Stranded

Chapter 20 ~ Cassie

Simon left a bit ago and the our feast is about to begin. The wall and gates are now much better fortified and our weapons are in good supply. We have moved a hut to the top of the mountain for tonight, and, tomorrow, we will move a few more huts and the children to the top of the mountain. We will learn what has happened on the boy's end tomorrow.

***

I watch the party sitting near Jack who is all in paint. The meat isn't as good as usual, I guess we, no, the other girls, put spices on it. The sky is very dark from both the storm and oncoming night. I hope we're somewhere safe by the time lightning gets to the island.

I look around again, noticing Ralph and Piggy coming up. I glare at them, watching and waiting for Jack's response. The party quiets as they come up. Then Piggy stumbles and everyone starts laughing except for me.

"Take them some meat, girl," Jack says waving his spear. I do so immediately, even thought them being welcomed goes against all logic.

I am currently serving Jack as a maid, but I'm sure he will soon start treating me like any of the boys once I prove my loyalty. The sky thunders.

"Has everybody eaten as much as they want?" Jack asks waving his spear. Piggy get's some more. "Has everybody eaten as much as they want?" he asks again, his voice in a warning tone. Many boys scatter for more. I don't, for I have already eaten my fill.

Jack gets up from the log that is being used as the Cheif's seat and walks to the edge of the grass. Ralph and Piggy back away.

"Give me a drink," Jack orders. I bring a coconut shell full of water to him. He drinks before saying, "All sit down."

Everyone but Ralph and Piggy do so in rows. I sit to Jack's left side. The fire is now the only light.

"Who's going to join my tribe?" Jack asks. Ralph stumbles forward. "I gave you food and my hunters will protect you from the beast. Who will join my tribe?"

"I'm chief because you chose me," Ralph says. "And we were going to keep the fire going. Now you run after food—"

"You ran your self! Look at that bone in your hands!"

"I said you were hunters. That was your job."

"Who'll join my tribe and have fun?"

"I'm chief," Ralph says, his voice trembling. I don't like this. "And what about the fire? And I've got the conch—"

"You haven't got it with you," Jack says sneering. "You left it behind. See, clever? And the conch doesn't count at this end of the island—"

Thunder booms again, interrupting Jack. We need to get out of the open, I really don't like this. Could they fight somewhere else?

"The conch counts her too," Ralph says, "and all over the island."

"What are you going to do about it then?"

Piggy whispers something to Ralph.

"Who'll join my tribe," Jack asks again.

"I will," someone says.

"Me," says another person.

"I will." A third person.

"I will blow the conch," Ralph says, sounding breathless, "and call an assembly."

"We shan't hear it," Jack says.

Piggy says something else to Ralph.

Suddenly, there is a flash of light and thunder booms. Large drops of rain slowly begin to fall. I'm suddenly wishing as was back at the girl's camp in a hut.

"Going to be a storm," Ralph says, "and you'll have rain like when we dropped here. Who's clever now? Where are your shelters? What are you going to do about that?"

The boys in our group start looking at the sky as the lighting starts flashing repeatedly. Some look frightened.

"Do our dance! Come on! Dance!" Jack yells grabbing me and dragging me behind him. I'm to stuned to stop him before he throws me onto the sand. Boys gather around me in a circle as they start circling and chanting. I think their holding weapons. I try to get out but they keep me in there, like it's a game.

I slowly start to hear a chant.

"Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!"

Oh, Lord.

It continues becoming a normal pulse as the chant begins to change, less specific to me, and I'm relieved when I finally get out of the middle.

Lightning strikes again. I'm still terrified, but there is comfort in the group and I join in the dance.

"Kill the beast. Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" Lightning goes again, and suddenly I see something, no someone, crawling out from the forest. The ring becomes a horseshoe and he stumbles in screaming as wepons come crashing down on him. The horseshoe closes.

"Kill the beast. Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

The boy starts crying about a dead man on a hill. I try to break away from the ring or to help the boy. Nothing works.

"Kill the beast. Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

The ring converges and the boy screams more, yelling about a body. He runs forward breaking the ring. I finally escape falling down as the group races after him.

"Kill the beast. Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

I stare in horror as they go out of sight. I hear the boy's screams.

"Kill the beast. Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

I hear another scream emerge above the thunder and the chant as the boy's scream falls silent. It takes a moment to realize it's me.

Somehow I stand and find myself running away as a downpour begins. Someone grabs me and knocks me unconscious.