Saturday, February 16, 2013
It Could Happen to You
You hear all about those people who get hurt or lost, but you never think it could happen to you. I'm here to tell you that it can. My name is-- well, it doesn't matter what you call me (just don't call me Piggy, I hate that name). At any rate, I'm here to tell you my story-- the story of a group of schoolchildren that find themselves shipwrecked without a ship on a deserted island. It doesn't look like it'll be an easy ride, but I'm confident if we all keep our heads we can get out of this fine. I wonder, though... some of these kids don't look as if they could do that.
Friday, February 15, 2013
A Proper Parliament
I'll start at the beginning. Two years ago the third Great War began, raging across Europe. Soon it turned nuclear, and the United Kingdom and the Independent Kingdom of Scotland got dragged into it. Then a couple of weeks ago the Prime Minister declared a state of emergency and started evacuating everyone. I'm not sure what a state of emergency is, but my auntie seemed awfully nervous. They came around and started taking us from the schools and putting us on planes. I think they're sending us to the Falklands. They say America is going to intervene soon, though, so I didn't think we'd be away long.
So here we are, all crammed into a little plane. I didn't recognize anyone from my school, so I was sitting in a corner trying not to attract too much attention. The pilot said we were headed into a storm, and then I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember is the plane shaking like crazy and people shouting. I think the engines must have quit working, or we were shot down, because suddenly we were falling out of the sky! I remember looking out the window and seeing fire coming from the wing! It's all kind of blurry after that-- my asthma was kicking up-- and then suddenly we're on the ground, and the plane was nowhere to be seen!
I woke up on the forest floor. Actually, it's more like a jungle, from the descriptions my auntie used to read to me from books. Then I met Ralph. He's a thin kid, and I can tell he's one of the popular bunch from the way he holds himself. He was mean to me at first-- who isn't?-- but I think he likes me. There were some fruit trees around, so we had a quick snack. Then we went down to the beach-- oh, I should mention. We're on an island. Ralph went out and got a good look at it, but I didn't go. I'll get to that in a bit. So we got down to the beach, and we found this conch. It looked like one I'd seen before back home, so I showed him how to blow it. I couldn't do it myself, though, because of my asthma. But then, as he was blowing it, tons of other kids showed up! They were all ages, and I recognized some of them from the plane. So we all sat down, like we were going to have a proper adult meeting. But then another group of boys showed up, all in black choir uniforms and strutting about like somebody's private army. Their leader is a boy called Jack Merridew. He's tall and thin and has very red hair. I don't like him much-- he's giving Ralph and I funny looks.
Ralph told him who's in charge, though, and we all sat down and exchanged names. There's me and Ralph and Jack, along with Simon and Roger, who came with him. I can't ever remember all the little kids' names, but there's a pair of twins called Sam and Eric. They all call me Piggy. I tried to get them to stop, but they never do.
We voted for a chief next, like a proper parliament, and Ralph was elected. I could tell Jack really wanted to win, though. I think he'll cause trouble later. Then Ralph and Jack and Simon all went off to walk around the island. They'll be back soon. I found this laptop in some bushes near the trees the plane must have knocked over. We're far out of range of the W3 (world-wide wi-fi), but Word seems to be working. I'm not sure why I'm doing this, but I don't have much else to do, and maybe in the future I'll read it and remember. Oh, here comes Ralph. I think he wants to call a meeting. I'll write more later.
So here we are, all crammed into a little plane. I didn't recognize anyone from my school, so I was sitting in a corner trying not to attract too much attention. The pilot said we were headed into a storm, and then I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember is the plane shaking like crazy and people shouting. I think the engines must have quit working, or we were shot down, because suddenly we were falling out of the sky! I remember looking out the window and seeing fire coming from the wing! It's all kind of blurry after that-- my asthma was kicking up-- and then suddenly we're on the ground, and the plane was nowhere to be seen!
I woke up on the forest floor. Actually, it's more like a jungle, from the descriptions my auntie used to read to me from books. Then I met Ralph. He's a thin kid, and I can tell he's one of the popular bunch from the way he holds himself. He was mean to me at first-- who isn't?-- but I think he likes me. There were some fruit trees around, so we had a quick snack. Then we went down to the beach-- oh, I should mention. We're on an island. Ralph went out and got a good look at it, but I didn't go. I'll get to that in a bit. So we got down to the beach, and we found this conch. It looked like one I'd seen before back home, so I showed him how to blow it. I couldn't do it myself, though, because of my asthma. But then, as he was blowing it, tons of other kids showed up! They were all ages, and I recognized some of them from the plane. So we all sat down, like we were going to have a proper adult meeting. But then another group of boys showed up, all in black choir uniforms and strutting about like somebody's private army. Their leader is a boy called Jack Merridew. He's tall and thin and has very red hair. I don't like him much-- he's giving Ralph and I funny looks.
