LOTF Ch. 8 Gift for the Darkness viewpoint: Simon

Am I crazy?

I think I am going crazy. This island is driving all of us crazy. What has it done to me? What has it done to all of us? The group has split up. Jack apparently has had enough of Ralph. It was either him as leader or he's gone. He's gone, but with alot of other big ones too. They followed him after the meeting, tracing his path into the forest. I could tell Ralph didn't take notice. He was too busy getting the fire ready. Piggy had this great idea to have the fire down here, and not on the mountain where the supposedly "beastie" was. I had had enough of this. The beastie isn't an actual animal or demon or whatever everyone else thinks it is. It's ourselves! We're going crazy on this island! I remember the prefects at my school, trying to keep everyone in line. I feel like Ralph is trying to step up to this job. Not in a bossy way, but in a survival leadership way. He's so set on keeping the signal fire going. To Jack it's like taboo. All he cares about is hunting. Hunting hunting hunting. Speaking of Jack, and hunting... I escaped from the beach where Ralph and everyone who had stayed were. I had to prove that the beastie wasn't real. I walked around for a while, went to my special place, then I heard the hunters coming. I hid, scared to think about what they might do to me if they found me. They had caught a pig! I watched disgusted as they reenacted the hunt as Jack paunched the poor pig. Jack started to speak. He said to everyone that they would leave something for the beastie. He said maybe it would leave them alone if they did this. I thought it was like some kind of offering or sacrifice. The beastie isn't even real! It's just us, coming up with fears in our head and then turning violent. I froze though when I saw what Jack had done. A demure pile of rocks had been turned into some kind of offering stone. Jack had piled all the pigs guts on the rock. And stuck in a crack, on long piece of wood, was the pigs head. It seemed to smile demonically down at the group and at me. The hunters had gone silent and uneasy. Jack whispered something I couldn't hear and then they left. I didn't care though. I was transfixed on the pigs head. Flies swirled around it, servants to the Lord of the Flies. I crept out of my hiding place. I stared at the pigs severed head, blood dripping down the wood. It seemed to talk to me to me. I don't know if I was having a seizure. It's all a blur. It told me to leave. To go back. I didn't listen. The voice was like a drug. I had to keep listening or else I couldn't live. It told me that everyone would kill me. That I was going crazy. Was I? Am I? Is there a beastie? I don't know anymore. I'm so confused. The Lord of the Flies has commanded me to his side, and I stayed at the clearing didn't I? Am I giving in to the violence? Am I one Jack's hunters now? I feel dizzy, lightheaded... and the world is going black...

LOTF CH. 7 Shadows and Tall Trees viewpoint: Jack

BEASTIE

There is a beastie! I knew there was all a long! I thought sagely to think that there was one. It's a great ape thing with wings! It was up on the mountain. I saw it! I knew Ralph didn't believe that there was one. When we went to other side of the island to the moors, he thought there wasn't a beastie. It was getting dark so we had to make one person go back and tell piggy that we were ok and that we were staying out over night. Simon volunteered and he took off into the jungle. Serves him right if he dies out there in the forest. Ralph made us all go to the mountain, claiming that the beastie was up there. He was impervious when everyone didn't want to go. I think he just wanted to go to the signal fire. He had saw a ship when we were on the rocky part. How could he think of the stupid fire when there's a beastie on the island? And at the rock part, there was a perfect place to make a fort there, and Ralph didn't pay any attention to it. So we climbed up the mountain. Al the hunters and me and Ralph. When we got the mountain, no one else wanted to go so I went up by myself. When I got there, my heart stopped. The beastie was there! I could see its wings, an lifted its head up and down. It was horrible! I ran back down to Ralph and Roger, I told them what I saw. I was so scared! I'm pretty sure my face was pale and my whole body trembling. When I told them there was a beastie, I don't' think they believed me. Of course Ralph didn't, he thinks I only care about hunting. We all went quietly back to where I saw the beastie. We got down on our hands and knees. When Ralph saw the beastie, it looked like he wanted to throw up! I momentarily forgot about the beastie, Ralph was scared! Finally he had lost his cover up bravado that he makes people think he has. But then the beastie lifted its head and it seemed like it was staring at us! We took off running down the mountain, we were running for our lives! When we get back to piggy and the little ones, it's going to be a very dun time on the island.

LOTF Ch. 6 Beast from Air viewpoint: Ralph

The beastie?

