Blog 11- Ironic, Isn't It?

My crew and I were aboard our naval ship, when, far off on the horizon, I saw smoke. I really didn't know what it was. I thought it could have been another naval ship that had been bombed, so I took my time making my way over there, in case the attacker had stuck around. But as we grew closer I realized that it wasn't another ship, it was an island; it was an island that was on fire. But how does an island just randomly catch on fire? There had been a lightning storm a few days ago but any fire that it would have created would have gone out by now. I decided to take my search further and go to the small island.

I got there and there seemed to be inexpertly built huts, and the remains of a camp fire on the beach. But there was no one around. Perhaps they had started the fire in the jungle and were killed by it before they could run away. I heard a faint cry of, "Heave!" And then far off I head a quiet ululation. Perhaps not. Just then a dirty little boy run came running and screaming out of the jungle carrying a long stick. He had a swollen face with scratches all over. His whole body was bruised and he had a very deep wound in his ribs and on his head was a tangle of messy blond hair and twigs. Next ran out another little boy, this one with red hair which was tied back. His face was painted with something and he was carrying what seemed to be a spear. I could visualize that he had been chasing the blond haired boy with that spear. He seemed to be very nervous and quickly placed the remains of a black cap on his head. Then some other littluns who seemed to be no older than 6 came cowering out of the jungle.

I greeted the first boy who came running out, and greeted me back very quietly. I asked if there were any adults, any grown-ups on the island. The boy shook his head no.

"We saw your smoke. What have you been doing? Having a war of something?"

The boy nodded. A war. These little boys were having a war.

"Nobody killed, I hope? Any dead bodies?"

"Only two. And they've gone."

I was shocked. Two boys killed! What insanity!

One of them littluns came up to me.

"I'm... I'm..."

The poor little boy couldn't even remember his own name! I told them that we'd take them off now, and asked how many of them there were. Of course, they didn't know how many. I asked who was the boss around there, and the first boy I'd seen said that he was. That little boy in the back with the red hair and the black cap started to walk forward to say that he was, but then changed his mind. Perhaps he didn't want to take responsibility for what had happened there on that island. I elaborated on my disappointment in them. Those British boys should have been able to put on a better show than that! But then the boy who claimed to be the boss began sobbing, and then all the other boys followed. They all wept and cried. I turned around to give them time to pull themselves together and began thinking of what I had just heard. Boys killing each other and creating war. How horrible! How stupid! Then I caught sight of my own ship. The one that is used for creating wars and killing people.

Ironic, isn't it?

Blog 10- The Last One (Samneric's Perspective)

Piggy has no glasses. We have no fire. They stole it. They stole out fire. We don't know how we are going to be able to be rescued if we don't have fire. If they would have just asked we would have given them fire. We would have willingly given it to them. But instead, they stole it! Those savages stole our fire! And they stole poor Piggy's glasses!

Ralph called an assembly which only we, Piggy, Ralph, and a few littluns attended. He said that we would go to talk to Jack about the specks. Piggy said he would talk to him and tell Jack that he HAD to give them back because it is the right thing to do. But Jack won't care whats right. We went to castle rock and began to cross over a very thin little bridge of rocks. Then we heard a voice which sounded like Roger.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Ralph yelled up at him, "You can see who I am! Stop being silly!"

He told us that he wasn't supposed to let us in; Chief's orders. Ralph began blowing the conch. He said he was calling an assembly. Roger picked up a stone and threw it at us, but he missed. Then Jack and a few hunters came out of the jungle. We were trapped. Jack's crew was on either side of us all. Ralph started yelling at Jack, calling him a thief. That got Jack angry and they began swinging their spears at each other like swords. Piggy reminded Ralph what we came there for, and Ralph stopped swinging his spear. He told Jack, "You have to give them back! Piggy can't see with out them! You aren't playing the game--"

Jack yelled to his group to grab us and tie us up. They did as they were told. The anger escalated until Ralph got angry and yelled, "You're a beast and a swine and a bloody, bloody thief!"

Then he ran and charged at Jack with his spear. We were scared. Jack charged too and they fought with their spears. Then Piggy got up and tried talking to the savages, but they all just laughed at him. He continued to talk even through their laughter. He just talked and talked and talked and held up the conch... until Roger pushed all his weight on the lever. The huge rock came crashing down the cliff and sent Piggy and the conch flying over the cliff. Piggy flew off the cliff and down 40 feet until he landed with a crash on the rocks below. His head split open and stuff started pouring out and turned red. We were so scared at that point. The crashing waves came and washed what was left of Piggy out to sea. Then Jack threw his spear at Ralph and pinned him in his ribs. Ralph stumbled and then began to run. He ran as fast as he could. When he was out of sight Jack came to us and questioned us asking what we meant by coming with spears. We told him thats not the way, but he wouldn't listen. Then Roger took up the questioning; or we should say beating.

