The sound of the conch rung in our ears. Simon and I climbed back to the
top of the mountain where the others had already assembled.
"What took you so long?" Jack asked snidely.
"Do you ever shut up?" I shot back at him.
"You two," Ralph started the meeting, "We need to discuss a few things. First of all, no more big fires. We'll build a smaller one and but more green branches for smoke. Next, we need shelter. If it rains like it did yesterday night, we'll need some sort of roof over our heads. We're ALL going to chip in to make the shelters. Got it?"
"What about the hunters? We can't help out. We have to catch some meat. What about Margaret? She's too weak to help out with the shelters. Why doesn't she cook and get water for everyone instead?"
"Thank you for your concern, Jack, but it really isn't needed. I'm not cooking for everyone!" I turned my attention towards Ralph; "To tell you the truth I'm worried about the smaller boys. They aren't that strong and they lose focus way too easily. Now I'll volunteer to watch them, and I'll bring water and stuff for those who are working on the shelters, but manual labor is not for the smaller boys."
"Okay, the hunters and the littluns won't help out with the shelters, but everyone else will. Agreed?"
There were nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd.
"Okay, it looks like we're going to have to spend the night up here and tomorrow we'll start on the huts."
I immediately went back to the place where the blue flowers grew. The littluns followed me. They fell asleep almost immediately, and once everyone had, I climbed back up the mountain to watch the sunset. Jack was telling the pig story to his hunters again. Ralph, Piggy and Simon were talking amongst themselves.
I wandered over and sat down in between Simon and Ralph. They barely gave me a sideways glance before continuing on with their conversation.
"What are the chances of a boat passing by here anytime soon? They aren't that good!" Piggy was arguing.
"Who cares? The fire is the only way anyone will know to rescue us." Ralph countered.
"Let's just hope that whoever comes is on our side." Simon settled the debate. Both boys nodded in agreement.
"Look I'm worried about the littluns," I interrupted their conversation, "I'm going to need someone to help me look after them at times."
"You're just worried because of what happened today with that little boy named Lucas." Piggy stated in a bored voice.
"Maybe I am, but there are eleven of them and watching eleven children is not an easy thing for one person."
"Look I would love to get someone else to help you," Ralph said, "But there aren't enough of us to build the shelters as it is."
"What if someone at least helps me some of the time, like when we go for food and water for the workers?"
"I'll do that, Ralph," Simon volunteered.
"Fine," Ralph shook his head.
"Thank you," I smiled at the boys.
A scream rung out into the night. It was one of the littluns. I stood up and quickly went over to the opposite edge and started to descend to the platform. I found the boy I had sat beside on the plane sitting up against a rock, drenched in a cold sweat. He had tears welling up in his eyes. I rushed over to him and asked him what was the matter.
"The beastie," he sobbed, "The beastie was coming after me and I couldn't run away." His voice broke off.
"Don't worry, it was just a nightmare," I tried to think of his name, but I realized I had never gotten it. "What's your name?"
"Percival."
"Well, I'll tell you what Percival. Why don't you come with me to the top of the mountain? That way you can be sure the beast won't come and get you, because the older boys will protect you. Does that sound good?"
He slowly nodded his head and climbed up the mountain with me. He was very tired, but very frightened. I sat back down among Simon, Ralph and Piggy and I sat Percival on my lap. He was there for about three minutes and then he fell asleep.
"See, here's why I wanted some help. What if other boys had screamed as well as Percival? What would I have done? I can't tend to them all at once."
"We've already covered that topic, so let's leave it alone. Do you want that boy moved?" Ralph was really short with me.
"Yes, please. Could you put him near the fire so he won't get cold, but not too close, I don't want Jack and his hunters waking him up. Thank you very much." I flashed a big smile at Ralph. He and Simon gently picked up Percival and walked over to the fire. They placed Percival just the right distance away from the fire and Jack. They came back and sat down.
"Simon, could you keep an eye out for him. I told him the older boys would protect him from the beastie. I have to go back and calm down any others who wake up. Good night boys." I left without a reply from them.
No other boys woke up that night. Percival didn't even wake up a second time. I would have welcomed anything that would have happened, because I sat awake all night. All I did was wonder whether or not Lucas was alive. I didn't want to bring it up to Ralph. It was pointless to do that at the hour it was anyway. I could hear snores coming from above me. I wanted to venture out into the forest and find Lucas on my own, but I didn't want to leave the littluns all alone. I felt bad for them, because they didn't have their mothers with them.
So, I decided I would become their substitute mother for the time being. I felt my eyes getting heavy around sunrise. I let the sleep wash over me. I had just begun to fall into a deep sleep when I heard some of the littluns talking. Getting up, I forced my eyes open and wished them a good morning.