Is there is beastie? Is there a terrifying animal living on our island? And if there is a beastie, it would probably be his island, not ours. We went on a hunt today after Samneric claimed they saw the beastie. They were up on watch at the fire. They said they had let the fire go out! After that entire speech I gave they fall asleep and let the fire go out! That is the main thing here, to keep the smoke coming. Without the smoke we might not be found. This interminable problem keeps coming at me mutinously. No one seems to listen to me that the fire is the absolute most important thing. I get waxy just thinking about it. So I was sleeping, dreaming a wonderful dream about home, when I wake to Samneric grabbing me and flailing me around. They start describing a beastie. With claws and wings. I call a meeting, keeping everyone together and quiet. Samneric describe the beastie again. They seem absolutely terrified. It chased them all the way back, and blood was smeared on Sam's face. Could the beastie have done this? We call on a hunt, Me, Simon, Jack and the hunters. Piggy stays behind to watch over everybody of course. So we go on hunt to place where No one has been yet, figuring that the beastie must be here if we haven't seen it anywhere else. We get the place and I lead with Jack following. There is no beastie. Only guano covering the rocks. Once everyone realizes it's alright, they start fooling around pushing rocks in the water. I notice that there is no fire. The fire was out. I could have exploded. I make everyone leave to go up the mountain to the fire saying that the beastie might be there, on the other side. I hope there is and they eat everyone for letting the fire go out. That would teach them.

LOTF Ch. 5 Beast from Water viewpoint: Piggy

The island is in ChAoS!

I'm scared! Everyone is going crazy on this island. It's ludicrous how everybody is losing their mind. Well, everybody except me, Ralph and Simon. When Ralph called the meeting, everyone was serious, at first. When I look back at it now, I look back it jeeringly, everything seemed perfect then compared to now. He explained how we needed to enforce the rules we had made earlier. Like going to the bathroom in the rocks, putting the water in coconut shells, and keeping the signal fire going and only cooking up there. Everyone was pretty irritated at all the rules he was reminding them of. But it was definitely necessary. Then another subject was brought up, the beastie. The terrifying shadow of evil that haunts the little ones in their sleep, that make all us older ones feel uncomfortable, and that creates chaos on our island. All sorts of solutions to this problem were brought up. Well I wouldn't exactly say solutions, more like explanations. It was a tiger, a squid, it was us, it wasn't anything, it was just our imaginations. And, once again, no one listened to me. Ralph defended me though, saying that I had the conch so I had the right to speak. Then that was when everything just.. well... broke. Any decorum that we had left vanished. Jack exploded tempestuously at Ralph and at me. I'm so scared of him! I know if Ralph wasn't here that I would be long gone. At this point the sun was long gone. The gathering of people was in total darkness. I've noticed that people's minds change in darkness. That when they can't see, they have to imagine whats beyond there vision range. It's scary, the way everyone goes crazy. And that's exactly what happened. Jack lead a sort of tribal dance, everyone followed him, minds gone and everything. They sang a chant and dance around. It was scary, we couldn't see only hear. The sounds made me shiver. And then when I realized it was only Ralph, Simon and me left, we heard an eerie screech from the tall grass. It was Percival, who had fainted when talking about the beastie. He was crying and yelling and the sound of it made us all move together. His mind was completely gone! It was like it had just snapped. I told Ralph to blow the conch and get everyone back together but he wouldn't. He was afraid if he did, no one would come and his leadership would really mean nothing. As we all stood there, shivering with terror, and exhausted, I realized that I had never missed home more than now and I lamented quietly.

LOTF Ch. 4 Painted faces and long hair viewpoint: Simon

We missed our ship, but at least there is pepperoni!

