Lord of the Teenage Flies(Adapted from original LOTF)

Chapter 1- The Crash That Started it All.

"Hurry along children, we mustn't be lounging." Mrs. Michell said as she hastened us into the tubular plane door.

I walked onto the plane, fixing my little tie that was buttened neatly at the top. I bumped into Jack Merridew as I was looking down not paying attention. Jack looked back at me and smiled.

"Uh, sorry. Didn't see you there. Care to sit together?"

"Oh,no. Completely my fault. And yes, that would be splendid."

Although Jack Merridew didn't know the slightest thing about me, I knew a lot about him. More like anyone who was anybody knew about Jack Merridew. He was ever girls dream guy. I was still in shock he wanted to sit by me, the invisible girl.

"I don't believe I caught your name by chance, did I?"

"Oh, how terribly rude of me. My name is Ashley Hale. You must he Jack Merridew."

I cocked a half smile as he took my hand and shook it.

"The one and only." He said taking a sarcastic bow which made me laugh a little.

The soft, bored captain's voice came onto the intercom.

"Everyone please take your seats and fasten your seat belts. Please also note where you are...."

The words became a blur as I sat in my seat. I had heard this all before. The ol' "please look up here so we can show you how to put an oxygen mask on for the millionth time" speech. The chance of something bad happening on this flight was slim to none. Jack sat next to me and smiled again. He buckled his seatbelt and looked at the small book in his hands. He sighed, then put it away.

"What is it? Is the book not to your liking?"

"No, it's just, I don't read well in planes, and the book belongs to Piggy over there."

He pointed to the round boy with an inhaler and an extra pair of spectacles in his backpack.

"Piggy? Is that what you-?"

"That's not his real name. Nobody knows what his real name is.He's always been Piggy. He's pretty lame. I wouldn't hang around him. He hasn't shut up about this book since we got to the camp, and well, I was tired of listening to it. So I figured I would give him the book at the end of the flight, and we would go our separate ways, and I wouldn't have to listen to him again. Ever."

I managed a giggle. I looked out the window.

"Boy, am I glad to leave that place. Goodbye. Hope I never see you again."

"Me too. The people in there are insane. No reason for you and I to be there. No reason at all. I mean, you seem sane anyway..."

He looked at my curiously, as if rethinking if I was in military school for some juvenile or mental reason.

"No, I'm not. I can promise you that. My parents died when I was just a wee child, and my Aunt Linda is in the Air Force. Called to duty last year, so I had no choice, with her being my only legal guardian, to come here. And besides, with her being in the military, there wasn't a doubt in her mind to send me here. Said it would 'do me some good.'"

"Well, either they really fixed you up, or you're just lovely to begin with. I see no trace of craziness in you Ashley. None whatsoever. What about the other girl over there? The guys seem to be slightly interested in her."

"Oh, that's Rene. She is the bookworm. She also lost her parents. Not to death though. They were extreme drug addicts, and they were both hauled to jail for I couldn't tell you how many charges, and that left her no choice but to come here until they found her a home. I wrote to my Aunt Linda about it, and she said she was more than welcome to come and become part of our family. I told Mrs. Michell about it, and she was thrilled. The paperwork was complete and signed by my aunt faxed nice and pretty within a few weeks."

"Well, she is certainly lucky to have you by her side." He smiled

I looked over at the group of boys surrounding her, trying to talk to her, but she wouldn't take her head out of her book. She always carried her book with her. Usually 5 or more. I was sure her bag in the cargo hatch had all the books she could muster, ranging from Doctor Suess, to Moby Dick. After looking and straining to read the cover of the book she was currently reading, I saw it said, "Dracula."

"Classic." I muttered.

"Huh?" Jack said.

"Oh, nothing. Just the book she's reading. She's read it at least 10 times." I giggled.

The plane took off and Jack handed me a piece of gum. I chewed it until my ears popped so they wouldn't hurt as we climbed.

We flew peacefully for a good hour, when suddenly there was a huge jolt. I opened my eyes. Everyone was looking around. The plane got extremely bouncy and my ears began to hurt again. We were dropping. We couldn't have been there. Impossible. I looked out the window. Ocean. My heart skipped a beat.

"WE' RE CRASHING!" someone screamed.

The plane grew loud. Engines wailing, kids screaming. I remember Rene screaming my name. But I couldn't find her in the commotion.

We were spinning now, I was getting dizzy, and the anxious kids who took their seat belts off were flying throughout the plane. I heard bones break. Blood flew. Blackness.