Ralph told him who's in charge, though, and we all sat down and exchanged names. There's me and Ralph and Jack, along with Simon and Roger, who came with him. I can't ever remember all the little kids' names, but there's a pair of twins called Sam and Eric. They all call me Piggy. I tried to get them to stop, but they never do.
We voted for a chief next, like a proper parliament, and Ralph was elected. I could tell Jack really wanted to win, though. I think he'll cause trouble later. Then Ralph and Jack and Simon all went off to walk around the island. They'll be back soon. I found this laptop in some bushes near the trees the plane must have knocked over. We're far out of range of the W3 (world-wide wi-fi), but Word seems to be working. I'm not sure why I'm doing this, but I don't have much else to do, and maybe in the future I'll read it and remember. Oh, here comes Ralph. I think he wants to call a meeting. I'll write more later.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
No One Knew Their Names
Bad news! I'm afraid getting rescued is going to be harder than any of us anticipated. And I want to beat some sense into this whole blasted island!
But first things first....Ralph came back and called a meeting. He said this really was an island-- and bright blue ocean all the way to the horizon. They went up to the mountaintop, and apparently Jack almost killed a pig! A pig! Imagine that! As if pigs were our highest priority right now.
So we're on an island. But no one knows where we are. How could they? I'm only guessing they were sending us to the Falklands-- it could've been anywhere! And would they know where we had been shot down? How long before they realized we'd never arrived? And would anyone even care? Ralph says his dad's in the Navy. Apparently the Queen has a great big map on her wall with every island on it, so maybe we'll be alright. Maybe this island isn't quite as invisible as I'm thinking.
At the meeting, there was a boy-- a boy with a mulberry birthmark. He said there were snakes in the jungle-- beasties. I thought he was talking nonsense, but now I wish I'd taken him more seriously. Or at least been kinder. I know what it's like to be ridiculed. I ought to know better.
The one thing the meeting did establish was that we need to make fire to be rescued. But then everyone rushed off to the mountaintop right away, and left me behind! I can't run (on account of my asthma), so by the time I'd gotten there they'd already made a great big pile of wood! I hadn't even caught my breath before they all stormed me! And then they ripped my specs clear off my face! Right off! Not so much as a "May I?" or "Pardon me!". And all that because they needed my specs to light a fire! They could have at least asked! I would have done it myself!
And after all that, they didn't even get a good smoke column from that great pile of wood! What a waste! And then the fire spread! They hadn't even had the thought to contain it! Soon half the bloody island was alight! And that's not all of it! Some of the little kids-- the real little ones-- were gone. Gone, and the island was on fire! They said they had gone down to eat fruit in the jungle. All of them-- the kid with the birthmark-- gone! And all because some stupid kid--! I can't even explain how angry I am. One day in and we've lost who-knows-how-many people! I don't even know! I couldn't get a proper count, and I never knew any of their names. No one did.
But first things first....Ralph came back and called a meeting. He said this really was an island-- and bright blue ocean all the way to the horizon. They went up to the mountaintop, and apparently Jack almost killed a pig! A pig! Imagine that! As if pigs were our highest priority right now.
So we're on an island. But no one knows where we are. How could they? I'm only guessing they were sending us to the Falklands-- it could've been anywhere! And would they know where we had been shot down? How long before they realized we'd never arrived? And would anyone even care? Ralph says his dad's in the Navy. Apparently the Queen has a great big map on her wall with every island on it, so maybe we'll be alright. Maybe this island isn't quite as invisible as I'm thinking.
At the meeting, there was a boy-- a boy with a mulberry birthmark. He said there were snakes in the jungle-- beasties. I thought he was talking nonsense, but now I wish I'd taken him more seriously. Or at least been kinder. I know what it's like to be ridiculed. I ought to know better.
The one thing the meeting did establish was that we need to make fire to be rescued. But then everyone rushed off to the mountaintop right away, and left me behind! I can't run (on account of my asthma), so by the time I'd gotten there they'd already made a great big pile of wood! I hadn't even caught my breath before they all stormed me! And then they ripped my specs clear off my face! Right off! Not so much as a "May I?" or "Pardon me!". And all that because they needed my specs to light a fire! They could have at least asked! I would have done it myself!
