I crept out from behind the shelters, the shadows seeming to drain away from my form. The voices of the other boys had drawn me forward. The tension between the three was nearly visible so I stayed back from them and observed.
"So, we can't have a signal fire... We're beaten," Ralph said clearly and there was a touch of hysteria in his voice.
Shivering, I wrapped my arms around myself. The thought of being beaten and never getting home was terrifying. Staying here with the other boys for an uncountable amount of time wasn't comprehensible. It was worse than the thought of the beast waiting on the mountain.
The rising voices of both Ralph and Jack made me pay more attention. Jack had whirled around and was now making his way towards the gathering place. At the sound of the conch I left and started to follow in the more aggressive boys footsteps, while Ralph ignored Piggy's attempts to speak to him. Once there I sat in the shadows and watched carefully.
A short argument broke out about who would hold the conch. A frustrated Ralph sat down with a huff as Jack began his opening speech. I only listened with half a mind to the discussion. Instead I was going over the possibilities of there actually being a beat. Maybe it wasn't the illness in humans themselves the others were half getting the idea of. Was I wrong the entire time?
The sudden silence was abrupt enough to knock him out of his thoughts. Only Jack's trembling voice could be heard, asking the same question over and over. Staring at my toes, I refused to look at the boy who was the centre of everyone's attention. The scrapes and cuts were clearly visible along his skin. Especially the gash on his arm from the boar's tusk.
"All right then," Jack said. Hies face averted from everyone with tears running from his eyes. After a few more parting words, he made a mad sad down the beach before disappearing into the forest.
The discussion from Piggy and Ralph was starting to annoy me. It was coming to nothing as it usually did. I know Ralph tries his best but he just can't seem to catch the littluns attention for long. In the depressed silence that issued forth, I stepped forward shyly. Upon taking the conch from Piggy I began.
"I thought there might be something to do. Something we-"Losing my courage I looked to Piggy for support.
"I think we ought to climb the mountain." The hardest part of my speech over, I realized slightly. I then answered Ralph's question.
"What else is there to do?" I whispered, handing the conch back to Piggy.
At that point I went back to sitting in the back, out of anyone's notice. Thoughts drifted aimlessly in my mind and seemed to grab my attention. Maybe II should see what Jack is doing? It was at that point I noticed the group of former choir kids running away and into the forest. I started to follow them while being careful not to be noticed.
After following them through the jungle for a couple hours I had to slow down to keep from being noticed. A barrage of spears flew in front of me and I twitched at the squeals. A small piglet nearly tripped me as I rushed to keep up with the hunters'. The hunters overtook me and I was left floundering in vines of some kind.
After a long struggle I found them slaughtering a sow I watched with morbid fascination. Even when the head was shoved through onto the spear. It seemed to be watching me and I hardly blinked as the group left the colourful clearing. With the commentary of the Lord of the Flies going through my head, I blacked out, slumping unconscious onto the floor.