𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 // 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒

five

i followed simon through the humid forest. he was cradling a small lizard in his hands, one he had shown me before we set off into the forest. he explained how he found him and that he was now his pet lizard. he loved him very much.

i heard voices coming from a little way off and saw the hunters crowded together in a circle. simon and i approached them as they sharpened their sticks with knives. simon held the lizrad close to his chest, glancing down at it.

"we have to have strategy." maurice told them. i watched jack sharpen his stick. "y'know, trick 'em."

"oh, sure. how are we supposed to do that?" a boy asked, waving his stick around slightly. i flinched away from him. simon inhaled slowly behind me.

"we smoke them out." jack said sternly. "crawl up, light a little fire." 

"we have to practice on stuff." roger said, before pushing the lizard out of simons arms and sticking it with his spear on the ground. simon gasped. 

"roger, what the fuck?!" i exploded, bending down to pick up the now-dead lizard. simon looked devastated. 

"jesus christ, that's gross." a boy muttered. they all stood up. 

"you disgust me." i spat at roger, who just laughed evilly. i narrowed my eyes at him. roger was weird - he had no feelings or emotions. he constantly teased the littluns, and when he wasn't doing that he would be hunting or skulking around by himself. i didn't like him at all. 

"go to hell." i nodded at him. "c'mon, simon." i caught jack's eye for a second as we turned away. he had an odd glint in his eye as he watched me place my hand on simon's shoulder to lead him away. 

"they killed my lizard." simon stated, upset. i sighed, as we picked our way back to the beach. 

"i know. i'm sorry, si. i know how much you loved him." i comforted him. "we can make him a nice little grave, if you'd like." 

he nodded. "i know where there are some flowers." 

"you go get flowers, i'll dig a hole." i nodded and he wandered off sadly. i began to dig a small hole by the side of the beach, just the right size for the lizard. simon was back in no time, cradling different varieties of flowers. i smiled softly and placed the lizard in the grave. simon pushed the sand over it, and soon enough the hole was filled back up again. we arranged the flowers around the grave, making it look pretty. i found some sea shells and placed them on the grave too.  

simon sniffed, and i put my arm around his shoulders. 

"it's okay. he'll be happy in lizard heaven." i nodded. he smiled softly and we sat by the grave for a little while longer. suddenly, i heard the boys shouting and yelling. they were calling for simon. we ran back to them swiftly, and i saw captain benson laying in the greenery.

"oh shit." i muttered. simon and i picked him up, hauling him back to the beach. the boys followed us closely. 

night fell quickly, and we placed captain benson under his mosquito net. simon sat by him, watching him. i gathered with the boys.

"simon can't stay with him every single second." i stated, glancing over at the panting captain. 

"we've gotta do something." maurice shook his head.

"maybe we should tie him down, so that he can't move." roger suggested.

"we can't tie him down. jesus." i muttered. roger glared at me.

"well, either that or we get rid of him." jack said.

"c'mon! he has a fever, we have to take care of him." ralph pushed.