And after all that, they didn't even get a good smoke column from that great pile of wood! What a waste! And then the fire spread! They hadn't even had the thought to contain it! Soon half the bloody island was alight! And that's not all of it! Some of the little kids-- the real little ones-- were gone. Gone, and the island was on fire! They said they had gone down to eat fruit in the jungle. All of them-- the kid with the birthmark-- gone! And all because some stupid kid--! I can't even explain how angry I am. One day in and we've lost who-knows-how-many people! I don't even know! I couldn't get a proper count, and I never knew any of their names. No one did.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
A Sort of Static
It's been a while now. Days. Weeks even. Not a single ship, not a single plane. It's like we're invisible to the rest of the world. Ralph tries to get things done, though. There's always a fire on top of the mountain-- smaller now, thank goodness. Ralph says the smoke's too thin, though, and he's right. We made shelters-- well, mostly Ralph and Simon did. The others ran off. They have such short attention spans, it's amazing they find the time to feed themselves.
Jack's been spending more and more time in the jungle with his "hunters"-- fools, that's what they are, if you ask me. They haven't caught anything yet, either, so I don't see the point of them. I'm not sure how long we can go on like this, though. Jack and Ralph...there's a sort of static between them. Sometimes I think they could get along just fine, and other times it's like they'd like to rip each other's throats out. And Jack seems different from when he arrived. It's not just the physical aspects, either. (Everyone's sunburned now, and their hair has all grown, except mine.) It's weird, though. Jack seems sort of...detached. There's a wildness about him that wasn't there before, a sort of animal look that comes into his eyes when he talks about pigs-- which is all he ever does! We hardly ever see some of the biguns anymore (that's what we're calling them now- biguns and littleuns). Simon hangs around though. He's a queer fellow, a little batty, maybe, but nice enough. Every night the littleuns return to the shelters and we all sleep. I hear them, though, in the night-- crying and tossing, whimpering for their mothers and shivering in terror of the beast. I don't think there is a beast, though-- there can't be. It's a tiny island-- surely we would have come across some trace of a beast? They're just not being rational...but sometimes I have dreams, too. Dreams of their dreams, and dreams of that littleun with the mulberry birthmark-- we never did see him again.
I try not to think about it too much, though. I'm trying to think of useful things to do. I had an idea this morning about making sundials, so we could tell the time. I think it'll work, but haven't pitched it to Ralph yet. He's swimming around in the pool now-- I'd better go talk to him. I'll keep you posted.
Jack's been spending more and more time in the jungle with his "hunters"-- fools, that's what they are, if you ask me. They haven't caught anything yet, either, so I don't see the point of them. I'm not sure how long we can go on like this, though. Jack and Ralph...there's a sort of static between them. Sometimes I think they could get along just fine, and other times it's like they'd like to rip each other's throats out. And Jack seems different from when he arrived. It's not just the physical aspects, either. (Everyone's sunburned now, and their hair has all grown, except mine.) It's weird, though. Jack seems sort of...detached. There's a wildness about him that wasn't there before, a sort of animal look that comes into his eyes when he talks about pigs-- which is all he ever does! We hardly ever see some of the biguns anymore (that's what we're calling them now- biguns and littleuns). Simon hangs around though. He's a queer fellow, a little batty, maybe, but nice enough. Every night the littleuns return to the shelters and we all sleep. I hear them, though, in the night-- crying and tossing, whimpering for their mothers and shivering in terror of the beast. I don't think there is a beast, though-- there can't be. It's a tiny island-- surely we would have come across some trace of a beast? They're just not being rational...but sometimes I have dreams, too. Dreams of their dreams, and dreams of that littleun with the mulberry birthmark-- we never did see him again.
I try not to think about it too much, though. I'm trying to think of useful things to do. I had an idea this morning about making sundials, so we could tell the time. I think it'll work, but haven't pitched it to Ralph yet. He's swimming around in the pool now-- I'd better go talk to him. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
A Ship on the Horizon
We missed it. We had our chance-- and we missed it. And I'm afraid I'm in worse shape than I was the last time I wrote. I'll start at the beginning. I pitched that sundial idea to Ralph, but he wasn't too impressed. After that the other biguns went and played in the pool, and then suddenly Ralph shouts that he sees smoke! There's a ship, on the horizon! And that's when we realize the fire on the mountaintop has gone out. Out! Before I can remind him he needs my specs to light the fire, Ralph runs into the jungle, and up to the mountaintop. By the time I get there, the fire's long dead, and Ralph's shouting at the ship, which had blinked out of sight on our way up.