We were forced to join Jack and the savages. Now we were forced to be savages too.

Blog 9- The Ultimate Theft

I'm beginning to worry. This morning I spoke with Ralph. We spoke of-- last night.

This morning, Ralph came out of the jungle he asked if there were any biguns left. I told him, "Only Samneric. They're collecting wood."

He started whispering.

"Simon."

I asked him to talk louder.

"Simon."

Then we just sat, looking at the glittering laggon. Eventually I began talking about calling an assembly. Ralph just laughed.

"Piggy."
"Uh?"
"That was Simon."
"You said that before."
"Piggy."
"Uh?"
"That was murder."

I yelled at him to stop talking like that. W hat good was it doing? I tried reasoning with him. It was dark, we were scared, he shouldn't have gesticulated like that! He shouldn't have come crawling out of the jungle like that! P'raps he was only pretending. It was an accident! I told him not to let on we were in that dance, but yelled at me that "we were! All of us!" We finally came to the conclusion that we were on the outside. We never did nothing and, we never saw nothing. Then Samneric walked out of the trees.

"Hullo, fancy meeting you Ralph. We just been in the forest- to get wood for the fire.- We got lost last night."

"You got lost after the..." Ralph's voice trailed off.

"After the feast. Yes, after the feast." Agreed Samneric.

I told 'em, "We left early, because we were tired."

"So did we- very early- we were very tired." Sam touched a scratch on his head and Eric put his finger to his split lip; souvenirs from that bloody dance.

Then Sam spoke, "Yes. We were very tired, so we left early. Was it a good--"

No one spoke 'till Sam continued his sentence and broke the silence.

"-- dance?"

Ralph and I shuddered and quickly replied, "We left early."

So they did know about the dance. They were there. Oh, how I wish we could build a plane, or a boat, and go home. Samneric are too tired to keep the fire going. Ralph looked over at the little bit of phosphorescent fire that was left and said we could leave the fire for tonight. Then we soon went to bed. We layed there for a while, but soon I heard something moving outside the hut. I told Ralph to be quiet and listen but he couldn't hear anything. Then something spoke.

"Piggy. Piggy. Piggy come outside. I want you, Piggy. Piggy- where are you, Piggy?"

Then I had my asthma. I was stifled Ralph rolled away and then we were smothered by bodies. I rolled into the corner while Ralph, Samneric, and the others fought it out. Then it got quiet, and all we could hear was me gasping. Ralph yelled out to the few littluns that were left to go back to bed. We all checked with each other to make sure that none of us got too badly hurt. I was scared that they were going to take the conch. But they didn't. They took something else instead; my glasses.

Blog 8- Sacrifices

It's insane, but as I think back about these past few weeks, I'm almost glad I'm not there anymore. I mean, it wasn't the way that I wanted to leave the island, but, at least I don't have to worry about those savages anymore. Let me explain what happened that day...

The boys had split up into 2 groups: one led by Jack or the Chief, which had come to be known as the savages, and the one that had existed before, the one led by Ralph.

I left the madness and went into the jungle where I over heard Jack and the boys who decided to join him conversing about killing a pig and leaving some of their catch for the beast so that hopefully it would leave them alone. I watched them kill a sow while hiding behind the tendrils. They sliced off the head and removed the internal organs. Then they took a spear, shoved one end into the ground, stuck the pig’s head on the top for the beast to find, and ran off in a hurry. I was left there staring at a pig’s head on a stick. The blood was trickling down the spear and slowly dripping onto the ground. Then it spoke.

“You are a silly little boy. Just an ignorant, silly little boy.”

I was tremulous. I couldn’t talk.

“Well then you’d better run off and play with the others. They think you’re batty. You don’t want Ralph to think you’re batty, do you? You like Ralph a lot, don’t you? And Piggy, and Jack?”

I couldn’t stop staring at her. The bloody head of a pig, sitting on top of a spear, dripping in blood and talking to me. Incredible.

“What are you doing out here all alone? Aren’t you afraid of me? There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast.”

I was finally able to choke out some words, “Pig’s head on a stick.”

What she said next is hard to remember. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I knew one of my times was coming on; the pig’s head was expanding like a giant balloon.

“I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see? You’re not wanted. Understand? We’re going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor, misguided boy, or else we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?

That was when I lost consciousness. When I woke up and decided to climb the mountain to find the beast. What else was there to do? I crawled a long way through the creepers and between the tree trunks. I finally made it to the top of the mountain where it had been seen by Ralph. What I saw was slouched figure suddenly look up at me. It was covered in flies. As I made my way forward I began to understand. This was the body of a man; a parachutist from the war. He was decomposing slowly and was covered, inside and out, with bugs. The multiple ropes were holding this poor body which should have been decomposing. I took the lines in my hands and freed them from the rocks. I looked down toward the beach and suddenly got very excited to tell Ralph and Jack and the boys that there was not beast! I slowly made my way down.

