Stranded

Chapter 9 ~ Selene

Ralph finally blows the conch. We have been sitting here for awhile now, and the sun is going down. This is the latest the boy's meeting has ever been held. The small fires will be lit in camp to see tonight. We really should figure out how to create torches. Something to work on tomorrow since we'll be staying here for who knows how long. I look around as the boys, the hunters, mainly, slunk over, weary of Ralph's wrath. Good, they deserve to feel bad. I wonder what they would do if they knew I was the one who found them. Piggy stands away from the group, a statement of some sort, but he is still within hearing distance. Like that'll make a difference. We gather and wait.

"The thing is: we need an assembly," Ralph says starting and pausing for it to set into everyone before continuing, "We need an assembly. Not for fun. Not for laughing, not for making jokes, for...." he waves the conch again for more attention, "for cleverness. Not for these things. But to put things straight.... I've been alone. By myself I went, thinking what's what. I know what we need. An assembly to put things straight. And first of all, I'm speaking...." About time! Honestly. Piggy joins the group. "We have lots of assemblies. Everybody enjoys speaking and being together." Are you forgetting someone? We don't enjoy it. You boys play too much. We've resorted to a raffle for witch girls have to go each night. Probably won't be a raffle for the next few turns, but that's because of these guys' stupidity. "We decide things. But they don't get done.

"We were going to have water brought from the stream and left in those coconut shells under fresh leaves. So it was, for a few days. Now there's no water. The shells are dry. People drink from the river." Murmurs from the boys. "Not that there's anything wrong with drinking from the river. I mean I'd sooner have water from that place—you know, the pool where the waterfall is—then out of an old coconut shell. Only we said we'd have the water brought. And now not. There were only two full shells there this afternoon....

"Then there's the huts. Shelters." Many mutterings ripple through the group of boys before they die away. "You mostly sleep in shelters. Tonight, except for Samneric up by the fire, you'll all sleep there. Who built the shelters?"

"We did!"

"We—"

Ralph waves the conch. "Wait a minute! I mean who built all three? We, minus the girls," glares are sent our way by several boys, "built the first one, four of us the second one, and me 'n Simon built the last one over there. That's why it's so tottery. No. Don't laugh. That shelter might fall down if the rain comes back. We'll need those shelters then." He pauses and clears his throat.

"There's another thing. We chose those rocks right along beyond the bathing pool as a lavatory. That was sensible too. The tide cleans the place up." The boys snicker. Cassie, Alexia, Hannah, and I trade embarrassed glances. We do not want to hear about this. I glance at Rachel and determine that she is not paying any attention, staring at Jack with a dreamy look in her eyes. You have got to be joking, did she skip the emergency meeting? "Now people seem to use anywhere. Even near the shelters and the platform." Piggy holds out a hand for the conch, but Ralph ignores him. Good, 'bout time that he put things straight, not having the attentioned drawn from him in a speech is a good start. "We've all got to use the rocks again. This place is getting dirty."

Ralph pauses again. Finally talk about the signal fire. "And then: about the fire.... The fire is the most important thing on this island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don't keep a fire going? Is a fire too much for us to make?" I speak for all the girls: Yes. Ralph flings out an arm. "Look at us! How many are we? And yet we can't keep a fire going to make smoke. Don't you understand? Can't you see we ought to—ought to die before we let the fire go out?" The hunters giggle in an embarrassed self conscious way. Ralph turns on them. "You hunters! You can laugh! But I tell you the smoke is more important than the pig, however often you kill one. Do all of you see?" He spreads his arms wide and turns to the rest of us. "We've got to make smoke up there or die. The girls are even watching it now because of it's importance, and they have clearly stated that they are doing their part already.... And another thing—"