Then Jack arrived. Jack, and his band of would-be-soldiers, singing the most despicable song, about spilling the blood of a pig. They'd caught something this time, though. They were carrying a stake with a pig hanging from it. Ralph gave him a piece of his mind, about letting the fire out, and then I did too, once I'd caught my breath. It was Jack's fault the fire had gone go out, you see. His people were supposed to keep the fire going, and they'd gone off hunting instead. Jack said he needed everyone for a "ring" but he could have spared one or two! So we were letting him have it, Ralph and I-- and he punched me! In the stomach! And then in the face, and my specs flew off! He'd broken one side of them. Now I hope you see why I hate Jack so much. Out of everything on the island, my specs were the only way to make a fire-- the only way to be rescued. And then, after letting the fire go out and the ship sail away, he almost destroyed my specs, and then we wouldn't have had a chance of rescue! And then-- then-- he apologized! The nerve of some people! I could tell he didn't mean it though-- see? It was all a show to make Ralph seem like the bad guy. Ralph didn't take the bait, though, so Jack got to cook the pig. No one gave me any pork though-- I had to ask specifically. Then they all re-enacted the killing, with Maurice (that's one of the biguns) playing the part of the pig. Now Ralph's called an assembly down on the beach. I hope he's going to give Jack a good smack around the head for me. He'll be starting it soon-- he's pacing. Oh, now he's stopped. Got to go.
Then Jack arrived. Jack, and his band of would-be-soldiers, singing the most despicable song, about spilling the blood of a pig. They'd caught something this time, though. They were carrying a stake with a pig hanging from it. Ralph gave him a piece of his mind, about letting the fire out, and then I did too, once I'd caught my breath. It was Jack's fault the fire had gone go out, you see. His people were supposed to keep the fire going, and they'd gone off hunting instead. Jack said he needed everyone for a "ring" but he could have spared one or two! So we were letting him have it, Ralph and I-- and he punched me! In the stomach! And then in the face, and my specs flew off! He'd broken one side of them. Now I hope you see why I hate Jack so much. Out of everything on the island, my specs were the only way to make a fire-- the only way to be rescued. And then, after letting the fire go out and the ship sail away, he almost destroyed my specs, and then we wouldn't have had a chance of rescue! And then-- then-- he apologized! The nerve of some people! I could tell he didn't mean it though-- see? It was all a show to make Ralph seem like the bad guy. Ralph didn't take the bait, though, so Jack got to cook the pig. No one gave me any pork though-- I had to ask specifically. Then they all re-enacted the killing, with Maurice (that's one of the biguns) playing the part of the pig. Now Ralph's called an assembly down on the beach. I hope he's going to give Jack a good smack around the head for me. He'll be starting it soon-- he's pacing. Oh, now he's stopped. Got to go.
Monday, February 11, 2013
The Likes of Jack Merridew
I wish there were grown-ups on this island. I swear, if we continue on the way we are now, we'll be acting like dogs before we're rescued.
Ralph's meeting didn't go to plan. I could tell he really wanted to convince everybody that the fire is our first priority, but it didn't go over too well. Jack and his hunters just laugh whenever it's mentioned. And Ralph's right-- we've fallen so far since we arrived. The shelters, for instance-- no one helped build more than one. The coconuts are always supposed to be filled with water-- no one's done that for weeks, either. Then Ralph mentioned the beast. From there on the meeting descended into anarchy. Everyone's convinced there's a beast, when there quite plainly can't be one! I can understand the littluns thinking it, and I can even understand Jack thinking it, but Simon? Ralph? If there is a beast on this island, it's certainly not a squid, or a bear, or a ghost, it's us. I'm more afraid of Jack and his hunters than I am of all the phantoms in the world. Then Jack and Ralph had another argument-- I wish that conceited fool would just listen for a change!-- and Jack said he was going to go and hunt the beast. And then everyone got up and went with him! Just left Ralph and I on the beach! And then Ralph was thinking of listening to them-- thinking there was a beast! Turning the title of chief over to Jack. Now that's a terrifying future-- the island in the hands of the likes of Jack Merridew.
