Beast from Air

           Therewasnolightleftsavethatofthestars.WhentheyhadunderstoodwhatmadethisghostlynoiseandPercivalwasquietagain,RalphandSimonpickedhimupunhandilyandcarriedhimtoashelter.Piggyhungaboutnearforallhisbravewords,andthethreebiggerboyswenttogethertothenextshelter.Theylayrestlesslyandnoisilyamongthedryleaves,watchingthepatchofstarsthatwastheopeningtowardthelagoon.Sometimesalittluncriedoutfromtheothersheltersandonceabigunspokeinthedark.Thentheytoofellasleep.

           Asliverofmoonroseoverthehorizon,hardlylargeenoughtomakeapathoflightevenwhenitsatrightdownonthewater;buttherewereotherlightsinthesky,thatmovedfast,winked,orwentout,thoughnotevenafaintpoppingcamedownfromthebattlefoughtattenmiles’height.Butasigncamedownfromtheworldofgrownups,thoughatthetimetherewasnochildawaketoreadit.Therewasasuddenbrightexplosionandcorkscrewtrailacrossthesky;thendarknessagainandstars.Therewasaspeckabovetheisland,afiguredroppingswiftlybeneathaparachute,afigurethathungwithdanglinglimbs.Thechangingwindsofvariousaltitudestookthefigurewheretheywould.Then,threemilesup,thewindsteadiedandboreitinadescendingcurveroundtheskyandsweptitinagreatslantacrossthereefandthelagoontowardthemountain.Thefigurefellandcrumpledamongtheblueflowersofthemountain-side,butnowtherewasagentlebreezeatthisheighttooandtheparachutefloppedandbangedandpulled.Sothefigure,withfeetthatdraggedbehindit,slidupthemountain.Yardbyyard,puffbypuff,thebreezehauledthefigurethroughtheblueflowers,overthebouldersandredstones,tillitlayhuddledamongtheshatteredrocksofthemountain-top.