Lord Of The Flies – William Golding (from chapter 9)
Over the island the build-up of clouds continued. A steady current of
heated air rose all day from the mountain and was thrust to ten thousand
feet; revolving masses of gas piled up until the air was ready to explode.
It was early evening, the sun had gone and a brassy glare had taken the
place of clear daylight. Even the air that pushed in from the sea was hot 5
and held no refreshment. Colours drained from water and trees and pink
surfaces of rock, and the white and brown clouds brooded. Nothing move
but the flies who blackened the pig’s head and made the spilt guts look
like a heap of glistening coal. Even when the vein broke in Simon’s
nose and the blood gushed out the flies left him alone, preferring the 10
pig’s high flavour.
With the running of the blood Simon’s fit passed into the weariness of
sleep. He lay in the mat of creepers while the evening advanced and the
thunder continued to rumble. At last he woke and saw dimly the dark earth
close by his cheek. Still he did not move but lay there, his face sideways 15
on the earth, his eyes looking dully before him. Then he turned over wearily,
drew his feet under him and got hold of the creepers to pull himself up.
When the creepers shook, the flies exploded from the pig’s guts with a
vicious note and clamped back on again. Simon carefully got to his feet.
The light was unearthly. The pig’s head hung on its stick like a black ball. 20
Simon spoke aloud to the clearing.
“What else is there to do?” 22
Nothing replied. Simon turned away from the open space and crawled
through the creepers till he was in the dusk of the forest. He walked
drearily between the trunks, his face empty of expression, and the blood 25
was dry round his mouth and chin. A buffet of wind made him stagger
and he saw that he was out in the open, on rock, under a brassy sky. He
found his legs were weak and his tongue gave him pain all the time.
When the wind reached the mountaintop he could see something: a
humped thing suddenly sat up and look down at him. 30