Ralph's meeting didn't go to plan. I could tell he really wanted to convince everybody that the fire is our first priority, but it didn't go over too well. Jack and his hunters just laugh whenever it's mentioned. And Ralph's right-- we've fallen so far since we arrived. The shelters, for instance-- no one helped build more than one. The coconuts are always supposed to be filled with water-- no one's done that for weeks, either. Then Ralph mentioned the beast. From there on the meeting descended into anarchy. Everyone's convinced there's a beast, when there quite plainly can't be one! I can understand the littluns thinking it, and I can even understand Jack thinking it, but Simon? Ralph? If there is a beast on this island, it's certainly not a squid, or a bear, or a ghost, it's us. I'm more afraid of Jack and his hunters than I am of all the phantoms in the world. Then Jack and Ralph had another argument-- I wish that conceited fool would just listen for a change!-- and Jack said he was going to go and hunt the beast. And then everyone got up and went with him! Just left Ralph and I on the beach! And then Ralph was thinking of listening to them-- thinking there was a beast! Turning the title of chief over to Jack. Now that's a terrifying future-- the island in the hands of the likes of Jack Merridew.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Slipping from Reality
I'm not so sure there isn't a beast anymore. Last night Samneric (the twins) came down from their watch on the fire. Ralph called an assembly right away, and we heard what they had to say. They were quite adamant that they'd seen the beast. They said it was huge, with great dark wings and glittering eyes, and teeth and claws. I'm a little skeptical-- wings?-- but they seemed so sure, and one of them had a great scratch on his face. Jack immediately decided to hunt it, and I'm ashamed to say I kind of agree with him. I don't know if a battle with this sort of beast could end well for us, though. We're armed with wooden spears-- wooden!-- and the beast (if there is a beast) knows this island much better than we do. Ralph's still angry about the fire-- and I am too, though this beast thing has got the island all stirred up. Jack and Ralph had another row, about lighting the fire or hunting the beast, but Ralph won again. I'm not sure if I can take this anymore. I get so anxious when they fight, and this time I lost my breath! My auntie always said to take deep breaths, because of my asthma, but at times like these it's hard to remember to. They've gone now-- Jack and Ralph and the others. They've gone to light the fire like Ralph said, and they're going to hunt the beast afterwards. I'm staying on the beach with the littleuns. They need someone to watch them, see.
Simon came down from the mountain a little while ago. He said the group'll be back in the morning. He said they were walking through the forest and a found a huge pig! Apparently Ralph cut it, right across the nose, and it wounded Jack in the arm. Simon said Ralph was really proud he cut it, and now I'm worried. What if Ralph forgets about the fire? What if he joins Jack's group? I guess I'll find out the truth in the morning. Simon looked a little perturbed about something, but he wouldn't tell me anything else. He's gone to sleep now.
I wonder if I'm slipping. Slipping from reality, slipping into Jack's mold. His hunters paint their faces now, you know. Like they're ashamed of who they are, like all they want to do is dress up like the Indians we learned about in school. Reading over what I've written, I've realized I didn't really think there ever was a beast, in the beginning. But now-- I'm not so sure. I guess Ralph'll tell me for sure tomorrow morning. The beast always seems so unbelievable during the daylight. Although-- it's night now. I can hear the rustling of branches, the stirring of the sand. I hear the littleuns whimpering from time to time. I can't sleep. See, I'm not so sure anymore that they're wrong to be scared.
Simon came down from the mountain a little while ago. He said the group'll be back in the morning. He said they were walking through the forest and a found a huge pig! Apparently Ralph cut it, right across the nose, and it wounded Jack in the arm. Simon said Ralph was really proud he cut it, and now I'm worried. What if Ralph forgets about the fire? What if he joins Jack's group? I guess I'll find out the truth in the morning. Simon looked a little perturbed about something, but he wouldn't tell me anything else. He's gone to sleep now.
I wonder if I'm slipping. Slipping from reality, slipping into Jack's mold. His hunters paint their faces now, you know. Like they're ashamed of who they are, like all they want to do is dress up like the Indians we learned about in school. Reading over what I've written, I've realized I didn't really think there ever was a beast, in the beginning. But now-- I'm not so sure. I guess Ralph'll tell me for sure tomorrow morning. The beast always seems so unbelievable during the daylight. Although-- it's night now. I can hear the rustling of branches, the stirring of the sand. I hear the littleuns whimpering from time to time. I can't sleep. See, I'm not so sure anymore that they're wrong to be scared.
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