I feel awful today. A ship came, and we missed it. It hurts to think that we actually had a chance to be rescued, to get off this island. I don't think it was any one person's fault. The little ones don't understand, and they take comfort in each other anyway. We were all on the beach. Jack had gone off hunting, again. Suddenly Ralph saw something on the horizon. It was a ship! I was full of excitement, we were going to be rescued! But as I looked at the smoke coming from the ship, then to Ralph, then up at our fire, I noticed there wasn't any smoke. Was it out? Ralph took off running up the mountain to the signal fire. He tore through the undergrowth malevolently. But then I realized, if the fire was out, how would we start it? I yelled after him, telling him we would need Piggy's glasses. We looked for Piggy, barely visible on the beach far behind us. Ralph looked like he was in pain. The swarthiness of his face looked pale. I understood his problem, should he run back to Piggy, and get his glasses, but what if the ship disappeared? Or should he run to the fire, quicker, but chancing that it was out? He finally broke his stillness and blatantly charged forward. When we got to the fire, we could immediately see that it was dead. No one was insight, and the ship disappeared.
As we stood in silence, Ralph fumed with anger. He spotted the watchers. They came in a line, chanting and carrying something, Jack leading. They had killed a pig! It was a bloody mess, with gouts of blood dropping on the ground, but Jacks belligerence had paid off. Jack had no idea what had happened. He was full of excitement and proud of himself. As he spoke, Ralph was a stone. He didn't move. Ralph finally pointed at the horizon, and yelled "There was a ship!" He exploded at Jack. He yelled about keeping the fire going, his obsession with killing a pig. Then Piggy started whining. Jack had had enough, and he punched him. He looked embarrassed. Piggy's glasses flew off, and I ran and got them. I felt bad for him. No one stood up for Piggy. The Jack apologized. Which was surprising, coming from Jack. Ralph did not want to accept it, which I agree with him. He ordered then to build the fire. When the pile was built, Ralph got Piggy's glasses and lit the fire. We ended up roasting the pig in pieces. Jack didn't give Piggy any on purpose. Claiming that Piggy didn't hunt. But neither did I, or Ralph. So I gave mine to Piggy. I felt bad for him. Then Jack threw meat at me, shouting for me to eat it. He yelled and shouted, then began telling the story of how he caught the pig. Then Ralph said he was calling a meeting even if it went on into the night. I knew this would scare the little ones, with them having nightmares about the beastie. I knew it would be a long night.

LOTF Ch. 3 Fire on the Mountain viewpoint: Jack

Pigs are my Enemy

I hate pigs. They are the most annoying creatures on the face of this planet. I keep telling myself I have to catch one. That I can catch one. I have a compulsion to kill one. It seems impossible though. Today another one got away again. I was so close! The hunting trip was full of vicissitudes. First my hunting party got tired, so I sent them back. But who needs tiny kids anyway? So I was alone and tracking a pig. When I finally caught up to it in the opaque jungle forest, I threw my spear, but it missed. I was so frustrated. I still am. I'm not leaving this stupid island till I catch and kill a pig. I don't care if a rescue ship comes right now, I'll tell them to pick me up later. When I got back to everybody, Ralph and Simon were building shelters. Ralph didn't seem in the least bit contrite about my unsuccessful trip. They were completely rapt with the shelters that they didn't even notice when I came up to them. They started talking about how the little ones thought the beastie was real. Ralph said they had nightmares. Then he got mad at me when I came up with this great idea on where those pigs stayed when it was hot. We were really mad at each other for a while. But what can you do when you're on a deserted island with no one else but yourselves? So we made up and we're ok now. But the beastie... I sometimes feel like I'm being watched when I hunt. Like I'm the one being hunted... creepy.

LOTF Ch. 1 The Sound of the Shell viewpoint: Ralph

Stuck on an Island, and I'm in charge?

Today I was elected leader of the group. I think it might be a challenge to take care of the boys but I feel like I can do it. It all started when I was exploring. As I was walking along by myself when a boy crashes out of a bush. He was wearing glasses and he was definitely very fat. This was explained later when he said his aunt worked in a candy shop and he could get unlimited amounts of candy. He was very clingy. He didn't seem like he had many friends. He seemed sensitive, his mother and father had died. He told me he was called Piggy before, which I found extremely funny. It seemed to suit him, well at least his appearance. We found a conch shell in the lagoon. I used it to call all the other boys that were on the island. We all gathered at the lagoon. A choir group lead by a boy named Jack also came. He seemed controlling, but I think we'll get along. The gathering had a vote to see who should be leader. I got the most votes while Jack and his group was elected to be hunters. Me, Jack and Simon explored the island while Piggy stayed to watch all the little ones. He didn't seem very happy to be left behind. We found the island to be completely surround by water with no land in sight. There were also no grownups, we had all the freedom we wanted. On the way back we came across a pig that was caught in the creepers. Jack took out his knife to kill it but he hesitated and the pig got away. We all agreed he was just waiting to decide where he should kill it, but I think it was because he didn't really want to kill the animal. I didn't exactly want him to either.