"What took you so long?" Jack asked snidely.
"Do you ever shut up?" I shot back at him.
"You two," Ralph started the meeting, "We need to discuss a few things. First of all, no more big fires. We'll build a smaller one and but more green branches for smoke. Next, we need shelter. If it rains like it did yesterday night, we'll need some sort of roof over our heads. We're ALL going to chip in to make the shelters. Got it?"
"What about the hunters? We can't help out. We have to catch some meat. What about Margaret? She's too weak to help out with the shelters. Why doesn't she cook and get water for everyone instead?"
"Thank you for your concern, Jack, but it really isn't needed. I'm not cooking for everyone!" I turned my attention towards Ralph; "To tell you the truth I'm worried about the smaller boys. They aren't that strong and they lose focus way too easily. Now I'll volunteer to watch them, and I'll bring water and stuff for those who are working on the shelters, but manual labor is not for the smaller boys."
"Okay, the hunters and the littluns won't help out with the shelters, but everyone else will. Agreed?"
There were nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd.
"Okay, it looks like we're going to have to spend the night up here and tomorrow we'll start on the huts."
I immediately went back to the place where the blue flowers grew. The littluns followed me. They fell asleep almost immediately, and once everyone had, I climbed back up the mountain to watch the sunset. Jack was telling the pig story to his hunters again. Ralph, Piggy and Simon were talking amongst themselves.
I wandered over and sat down in between Simon and Ralph. They barely gave me a sideways glance before continuing on with their conversation.
"What are the chances of a boat passing by here anytime soon? They aren't that good!" Piggy was arguing.
"Who cares? The fire is the only way anyone will know to rescue us." Ralph countered.
"Let's just hope that whoever comes is on our side." Simon settled the debate. Both boys nodded in agreement.
"Look I'm worried about the littluns," I interrupted their conversation, "I'm going to need someone to help me look after them at times."
"You're just worried because of what happened today with that little boy named Lucas." Piggy stated in a bored voice.
"Maybe I am, but there are eleven of them and watching eleven children is not an easy thing for one person."
"Look I would love to get someone else to help you," Ralph said, "But there aren't enough of us to build the shelters as it is."
"What if someone at least helps me some of the time, like when we go for food and water for the workers?"
"I'll do that, Ralph," Simon volunteered.
"Fine," Ralph shook his head.
"Thank you," I smiled at the boys.
A scream rung out into the night. It was one of the littluns. I stood up and quickly went over to the opposite edge and started to descend to the platform. I found the boy I had sat beside on the plane sitting up against a rock, drenched in a cold sweat. He had tears welling up in his eyes. I rushed over to him and asked him what was the matter.
"The beastie," he sobbed, "The beastie was coming after me and I couldn't run away." His voice broke off.
"Don't worry, it was just a nightmare," I tried to think of his name, but I realized I had never gotten it. "What's your name?"
"Percival."
"Well, I'll tell you what Percival. Why don't you come with me to the top of the mountain? That way you can be sure the beast won't come and get you, because the older boys will protect you. Does that sound good?"
He slowly nodded his head and climbed up the mountain with me. He was very tired, but very frightened. I sat back down among Simon, Ralph and Piggy and I sat Percival on my lap. He was there for about three minutes and then he fell asleep.
"See, here's why I wanted some help. What if other boys had screamed as well as Percival? What would I have done? I can't tend to them all at once."
"We've already covered that topic, so let's leave it alone. Do you want that boy moved?" Ralph was really short with me.
"Yes, please. Could you put him near the fire so he won't get cold, but not too close, I don't want Jack and his hunters waking him up. Thank you very much." I flashed a big smile at Ralph. He and Simon gently picked up Percival and walked over to the fire. They placed Percival just the right distance away from the fire and Jack. They came back and sat down.
"Simon, could you keep an eye out for him. I told him the older boys would protect him from the beastie. I have to go back and calm down any others who wake up. Good night boys." I left without a reply from them.
No other boys woke up that night. Percival didn't even wake up a second time. I would have welcomed anything that would have happened, because I sat awake all night. All I did was wonder whether or not Lucas was alive. I didn't want to bring it up to Ralph. It was pointless to do that at the hour it was anyway. I could hear snores coming from above me. I wanted to venture out into the forest and find Lucas on my own, but I didn't want to leave the littluns all alone. I felt bad for them, because they didn't have their mothers with them.
So, I decided I would become their substitute mother for the time being. I felt my eyes getting heavy around sunrise. I let the sleep wash over me. I had just begun to fall into a deep sleep when I heard some of the littluns talking. Getting up, I forced my eyes open and wished them a good morning.