A/N: I have yet to think of something witty to say... Or not.

Oh well, R&R and I'll try to update more frequently!! Yeah, that's right. I bribe people :)

Chapter 6- In Good Time

"Jack- Jack, wake up!"

"Get up, now!"

"Oh, c'mon, Lucy!"

Lucy slapped the hands that had so rudely shaken her from her sleep away and rolled over.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled crankily. She had been having a rather interesting dream, something about Jack riding in on horseback and rescuing her from the evil boar who had killed Simon and Piggy.

All this talk about monsters and hunting, no wonder!

The accursed hands kept persisting, driving the girl off her rocker.

"What the bloody hell could you possibly want?" Lucy exclaimed. She rubbed the grogginess out of her eyes to see Samneric standing above her, both looking rather frantic indeed.

"Ralph's calling an assembly-"

"-with the conch-"

"-about the beast-"

"-it was awful!"

"The beast, you say?" Jack was already on his feet, a spear held menacingly in his hands. Roger and Maurice quickly followed in the same suit. All looked anxious and eager, fear barely visible upon their faces.

He held his hand out to her.

"Well?"

She took it with caution. This wasn't good. Not at all.

Lucy marveled at the way the twins finished each others sentences like that. It was like their minds were connected, or maybe their vocal cords. Whatever. Either way, it was wizard.

In ways, she was glad that she was an only child. No one to fight for the bathroom with, no one to steal your clothes, no one to yell at for eating the last cookie. Though sometimes, she yearned for a brother.

She glanced at Ralph. He was frowning at Samneric as they retold their thrilling brush with danger. Cocking her head to the side, she noted that he reminded her of someone she knew. Someone from back home.

Had she seen a picture of him before? Perhaps in that eerie attic?

No, it was probably just the lighting or something. She had just met Ralph a few weeks ago. There was no way...

Jack jumped to the center of the circle.

"This'll be a real hunt! Who'll come?"

Ralph looked impatient.

"These spears are made of wood. Don't be silly."

He had a point.

"Frightened?" He sneered derisively.

Unabashed, Ralph shrugged.

"Course I'm frightened. Who wouldn't be?"

Lucy sighed. Things were falling apart faster than you can say 'apocalypse.' And she would give anything for some masking tape and superglue to fix it.

"Will you make me a spear? Pretty please?" Lucy pleaded, widening her eyes to make them as cute and innocent as possible.

Jack looked up from his breakfast, which consisted of a couple mangoes and half a coconut full of water.

"Why on Earth would you need one?" He asked, bewildered.

"Because I'm going with you! On the search, to find this notorious beast. That's why."

Several of the boys doubled up in laughter. She scowled.

"Aw, Luce. You can't be serious."

Coolly, she replied.

"Why, yes. I am."

That just caused them all to laugh some more.

"You can't come along," Jack said, with the patience of one talking to a small child. "You're a girl."

Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well observed."

He sighed and thew the remains of his meal to the side. Wiping his hands on his tattered shorts, he stood up and said, "You can't come. Really, you can't. There's scary things in the jungle and-and..."

Ralph butted in.

"And we need someone to help watch the littluns."

"That's what you expect me to do, is it? Stay here with the one-eyed encyclopedia and a bunch of huffy, tearful brats?" She scoffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest disdainfully. She wanted to throw a tantrum.

Suavely, Jack kissed her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Awkwardly, Lucy rested her head on his shoulder. She felt all fluttery inside. The whole couple deal was very new to her.

"This is a hunter's job," he said softly in her ear. "And you're no hunter."

Lucy contemplated it in her head. He was right, so very right, as much as she hated to admit. She didn't even know how to use a spear, not to mention she had the aim of a blind toddler with two left hands.

At last, She sighed with submission.

"I suppose you're right."

"Aren't I always?"

She laughed and hit him playfully in the chest.

"Just don't get killed, will you?"

"Well, I'm not making any promises but..."

Lucy pushed him away, a stupid smile on her face. "Oh, go on and catch your beast already."

Ralph patted her on the head like a dog.

"Good luck," he said, motioning to Piggy, who was chasing around (or at least attempting to) Johnny and Phil, who thought it would be absolutely hilarious to steal his specs and threaten to toss it into the ocean.

She fixed her now even more mussed up hair and replied. "Yeah, you too."

He frowned at the back of Jack's head as he strode with great importance into the jungle and started to follow him. The others quickly scampered after them.

"Bye Lucy!"

"See you soon!"

"Can I have a kiss, too?"

She waved them away impatiently.

"Goodbye now."

Good God! You would think they'd be traveling around the world, not venturing to the other side of the island.

Roger had been straggling a little while behind the others. He glared at her icily as he brushed past, before jogging to catch up. Lucy shivered. What had she ever done to him?

Slowly, she made her way back to the platform, where Piggy was sitting, eyeing the little boys with much distaste.

She hated this. She hated Piggy. She hated herself for giving in to Jack so easily.

She was Lucy. She liked to prove people wrong. At least, that's what her mother told her.

Turning her gaze to the horizon, she wondered. What exactly had this boy done to her?