Arguments break out amongst the boys as they attempt to pick a leader. Shouting fills the beach with noise and the waves tickle my toes as the cold water covers them with a blanket of foam.
Piggy shouts, "Ralph should be chief! He seems the best out of everyone here." Murmurs of agreement break out amongst them and the small ginger boy called Jack Merridew exclaims,
"I am head boy, choir leader and I can sing C sharp. I don't see Ralph doing that," he smirks and then proceeds to shriek. Everyone laughs and covers their ears as Jack flustered, slowly moves to the back of the crowd.
"Right then," Ralph clears his throat, "It's decided that I'm chief?"
Jack bursts, "No! Not fair. Let's have a vote, we are civilized aren't we?" The boys agree and nod their heads with Jack.
Speaking up, I suggest, "Everyone who votes Jack to be chief, raise your hand." A few boys, that I assume are Jack's choir boys, raise their hands eagerly.
"Okay," I nod, "Now, anyone that votes Ralph to be chief, raise your hands." I raise my hand along with the rest of the boys, including Piggy who sighs and gives in.
Ralph blushes and then straightens up, "I think I should be called chief since we are on an island. I also think we should climb that mountain and make a fire."
"I agree," Piggy says, joining Ralph at the front of the crowd, "so that we can be rescued faster." The crows agrees, except for Jack who says,
"I want to get food, and so does my choir. We should be the hunters."
Ralph sighs, "Fine you guys can be the hunters, and you're in control of them. But when I blow the conch, you have to come to the meeting, no matter what.
"Not to interrupt," I raise my hand, interrupting, "but can I join you guys on the mountain trip? I can be of help I swear! I was in scouts from age 6-11!"
Piggy nods his head, "Yes I think she should be allowed to come! She does seem resourceful and she did help me when Jack was teasing me." He blushes a little, and Ralph agrees,
"Okay, that's fine by me-"
Jack, once again, interrupts, "No! She's a GIRL! Girls are never any help, except for in the kitchen," he goes on rambling about something his father told him.
I wonder aloud, "I wonder who even asked him to speak..." Laughter erupts amongst everyone and Jack turns pink once again. I blush as well, not meaning to say that aloud.
"S-Shut up! Shut up!" he shouts and even the choir boys giggle a little, until Ralph holds a hand up, still sniggering a little.
"Guys guys, that's enough."
I raise my hand slightly, "Sorry Jack. That was an accident I swear!"
Jack mumbles, "It's fine.."
Ralph speaks up breaking the uncomfortable silence, "Okay so we have our team settled right? Me, Jack, Lizzy-"
"My name's Elizabeth actually." I correct him.
"Sucks to your name!" Jack shouts laughing. Nobody joins him.
Ralph rolls his eyes, "As I was saying, Me, Jack, Lizzy and- Wait can we just call you Lizzy? Yeah as chief, I declare that as your new name. Lizzy. Me, Lizzy, Jack, and Piggy."
Piggy stutters, "A-Actually I can't go I-I my asthma!"
"Sucks to your assmar!" Laughs Ralph and Jack joins in with him. Jack seems queer.. I think to myself. Zoning out in my thoughts, the boys being discussing something that isn't quite interesting enough for me to tune in on.
(Time skip: 1 hour)
What seems to have been at least 5 hours of walking finally gets us to the mountain and me and the boys begin the ascent. Jack and Ralph lead the way while me and Piggy stay behind them. Ralph and Jack started to have their own separate conversation which left Piggy and I in silence.
"Jack seems a little queer to me." I blurt out, not loud enough for Jack and Ralph to hear, but just to Piggy.
"What do you mean? Like strange queer?" asks Piggy, with an inquisitive look on his face.
"No," I say a little quieter, just in case, "I mean like, homosexual queer y'know?"
Piggy scoffs, "You're batty. There's no way!" I quickly shush him by slapping my hand over his mouth. Ralph peers back.
"What'd you do that for Lizzy?" he laughs.
I quickly lie, "There was a fly on his lip. Had to look out for my best mate." I add the last part, half-jokingly. Piggy and I have grown close in the few hours I've known him. I learned earlier that I am older than him by a month, so it's kind of like a brother-sister relationship. Ralph lets out another laugh and continues his conversation with Jack, something about baseball?
"He definitely is. I'd put 5 pounds on it." I nudge Piggy, "Look how he talks to Ralph, I just have a feeling he is. Not that there's anything wrong with it or anything. He is who he is and we can't change that." Piggy nods in agreement and we reach the peak of the mountain.
"Here we are," says Ralph "Piggy hand me your glasses."
Piggy flusters, "I- what do you mean I need these to see you can't just-" Jack snatches the glasses off his face and snickers.
"Sucks to your seeing." I snort a little at the terrible joke and then wink at Piggy, letting him know it wasn't making fun of him. He squints and nods at me, sitting down with a sigh. Ralph and Jack collaborate to make a fire, to no avail. Finally, I step in, snatching the glasses from Jack.
"Watch and learn," I say as I position the glasses in the sky, aiming toward the wood and creating a spark. A fire erupts a few moments later and I steal a triumphant glare at Jack. Suddenly, the fire spreads, creeping up a nearby tree. The flames lick at the bark and creep up the vines. Not much longer, a forest fire begins to unfurl.
"Look!" Jack shouts. "There's a reef surrounding nearly the whole island." We race over to him and sure enough, there is a reef bordering the island, about 4 kilometers out to sea.
"Erm guys.." Piggy mumbles, "I think we should get out of here, the fire is spreading."
Ralph agrees, "Yeah, I think we should as well, we can inform the group and then let the fire burn out." The boys and I start the descent down the mountain as a tree explodes into a flaming mess.
