Lord of the Flies.doc - preterhuman.net.DOC

LORD OF THE FLIES a novel by WILLIAM GOLDING Contents 1. The Sound of the Shell 2. Fire on the Mountain 3. Huts on the Beach 4. Painted Faces and Long Hair 5. Beast from Water 6. Beast from Air 7. Shadows and Tall Trees 8. Gift for the Darkness 9. A View to a Death 10. The Shell and the Glasses 11. Castle Rock 12. Cry of the Hunters Notes 4 24 36 44 58 73 84 96 112 120 132 143 159 For my mother and fatherCHAPTER ONE The Sound of the Shell The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. Though he had taken off his school sweater and trailed it now from one hand, his grey shirt stuck to him and his hair was plastered to his forehead. All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat. He was clambering heavily among the creepers and broken trunks when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry; and this cry was echoed by another. Hi! it said. Wait a minute! The undergrowth at the side of the scar was shaken and a multitude of raindrops fell pattering. Wait a minute, the voice said. I got caught up. The fair boy stopped and jerked his stockings with an automatic gesture that made the jungle seem for a moment like the Home Counties. The voice spoke again. I cant hardly move with all these creeper things. The owner of the voice came backing out of the undergrowth so that twigs scratched on a greasy wind-breaker. The naked crooks of his knees were plump, caught and scratched by thorns. He bent down, removed the thorns carefully, and turned around. He was shorter than the fair boy and very fat. He came forward, searching out safe lodgments for his feet, and then looked up through thick spectacles. Wheres the man with the megaphone? The fair boy shook his head. This is an island. At least I think its an island. Thats a reef out in the sea. Perhaps there arent