Chapter 37 - The Beast
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The day starts a gloomy haze. The clouds darken as I wake. This was how it was gonna be for the rest of my life.
Sometimes, I'd daydream that he would come. Out from the heavy fluffs of greyness, he would emerge. But that day hasn't come yet. And every day, I felt a little closer to darkness again.
Half-relieved, half-daunted by the implication of further terrors, the savages murmured again.
"So, leave the mountain alone," said the King, solemnly, and give it the head if you go hunting." Beelzebub flicked his finger again.
"I expect the beast disguised itself."
"Perhaps," said the King. Theological speculation presented itself. "We'd better keep on the right side of him, anyhow. You can't tell what he might do."
The tribe considered this; and they were shaken, as if by a flow of wind. Lucifer saw the effect of his words and stood abruptly. "But tomorrow we'll hunt and when we've got meat we'll have a feast-" An Immortui put up his hand.
"Sir."
"Yes?"
"What'll we use for lighting the fire?" The King’s blush was hidden by the white and red clay. Into his uncertain silence, the tribe spilled their murmur once more. Then Lucifer held up his hand.
"We shall take fire from the others. Listen. Tomorrow we'll hunt and get meat. Tonight, I'll go along with two hunters-who'll come?" Beelzebub and another demon put up their hands.
" Beelzebub"
"Yes, Master?"
"Where was their fire?"
"Back at the old place by the fire rock." The King of demons nodded.
"The rest of you can go to sleep as soon as the sunsets. But for us three, Beelzebub, other demons, and me, we've got work to do. We'll leave just before sunset-"
Beelzebub put up his hand.
"But what happens if we meet-"
The King waved his objection aside.
"We'll keep along by the sands. Then if he comes, we'll do our, our dance again." "Only the three of us?"
Again, the murmur swelled and died away.
On Earth, another mystical event also took place.
The forests re-echoed; and birds lifted, crying out of the treetops, as on that first morning ages ago. Both ways the beach was deserted. Some littluns came from the shelters, Emman sat down on the polished trunk and the three others stood before him. He nodded, and Peter sat down on the right. Emman pushed the conch into Kiki’s hands. He held the shining thing carefully and blinked at Kiki. "Go on, then."
"I just take the conch to say this. I can't see anymore and I got to get my glasses back. Awful things have been done on this island. I voted for you for, boss. He's the only one who ever got anything done. So now you speak, Peter, and tell us what. Or else-" Emman broke off, sniveling. Peter took back the conch as he sat down.
"Just an ordinary fire. You'd think we could do that, wouldn't you? Just a smoke signal so we can be rescued. Are we savages or what? Only now there's no signal going up. Ships may be passing. Do you remember how he went hunting and the fire went out and a ship passed by? And they all think he's best as chief. Then there was, there was... that's his fault too. If it hadn't been for him it would never have happened. Now Piggy can't see, and they came, stealing"-Peter’s voice ran up-" at night, in darkness, and stole our fire. They stole it. We'd have given them fire if they'd asked. But they stole it and the signal's out and we can't ever be rescued. Don't you see what I mean? We'd have given them fire for themselves only they stole it. I-"
He paused lamely as the curtain flickered in his brain. Kiki held out his hands for the conch. "What you goin' to do, Peter? This is jus' talk without deciding. I want my glasses." "I'm trying to think. Supposing we go, looking like we used to, washed and hair brushed-after all we aren't sav. ages really and being rescued isn't a game-" He opened the flap of his cheek and looked at the twins.
"We could smarten up a bit and then go-" "We ought to take spears," said Sam. "Even Peter."
- Writer
