Wow, Sorry it's been such a long time. I dont have any viable excuses, I just...didnt get anything up here? But, this chapter's probably the longest i've done so far, maybe it'll tide you over.

Chapter Six - Skull Island

My head throbbed as I sat, on a slight angle, on a soft sofa in Captain Englehorn's lounge. Jimmy had brought me to Mister Hayes, who had brought us up here. The gash in my head was now clean and I was holding a cloth to it. Along with Jimmy, Captain Englehorn and Ann were in the room. Ann had come to ask the captian what was going on, and how the ship could get out of it's current predicament.

Englehorn was visibly annoyed, though it didnt seem like Ann saw that as she fired nervous questions his way. He was standing at the ship's wheel, staring at the rocky obstacles we would have to find a way past if we could get off this rock in the first place.

Jimmy was standing aswell, near me and leaning against the fireplace mantle, completely silent.

Mister Hayes burst through the door of the lounge, nearly soaked through in water and out of breath.

'Captain, we're taking on water. You'd better come see this.'

If anything, Englehorn seemed relieved to have this diversion. He followed his first mate dutifully out of the lounge.

Not five seconds later, Carl Denham had burst into the room aswell. He looked happier than i'd ever seen him before at sea. As soon as he laid eyes on Jimmy and I, however, the crazed smile faltered.

'Miss Darrow, could I have a word?' He said hastily.

Ann followed him outside to the wing bridge. Through the window, I saw the short man grab her by the elbow and whisper something in her ear.

'What was that all about?' Jimmy said more than asked.

I looked at Jimmy and grinned. 'I'm not sure we're meant to know when it comes to Mister Denham,' I said tiredly.

Jim snorted lightly and sat down next to me on the lounge sofa, setting his elbows on his knees.

'I was pretty scared when you fell, you know.' He said, 'I saw that crate sliding at you and all, nearly made me jump right out of the nest.'

I laughed lightly, my head crackling painfully. I winced. 'Wouldent have been much help, there was nothing stopping it.'

'I would have, though. Jumped. If the crash hadnt shaken me up so much.'

I grinned to myself at Jimmy's strange comment. I stretched a hand out and placed it over his own.

'Thanks, Jim. That's nice, in an odd way.'

He laughed, putting his remaining hand over the pair of ours and leaned back so as we were shoulder to shoulder.

'Didnt think you liked touching my hands,' Jimmy mumbled.

I gave him a light elbow in the ribs, to keep things from getting too serious.

'Must be something to do with the concussion, eh? I've lost my mind.'

Jim laughed hoarsely, but his voice was suddenly cut off by a metallic groan from on deck.

Jimmy sat up. 'What the hell was that?'

He stood and opened the door, sticking his head into the open air. He froze in place at the door, halfway in, halfway out.

'Oh, shit,'

And he was off. I could hear his heavy footsteps clanging down the metal stairs just outside. I stood aswell, an excruciating pain ricocheting through my head, and went to look out the door.

There, dissapearing over the edge of the ship, was one of our two lifeboats. Mister Driscoll, Mister Denham, Ann, and a good number of the other filmmakers were on board. I stood out on the wing bride and called out to the two men operating the pullies that lowered them noisily to the water.

'Hey, where are they going?'

The men replied with shrugs and shakes of their heads. Iwasnt sure where Jimmy had gone, but it was probably to find the Captain or Mister Hayes.

The lifeboat was now nearing the sharp, rocky shore, Mister Denham operating that camera of his as they bobbed along on the water.

A door slammed open under me andJimmy, a disgruntled Hayes and Englehorn were now on deck, staring out at the lifeboat.

I saw the Captain straighten his hat tersley and make his way to the wing bridge where I was standing, clutching the cold railing. He walked right past me, towards the door to his lounge.

'Mister Englehorn,' I said, 'wont we go after them?'

The captain turned around to face me, his jaw set hard and cold as stone.

