The cave interior wasn't particularly impressive- no dramatic stalactites, and what was there was small and sparse. It was pretty dry and, honestly, warmer than outside. The ground was scattered with pebbles and minerals. The ceiling wasn't oppressively low, but it didn't feel particularly lofty either.
But who cared about that when the walls looked like this?
Those aren't petroglyphs, - Grofo declared firmly, in full - on science mode. - My dad talked about them, and they look way These drawings were done recently. They weren't here the last time I was. -
Someone had gone all out to transform the cave walls into what looked like a prehistoric hunter's outpost. Suzy saw it instantly and appreciated the concept. She ran her fingers gently along the paintings, feeling a reverent flutter in her chest- whoever made these had honored the tradition with their artistic ritual.
This part's done with ochre, here's charcoal, and over there- powdered manganese, - Suzy whispered, enamored by the artistry.
Grofo nodded eagerly. He looked like he was floating on a cloud of bliss. Finally, all that boring stuff from his dad's lectures and photos had come in handy!
So he pointed out:
Check it out- this one's The artist just stopped halfway. Maybe they got tired… or maybe they're planning to come back. -
He meant the last painting on the wall. While Suzy was all inspired, Roman clutched himself and cast a worried glance back toward the entrance, whimpering:
Maybe we should What if the artist does come back? We don't know if they're nice or some crazy psycho! Honestly, judging by the behavior and habits… this kinda screams 'our dad.'
He and Grofo locked eyes. And in perfect sync, they gasped:
OUR DAD'S A MANIAC!
Grofo's voice cracked with indignation and he snapped:
Oh shut up! You're infecting everyone with your paranoia and now it's getting to Our dad's not a psycho- stop spiraling. - I'm telling you- it's him! And he'll come for us… because we're his guys!
Unfortunately, Suzy wasn't particularly concerned with the boy's emotional turmoil, as she was in the middle of studying this modern reproduction of cave art (Suzy knew a lot of quirky words because she watched tons of educational YouTube channels and had a knowledge base well beyond her modest years).
Each drawing represented a story, linked together in a flowing sequence from one work to the next.
The first image depicted the lake that all of them knew well, but this time it appeared without the mountainous surroundings (apparently, the artist wasn't interested in unnecessary detail and was more focused on the central narrative).
A snowy crust was clumsily sketched around the water, and in the lake itself- so clear and calm- something rather extraordinary was drifting majestically. How to describe it?... The creature's body was serpentine, complete with elegant twists and knot - like coils.
The water bulged under this slender and yet massive body, flowing around it in streams. Each scale was pressed tightly to the next, forming a seamless tapestry. There was no transition between the parts of its body- because necks were for weaklings, not for a regal monster whose head... was an actual ship!
That's some kind of old schooner! Look- there are oars, and here's the - Grofo pointed, even though Suzy had already noticed. But everything's better when you're looking at it with a friend.
Not quite a snake, but far from just a ship, the thing sliced through the waves and wore a crooked smile. Where the figurehead was supposed to be above the bowsprit, there was a plaque with a smug grin drawn on it, several teeth missing, and the gaps filled in with barcodes. What could it mean?
Was it meant to tell a story?