I kept getting tangled in the creepers and falling down. Eventually I fell so hard that I couldn’t get up. But I could hear boys yelling and screaming so I knew I must be close. The yelling was getting louder so I knew the boys must be doing something and the other boys were being corrupted. I crawled out of the jungle and onto the beach and immediately I was surrounded by a circle of boys with spears and spits and clubs of wood. They began beating me screaming, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!”

They continuously beat me until I stopped moving, and stopped breathing. Then the parachutist slid down the hill onto the beast and they all fled into the jungle.

So that’s how I got to where I am today; just a spirit watching over them, hoping that none of them come across the same fate as I did.

Blog 5- My (Cheesy) Romance Story

Note: This story is 100% fictional. It is not a real moment in my life, and yes, I know it’s really cheesy.

It was Valentines Day. All she wanted was to have her chance at love. To have her chance for the butterflies in her stomach to flutter and grow bigger in size and number when he says, “Will you be mine?” All day she walked through the endless crowds of girls who seemed to be glowing and floating on clouds. Their smiles spread across their faces, stretching from ear to ear. And all day she walked past them with a blank stare. And she seemed to be surrounded by a gloomy cloud. Her footsteps like boulders pounding on the ground growing louder and louder with every step. Class began and was soon interrupted by the delivery of the valentines. The butterflies fled through her stomach at the thought of receiving a valentine. They soon left her stomach and fluttered by her ear when the delivery boy passed right by her desk without a second thought. They seemed to be whispering, No valentine for you. None for you. No one cares.

They left for P.E. and all around the girls with cards, and chocolate, and roses seemed to be sun and warmth. But her head was wet with rain, and dark clouds drew close to her. All the while the butterflies whispered in her ears, No valentine for you. None for you. No one cares.

Meanwhile, a boy, with butterflies in his stomach, had something to say, but those butterflies kept him from saying it. His clouds were more like that of a lightning storm; flashing in short jittery bursts, not knowing what to do. He saw the boys floating on the clouds at the right side of the girl who loves them. With that picture in his head his cloud started flashing and pouring down rain.

The final bell rang, and when it did her cloud seemed to lighten up a bit with hope that tomorrow would be better. As she walked down the hall that boy was walking too. She reached the front door and he spotted her and began to race after her. He had something to say. Those butterflies in his stomach were insane. He grabbed her arm, and she spun around in alarm. They stopped. He smiled. He handed her a red rose with a little chocolate. She looked down at the tiny gesture of love, and her butterflies were back whispering in her ear. But this time they were saying, Once a tear fell off his cheek and into the ocean. The day he finds it will be the day he stops loving you.

And it was true. Although the gift was of small size and value it made her cloud disappear. And he watched as she smiled, and floated away on a puffy white cloud, glowing and smiling from ear to ear. And of all the clouds he had seen that day, hers was the most amazing.

Blog 4- Insanity

I don't think there is a kind way to say it! HE CARES ONLY ABOUT HIMSELF! He is so conceded! All he ever worries about is himself and catching a pig. I'm talking about Jack of course. Let me re-cap the day's numerous events:

First, Jack took the hunters who were on fire duty away from the fire! And of all the excuses that could possibly have made it okay for him to do that, he did it so they could help him catch a pig! Yes, it is nice that we will have meat to eat soon but that was no reason for him to do what he did. It's one thing if he pulls them away for 5 minutes for a really good reason, but he pulled them away from their duties to go help him hunt. And yet, that's still not the worst part. They let the fire go out! Can you believe it?! They let the fire go out! When I realized what had happened and that the fire had gone out I saw an opalescence and it seemed as it the island was moving in a gyration. And of all the times for it to go out it just had to be today. While Jack and his hunters where on a pig hunt, A SHIP CAME BY!!! That's right! A ship came by the island! I thought it was just a mirage but as I looked closer I realized that what I was seeing was real. But because the boys let the fire go out the ship kept sailing right on by us and didn't even notice we are here!

Then we came back and I yelled at Jack for taking the boys away from the fire and letting it go out; and do you know what he started saying to me?! He started making the implication that hunting was more important than being rescued! Catching a pig is irrelevant! It doesn't matter! It's unimportant! We could have been rescued! We could have gone home! I was incredulous. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was preposterous!

But what happened next was also quite crazy. While Piggy was lecturing Jack, Jack built up so much anger inside of him that he punched Piggy right in the stomach! Piggy fell with a whimper, and Jack continued to be violent. He hit piggy in the face and his specks flew right off his face, landed on the ground, and shattered into pieces making a shrill noise. Piggy looked up, realized they had broken, and shot a malevolent look at Jack. He yelled, "My specks! One side's broken!"

