Gift to the Darkness

“You are a silly little boy,” said the Lord of the Flies,
“just an ignorant, silly little boy.”

Simon moved his swollen tongue but said nothing.

“Don’t you agree?” said the Lord of the Flies. “Aren’t
you just a silly little boy?”

Simon answered him in the same silent voice.

“Well then,” said the Lord of the Flies, “you’d better
run off and play with the others. They think you’re batty.
You don’t want Ralph to think you’re batty, do you? You
like Ralph a lot, don’t you? And Piggy, and Jack?”

Simon’s head was tilted slightly up. His eyes could not
break away and the Lord of the Flies hung in space before
him.

“What are you doing out here all alone? Aren’t you
afraid of me?”

Simon shook.

“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the
Beast.”

Simon’s mouth laboured, brought forth audible words.

“Pig’s head on a stick.”

“Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt
and kill!” said the head. For a moment or two the forest
and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the
parody of laughter. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of
you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go?
Why things are what they are?”

The laughter shivered again.

l TJ



Gift for the Darkness

“Come now,” said the Lord of the Flies. “Get back to
the others and we’ll forget the whole thing.”

Simon’s head wobbled. His eyes were half-closed as
though he were imitating the obscene thing on the stick.
He knew that one of his times was coming on. The Lord
of the Flies was expanding like a balloon.

“This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well you’ll only
meet me down there — so don’t try to escape!”

Simon’s body was arched and stiff. The Lord of the Flies
spoke in the voice of a schoolmaster.

“This has gone quite far enough. My poor, misguided
child, do you think you know better than I do?”

There was a pause.

“I’m warning you. I’m going to get waxy. D’you see?
You’re not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun
on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on
this islandl So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or
else ”

Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There
was blackness within, a blackness that spread.

“ — Or else,” said the Lord of the Flies, “we shall do
you. See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and
Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?”

Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost
consciousness.