The rain had cleared up to reveal a bright shining sun, both a blessing and curse. The boys' bodies were all but healthy, each centimetre of their skin being sunburnt or heavily tanned. The heat only causing them to sweat more than usual.
"Ralph. Ralph. Ralph wake up. Ralph..." Ralph gasped as his body lifted up. He was lying down, back in the huts? Ralph gazed around him, this wasnt where he remembered being. Soon he felt a hand slap against his face. "Ralph listen to me! You've been out like a brick!" Piggy's big eyes stared down at Ralph. His chubby fingers gripping Ralph's cheeks forcing the boy to look at him.
Ralph smacked Piggy's hands away as he sat up. He looked down at his body, there was a bruise on his neck. A slight puncture of skin laid within the purpling flesh. It was more than likely a small pointed break on the stick he had been bashed with.
"W-where am i?" Ralph whispered to Piggy. His mind was reeling, he was trying his hardest to remember last night. Yet all he could remember was the sound of crying, and the pain of being hit.
"We dont have time for silly questions like that Ralph! We have to build our smoke signal once more." Piggy commanded despite him having less authority than anyone else on this godforsaken island.
"Shut up..."
"Dont tell me to shut up! I've had enough of this treatment."
"No...no shut up. I heard something..."
In the near distance a quiet snapping noise could be heard. It was the sound of someone sneaking around yet stepping on what seemed like every dry branch possible. Both Ralph and Piggy were entirely silent. The pair had to clue what was going on outside the safety of their hut, nor did they want to know.
"...Ralph. Are you awake?"
The voice was not like anything heard before. It was...off putting. Something about it felt odd, it didnt seem like the person's real voice. Yet with Ralph not answering the person's voice got a bit more worried.
"Ralph. Piggy even. A-are you okay...? Are you there...?"
It was then some more sneaking was heard, followed by a small head peaking into the doorway of the boy's hut. The face was that of Percival. Upon being spotted he let out a small scream before running off. The sound of two pairs of footprints could he heard running away. Ralph soon followed behind running out of the hut. The only thing he could see of the pair was Jack's black cap. Ralph slowly walked over towards it, bending down and grasping it between his fingers. A few of Jack's stray hairs clung to the fabric.
"..." Ralph just stared at the cap. No thoughts in his mind.
"That Merridew is so annoying." The sound of the fatboy's voice startled Ralph as he dropped the cap, it slowly blew over to Piggy's feet. The fatboy picking it up, noticing it was Jack's and throwing it away. Piggy meant for it to land in the ocean but it got caught on a stray branch in its path.
"Right..." Ralph muttered back to his pal. "Piggy...would you mind picking us some berries. My stomach feels a bit...off. I think I'll go have a little nap."
Ralph's eyes never left Piggy's body as the boy nodded and started his way over to the bushes. Ralph had no intention of going back to the hut. Instead he walked over to rotting trunk of a tree. He threw his body onto it and he shoved his fingers into the bark. He climbed his way up ignoring the falling pieces of wood and the sounds it made as it crashed into the waves. Ralph outstretched his hand reaching as far as he could. His finger caught the rim of Jack's cap. He ripped his finger back getting the hat back into his grip. He would then quickly descale the tree. He couldnt have Piggy questioning what he was doing. Ralph snuck his way behind Piggy's back and to their hut. He'd lay down upon the mattress of leaves, Jack's cap lying against his chest.
"What did you see..." an accusatory tone asked.
"Th-they were awake...t-they saw me..." the shy boy quickly responded...
"And how was...he...?" The boy reached up to grab something, however only empty space remained as he instead gripped onto his hair.
"...healthy...?"
"...good... now you wont tell anyone about this correct. Or shall i send you to Roger."
"No...no i wont tell...i promise..."
"You're a good boy Percival..."
"Chief...?"