He picked them up and put them back on his face. I looked at poor Piggy, only able to see out of one eye, and looked over at Jack, who was still clenching his fists with rage. I told Jack to apologize, and he did... for letting the fire go out, but not for hurting piggy.

Then they took the pig, and the boys began chanting, "Kill the pig. cut her throat. Bash her in."

It was sick. I called for a meeting. There were some matters that needed to be discussed.

Blog 3- Huts or Hunts?

He's so stupid. All he wants to do is build huts.

"We need safe places to live... blah blah blah!"

What we need is meat! That's all. Yes, a home would be nice, but we're just young boys! He needs to realize that we cant rebuild civilization! Ralph worries so much about houses, where we live, and working together to build huts and all the festoons that don't matter. That isn't what we need to worry about. If only I could catch a pig. Just one. Just one pig. If only I had a barb to stab into the pig with. If only I could do that, he would eat it and realize what he really wants, what's really important. But when I'm out in the jungle, even though I know it's not real, I can feel the inscrutable presence of the beastie swinging through the tendrils. And every once in a while I see a glimmer of light move and I shoot a furtive look behind me, just to make sure I'm alone.

And who cares what the littluns are doing! They aren't of any help anyway! They are only 5 & 6 & 7 years old. Of what help would they be?! Ralph is always complaining about what an oppressive lot they are and how little work the littluns do and then they run off and play in the lagoon. If I were the leader, if I were the chief, everyone would be bewildered at how different things would be. First, the littluns could run off and play and swim and flaunt the shells they've found on the beach and be of no help. Because even if they were willing to help, how much work could they do? Nothing! Nothing of significance at least. Second, I would get rid of this "beastie" once and for all. Even if it doesn't really exist, it will make the littluns stop complaining about it coming to get them. And finally, I would make catching a pig of the utmost importance. That's what we really need, and that's what we really want. A pig. If only Ralph would realize that...

Blog 1 - In the Beginning

This is how it all started...

We were flying. The next thing I knew we were falling. Flames devoured the wings of the plane. We thought we were safe. We thought we would make it away from the war. But now... I'm not so sure. I looked around and saw the jumble of boys quivering in their seats, their faces were pallor. I blacked out as we kept falling farther and farther to the earth below. I woke in the midst of what was left of our plane. As I clambered up the mountain to find out where I was I saw that the vines in the jungle were like a grating, trapping me in the jungle. I continued to go farther and farther up the mountain. At one point I climbed far enough to see that there was a shore nearby and began to make my decent down the mountain. I got closer to the shore and realized that not only was there a beach, but there was also a lagoon. As I began to speculate on the day's events I heard a strident sound. I made my way out of the jungle and and heard a loud clamor at the beach. All of the boys eventually came together and as the boy named Ralph was speaking, a large group of decorous boys dressed in cloaks interposed our meeting. The vain boy leading the group called himself Jack. We had an election to decide who should be the leader and it came down to Ralph and Jack. When Jack saw that Ralph had won the election a look of indignation came across his face.

So that's what happened. That's all I know.

Blog # 2- The Fire That may Save Us All

It was insane! They were all racing up the mountain as if the first to get to the top, would be the first to be rescued. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me explain what occurred before this tumult.

We thought we were escaping insanity and fear, but when our plane crashed, we realized what true insanity and fear is. I met a boy who called himself Ralph. He used a large conch shell to call together the rest of the boys and a meeting was called into order. During our meeting a group of choir boys interrupted. The leader of the group said his name was Jack. They joined us and our meeting continued. We elected a leader; Ralph. But Jack, furious that he had lost the election, was very officious. I tried to say some things that, to me, seemed very important. But Jack scornfully yelled at me to "shut up fatty!"

That's when the fire was mentioned.
"We need to make a fire on the top of the mountain! People will see it and know we are here!"
Then jack began to run up the mountain and Ralph and the boys couldn't help but follow. The adrenaline was irresistible!

I looked at Ralph and realized that he didn't have the conch. But if he didn't have it, where was it? I looked down and found the conch, the symbol of authority and sanity, on the ground, covered in sand. I picked it up, dusted off the sand, and carefully followed Ralph, Jack, and the boys up the mountain. By the time I reached the top the boys had made a large pile of wood, and were standing around trying to think of a way to light the fire. Ralph saw me and started running at me yelling, "His specks! We'll use his specks to start the fire!"

Jack snatched my specks right off my face! I was warped, disoriented. All I could see was just blurs. Moving blurs, then all of a sudden, an orange, red, and yellow blur; a fire. I was handed back my specks and then I could see the fire clearly. It was hot and the way it moved in the breeze was so nimble.

But the boys were so foolish, they were so ignorant. We need to be smart if we want to be rescued.