I'm not really sure what inspired me to write this story...but something obviously did. I hope it's turned out alright. Disclaimers: I do not own Lord of the Flies, nor any of the characters involved in this story, except for Mary, who is my own creation since I don't think Ralph had a sister in the movie. I didn't write the lullaby – it's an old Irish folk song.

Lullaby

"Hullo, Piggy. How's the fire coming?" Ralph asked, standing next to Piggy, who was standing next to the fire staring out at the ocean. His eyes seemed strangely hollow, and he didn't answer. "Piggy? Piggy, what's wrong?" Ralph asked, and Piggy turned towards him. Now Ralph saw why his eyes were so hollow...Piggy's head was split open, nothing was in it! Ralph backed up a few paces slowly before turning to run, his tears wiping away the sand that

threatened to blind him. He tripped and fell at someone's feet...they were blue, and bruised...he looked up at the face, squinting in the sunlight. Simon reached down for him, grabbing his collar and lifting him up. Ralph scrambled away from him, only to run into Piggy. He screamed and crawled away, backing up against a tree, crying. The two dead boys advanced on him, finally closing in. He screamed again as everything grew black...

"Ralph! Ralph, wake up!" his older sister Mary was shaking him, and as he opened his eyes he realized he was screaming and stopped, though he was unable to stem the flow of tears that ran down his face. She hugged him as stroked his hair, muttering words of comfort as he sobbed into her shoulder. His violent sobs receded as she sang an old lullaby their mother used to sing to them.

"On the wings of the wind, over the dark rolling deep, angels are coming, to watch over thy sleep...angels are coming, to watch over thee, so list' to the wind, coming over the sea...hear the wind blow, hear the wind blow, lean your head over, hear the wind blow...on wings of the night, may your fury be crossed, may no one that's dear, to out island be lost...blow the winds gently, calm be the foam, shine the light brightly, to guide them back home..." Mary could hear Ralph's breath growing slower, and she smiled.

"the curraghs are sailing, way out in the blue, laden with herring, of silvery hue...silver the herring, silver the sea, soon there'll be silver, for baby and me...the curraghs tomorrow, will stand on the shore, and he'll go sailing, and sailing no more...the nets will be drying, nets haven't passed, contented he'll rest, safe in my arms...hear the wind blow, hear the wind blow, lean your head over, hear the wind blow..."