'Let them go on their escapades. If they could get off the ship so easily, I'm sure they'll be back in due time.'

He them turned into his lounge, closing the door securely behind him. I looked down to where Jimmy was - he was talking to Mister Hayes. I knew better than to disturb them, so I shakily made my way back to Lumpy in the kitchens. There would definitly be a mess to clean up there.

Sure enough, upon entering the mess, I wasnt greeted by a room of havoc and disorder with a furious cook fuming in the centre of it all. Instead I was greeted by a room of havoc and disorder with no one around. I stepped over chair legs and tables to get to the Galley. Still, no furious Lumpy. Lumpy was standing at the window with a smoke in between his fingers, next to his usual birdcage. Around him were various pots and plates, spilled spices and walnuts.

'Polly's cage broke,' He said, not turning to me. 'Flew right off, didnt even say g'bye.'

He showed no outward grief towards the departure of his bird. He had just stated a fact - by the look on his face when he did turn around, I wasnt even sure whether he'd liked the thing. I smiled to myself, endeared by this usually blunt and unfeeling cook's bizzarebut confusingliking for a bird.

'Come on, then. This mess wont clean itself up.' I said gently, not sure what mood Lumpy would be in at the thought of cleaning such a mess up.

I straightened up the Mess hall to the best of my abilities, but the chairs kept sliding out of place when I put them anywhere. Lumpy was having just as much trouble as I was - he was cursing regularly, often right before I heard a loud crash of dishes. I had nearly given up on the idea of straightening anything up at all when there was a terrible noise coming through the window of the Galley.

A shrill, blood curdling scream drifted in from the island not 500 metres from the Venture. It was quiet and fading, but it chilled me to the bone. Not ten seconds later, a second sound exploded from Skull Island. It sounded a bit like a lion I had seen at the zoo in New York, only it was louder, deeper, older than any lion I could fathom. I completely forgot anything I had been doing and ran from the mess, my head spinning painfully, leaving Lumpy to continue swear on his own.

Emerging into clear air, many of the other men had gathered on deck like I had, looking towards the mysterious shores of the island and questioning the noise amongst themselves. I heard Jimmy's voice above me, and looking up I saw him and Mister Hayes talking on the wing bridge, also regardingthe island. I ran up to the upper deck just as the Captain stepped out from his lounge. He had another stern look on his face, but it wasnt nearly the same one he wore when Denham had run off in the lifeboat. He had a pistol grasped tightly in his hand.

'Mister Hayes,' He said calmly and evenly, 'have the men prepare the second lifeboat for us.'

He handed the pistol to Hayes, who nodded, slipped the gun into his belt, and est off, the Captain right behind him. Right before stepping down to the main deck, Englehorn turned back to Jimmy and I.

'I'll be having you row,' he said, nodding in Jimmy's direction. 'You, on the other hand,' he now looked at me, 'will stay here.'

I spun around to look at Jimmy, my mouth hanging open, and then looked back at Englehorn.

'Wait, that's rediculous! Why can't - hey!'

The Captain was already half way to the lifeboat that was being prepared to be lowered to the sea. I huffed after him, appaled, Jimmy right behind me.

'Mister Englehorn, please! I'll help a lot, you know I wont get in the way. Let me come along!'

The captain turned back to me, right before stepping into the lifeboat.

'Miss Leighton, there are many other men staying behind with you. We do not plan on being long. Stay and fulfil you duty as a crewmember of this ship. Am I understood?'

His words were stern and almost planned. He crumpled any determination I had to join the men. He towered over me, reminding me vividly of any time I had spent with my father.

A hand was pressing against my shoulder now, Jimmy's, I guessed.

'June, come on.' He said, 'Just stay here. We wont be long, I promise.'

Men were loading into the lifeboat - most toting guns. I stepped back, still slightly angry with the decision to have me stay aboard the Venture. Most of the other crew members werent going either, but I was growing tired of the small ship. Though it had grown to be my home, I had the desperate urge to be on solid ground once more.

