The irregular stone grate in the floor where the blood drained hurt Dave’s feet. Over the years he’d developed thick, bulbous callouses just like everyone else in the plant, but every once in a while the rough texture threw up a sharp corner that dug deep and made him wince. But that was the least of his problems, the most pressing of which right now was the Stegosaurus carcass traveling down the conveyor belt to Dave’s station. As the soft underbelly of the beast rolled in front of him, Dave worked quickly, as he had done for most of his life. His dull stone blade punctured the flesh and spilled its contents on the grate. Medicine ball-sized heart, intestines as wide around as trees, kidneys like bean bag chairs; he sorted all the organs into their proper containers for 12 hours, until the whistle signaled quitting time. But Dave didn’t want to go home. His wife was there, and wasn’t sure he could face her after her.. indiscretion.

The life of a caveman was supposed to be simple. Dave’s was anything but.