Ralph finds out that one of the younger boys was taken last night, his name was George. Ralph didn't know him too well, but he did feel upset over the loss. But thoughts of whom was talking in his head to him was over shadowing George. Am I going crazy?
Thomas? Is that you? The same girl voice from last night.
No, this is Ralph. He replies, getting a headache for some reason. No response. He gets out of bed and walks to the kitchen area, where Samneric are making breakfast. He sees Bill and Jack sitting at a table together. The table is covered in cup rings and crumbs.
"I'm telling you. Ralph knows something we don't," Bill whispers quietly.
"What would it be? William?" Jack puts so much emphasis on "William", Ralph thought he was just trying to be rude.
"Not a clue."
Ralph walks in, helping himself to toast and jam. He sits at a table next to Piggy, who is scratching something into the table with a fork. Ralph decides not to bother him and eats the toast.
"Hey Jack. What is my job for today?" Ralph asks between bites.
"We'll have you work with Robert on building a new Homestead. Because someone destroyed the other one," He says bitterly. Ralph decides not to argue, he did burn the house down after all. He starts towards a tool shed that is used for fixing the structures. He sees Robert standing there next to it, sketching something in a notebook. He's a tall skinny guy with shaggy hair, cropped crookedly above his eyebrows.
"I'm here to help you rebuild the Homestead," Ralph says quietly with shame.
"O.K. Well, only the left half of the building is burned down. So we should be able to fix that up and not have to rebuild too much," He replies in a nasally voice. He points at a sketch in his notebook.
Ralph grabs a tool belt at Robert's command and starts carrying lumber towards the Homestead. His legs buckling under the large amount of 2x4s he has to carry back and forth. Robert finally puts him on roof duty. Which Ralph thinks is extremely nerve racking, considering the ladder is almost rusted through.
Bill walks over from whatever he was doing. Ralph thinks Bagger? Or Farmer? Maybe Slicer in the Slaughter house. "You really screwed us over, noobie!" He snaps.
"Just… uh." Ralph feels his temper growing. He has to hold it back. "You're right, William."
Bill's face turns to straight anger before Ralph's eyes, eyebrows creased, fists clenched, his veins popping up in his fairly muscular arms. Ralph climbs down from the ladder, expecting what's to come.
"Are you gonna friggin beat my jacksie over the homestead?" Ralph steps off the last rung of the ladder. Feeling a rush of fury over him.
"I sorta feel like it! I'd like to give you a good going over!" Bill says, stepping back. "But, Jack'd have my head on a silver platter if I hurt anyone else." The only thing Ralph got from that was: 'If I hurt anyone else'. Who else did he hurt? he asks himself.
"Is there a problem? Ralph, get off your bum and get back to work." Robert walks out from the inside of the burned Homestead. Giving Ralph a feeling of relief. "Bill, I don't come to your job and start raising devil. So you should do the same for me. Go back to the barns before the cows start missing you."
"I'll do that." Bill's face turns red like a beetroot as he starts walking back towards the farms area, stomping his feet on the dusty stone floor like a toddler who didn't get what he it wanted. Which was a relief to Ralph because he wasn't sure if he could take Bill or not. He has at least 6 inches, and probably 50 pounds on him. That was a close one. He thinks.
Who is this? The same girl's voice says.
I'm Ralph, He thinks as he walks back to the ladder. A hard headache forms from behind his eyes.
I've never met anyone named Ralph.
What is your name?
Teresa.