One of Our Own is Gone

All the older boys of our group are going to Jack now! I can't believe that they're leaving Ralph, the one who brought us all together!

Ralph suggested that we go over to Jack's group. We're so curious. And so hungry. Hungry. It's getting harder and harder to find fruits in the jungle and none of us here are capable of catching meat. Jack let us eat. His first nice gesture towards Ralph and I in a long, long time. The meat felt so good in my empty stomach.

Jack called for the boys to say which group they want to be a part of: his or Ralph's. Ralph made a good pitch, said how he was the one who found the shell and brought everyone together on the first day we were here. But the boys all turned to Jack. He's got a hold on them. I don't know how it happened, but he is like some big tribal chief man. Somehow, I don't think that we're going to get rescued any time soon with Jack in charge...

It began raining and the big fire began to dwindle and smolder out. Jack called for a big dance of the boys in honor of the rain. Ralph and I joined in. What choice have we got at this point? I did my best to dance without over-exerting myself and making my asthma flair up again.

Simon appeared out of nowhere and came right into the middle of our circle. He was muttering something I couldn't understand. And suddenly the circle around Simon began to turn and twist wildly. I don't know what happened, I tried to stay out of the whole thing. But all of the sudden, the mass of boys was on top of Simon and moving past him and over him again, constantly spinning and dancing and chanting.

The rain began to increase and the boys backed off into the shelter of the trees, leaving Simon's body in the middle of the meeting grounds. He was dead! Poor Simon! I wanted to go help him up, but no movement came from his body and I was sure he was dead. Simon! Oh Simon! Oh I can't believe that one of our own has died...

We awoke in the morning and Simon's body was gone. Maybe the beast got it. Or maybe the waves swept him away. Poor Simon.

We saw the scariest sight today though. The scariest thing in a long time. The big winds of the storm carried something large off our island. No one could tell what it was, maybe the beast, but the winds took it out to sea. All the boys ran screaming from the sight. I waddled away as quickly as I could.