The men were loaded in and lowered to the water in a matter of minutes, the strong arms of Jimmy and 3 other men propelling them to the rocky shore.There were now other noises passing through the air from the island. It was hard to tell whether they were from a man or beast, or even if they were false noises, amplified by the tall rocksall around us. Rain was beginning to fall, a steady and heavy rain, but without the wind and waves of a storm.

I went inside to the mess with the rest of the crew, where a slow game of poker would be sure to start in a few minutes. It was unofficially decided that since we were all stuck in a rock with no Captain, a poker game was in order.

Fifteen minutes into our game there was a yell from the few men who had been left on watch. I ran to the deck, pulling a rain slicker on. The two boats were returning, pitching through the rainy waters. I hurries back to the galley where Lumpy still was, preparing dinner and laughing with the crew.

'Lumpy, would you put a kettle on to boil? They're coming back, and they're definitly going to want some warm tea.'

The cook nodded and set to it. I headed back out to the open air where the lifeboats were now being roped onto the pulleys, ready to be hauled back on board. The rain was still pounding down, the wind now picking up and the waves started to pitch. The first lifeboat on deck was carryingmany of the Filmmakers. Mister Denham stumbled off first, whey faced and missing the cocky attitude he left with. Right behind him was Mister Driscoll - or rather, two men holding Mister Driscoll up. I rushed forward.

'What happened?' I asked the two men who were holding him up.

'Think someone hit his head, or he mighthave fallen,' one of them said, 'He's been out cold ever since.'

I took the place of the bigger man, slinging one of Jack's arms over my shoulders. 'We've got to lie him down. We've taken him to the mess, if anyone's asking.'

The remaining support and I hauled Mister Driscoll to the mess hall, where we heaved him onto a table. I grabbed an apron from the kitchen and balled it up, placing it under his head. Lumpy was no longer in the Galley. I figured he must have gone out to help outside, so I turned to go aswell. Turning the corner to leave the room, I collided with a rather soggy someone.

'Oh, Jimmy!' I gasped, realizing who the dripping person was. I grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the galley, sitting him in a chair.

'Stay there, and take off your coat.' I said as I rushed back into my room. I grabbed my blanket and spun back through the galley, looking for that tea Lumpy was supposed to have made. Realizing Lumpy hadnt made any at all, I went back into the mess where Jimmy was.

He was looking across the room at the motionless form of Jack Driscoll on the table.

'Hey, is he gonna be alright?'

I glanced over at Mister Driscoll briefly before pulling a chair over to sit in front of Jimmy. 'Im sure he will be. Someone told me he just hit his head.'

Jimmy nodded, drops of water falling from his hair.

'Slicker didnt do much to keep you dry, then?' I said, pulling the soaked hat off his head.

Jimmy nodded again. 'We were out for too long.'

I pulled the blanket around him in some hopeless attempt to warm him up. He was soaked right through, and his lips were a darkening blue colour. His eyes were blank, looking at one spot but not focused on anything.

'Jim, what was on the island?'

His blank eyes turned to look at me. 'A village, sort of. But I don't know how anything lived there, all sharp edges and hard stones. But there were people, June. Dark like Mister Hayes, but really thin and small. Skin and bones with little peices of stuff covering them up. They killed two of our men, I think.'

I sucked in my breath, startled. I hadnt seen any bodies carried on the ship. I hadnt even noticed that anyone was missing.

There was a sudden lurch as the ship shifted, no doubt the work of the fierce waves outside. The voice of Mister Hayes burst down the hallway and into the galley where we were.

'All hands on deck! All hands!'

kind of random, ne?

didnt much know where to finish on that one. and I'm sorry this story is so much the same as the movie's timeline and all, I'm not much for coming up with thrilling plots. The next chapter is all written, I've just got to find the time to get it up here. Thanks again for all the postive feedback.

negative is welcome aswell! as always!