wouldn’t be much I could do anyway. Meals would be a group activity, especially if the hunters brought back some meat. Cooking over a fire would be important, not just for food, but for warmth and protection. For bathing, I would wash in a river or stream with nothing but water. It probably wouldn’t help the smell but I’d think I would be used to it by then. Hopefully, my boyfriend would still exist so we could still hang out together, but it wouldn’t look anything like us hanging out today. We might walk together while gathering food or sit near the fire in the evenings. It’s better for survival travelling together rather than alone. Mostly, my routine would revolve around survival, learning how to do things, and working together with my group.

During the day we had the children gathering dry wood for the fire, while I checked the fish traps for any fresh fish. My husband was finishing the hides he had tanned to use for reinforcing the shelter, our beds and extra clothing to keep us warm. We double checked the shelter to make sure it will stand up against the wind and rain, and possible snow storms for the coming months. We also check the shelter for more wood for us to use for fires for warmth and cooking. My husband checks to make sure we have the dried meat secured from any animals that might be hungry.

As the sun began to crack through the curtains, I fix a cup of “coffee”. I found this tree, and the berries are a great source of energy, so I usually mix the pulp with warm water or have a few bites of the pulp before I wake my daughter. The sun has completely risen, and the morning winds have simmered our fire down. I add smaller pieces of dry wood to keep it warm enough to return to. My daughter and myself go down to the stream with fresh clothes and our fishing nets. Sometimes if we’re close enough, depending on the stream of the water we can catch a couple fish just off the edge, so we keep our nets on standby. Today’s a pretty warm day so we won’t have to get a lot of wood, enough for the night and just a few berries from near bushes along the stream. it’s my daughter’s day to clean as she folds the clothes and cleans our berries and fruit for the day and I head back out to catch dinner, hunting time! Spending at least 2 hours hunting for food, from rabbits to deer sometimes buffalo is my meditation time. This part can be rough sometimes because of the big size. When I hunt big, I try to hunt in areas closer to home so I won’t have to tote over 100 lbs of meat on my back so far. I also must carry water back, so I must remember not to hunt too much heavy weight. After making it back home the sun is going down, and the cool breeze starts to pick up. We add lager wood and I began cleaning our supper, I cook and we get ready for bed. 

I wake with the first light, shivering in the cool air. The fire from last night is low so I feed it dry grass and small twigs to get it burning again. Fire is everything: warmth, safety, and cooked food. Without it the night is dangerous. After tending to the fire, I join the others to gather food. We search for roots, nuts, and berries, careful to remember which are safe and which can make us sick. We move quietly, aware of predators, and keep track of where the best food grows. This knowledge is passed through watching and memory not through writing. Later, the men in the group prepare for the hunt. I help with tools, shaping stones into sharp points and checking wooden spears. They track prey across the land, sometimes running for hours until the animal’s tire. When they are successful, we share the meat equally. Cooking over the fire makes it easier to eat, and we eat fast because food cannot be stored. The rest of the day is spent repairing tools, tending small injuries, and caring for children and elders. In the evening, we gather around the fire, telling stories with gestures, sounds, and drawings in the dirt. As night falls, I curl near the others listening to the crackling fire. Survival depends on fire, the land, and the group. I sleep with the hope that tomorrow will bring food, safety, and another day to live.

I wake as the light reaches our cave, warmer than the night before, and check that my family is safe as we rise from out beds of fur and leaves. My father and I look around to be sure nothing dangerous is near, and once we know the area is clear, I set out to help find food and supplies. I search for roots and berries, catch fish from a nearby river, and gather sticks for the fire, sometimes shaping rocks into sharp tools for hunting, skinning, and protection. When we finish, we return to our family, eat together, and then continue our journey until we find a safe place to rest for the night. By the time I lie down near the fire, I am exhausted but proud, knowing that staying alert and working together is what keeps my people alive. 

I woke up on a windy night due to the sight of the fire no longer being there. So, it was dark and chilly for me and my family. I go to search for more wood because the coldness starts to get to my family. As I'm searching, I ran into a Saber-Toothed Cat. I run to hide as I'm in fear for my life and if he finds my family. A few rocks sit on the side of me. I grab and throw them for a distraction. It works, he runs the opposite way, I find wood. Making my way back to my family after that situation has shaken me for the morning time. Me approaching my sleeping family makes me feel grateful. The wood and fire get back to rising after I build it back. I go back to sleep knowing we have to move tomorrow.

2024-01-26

It was cold, colder than usual, I moved my mammoth pelt aside and arose from the cave floor I looked out onto the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley, rays of sunshine trickled across the horizon like a downpour of flaming arrows. I throw on my clothes and begin to make the climb down. I hear birds warbling in the trees surrounding me, this now makes me think of food as a great hunger takes over me and I remember that I have dried deer meat in the pocket of my pants. I sit down on the nearest rock and enjoy my snack.

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