Hello you all! Here I be again!

I don't own LOF because William Golding does.

Oh! One more thing. I know Ariana may come across as a Mary-Sue, and I am trying to fix that. Anyway, enjoy the story!

Ariana POV

Awaking in the morning and going for short walks had almost become a daily routine for me.

I traveled past the mountain, deeper into the forest than I had gone yet, when I caught sight of a small stream of water. It was then that thirst began to catch up with me. The dirty pond water that I had been drinking up until now wasn't cutting it.

I found that the stream flowed into a small pool of water. Small ripples spread across the surface, but it was steady enough for me to see my reflection.

I could see scratches on my cheeks and forehead where I had been clawed at by tree branches. There was dirt in patches on my face. My long, straight, white-blonde hair was tangled in places. My light blue-green eyes, though, were the only feature that remained the same.

I looked into the water, then lifted my head up to make sure that no one was here, then looked back at the water. What the heck, I decided.

I took off my dress, but left the lighter one underneath on, so that if anyone did happen to come along this way, I would still be covered. I rinsed my face, arms, and hair with water, then put my dress back on after I was finished.

Okay, so it wasn't a hot bath with soap and shampoo, but at least I did feel a little cleaner.

I looked up at the sky. Yikes! The sun had already risen. I hurried back to camp.

When I arrived everyone was already waking up. Simon rushed up to me. "Ariana! I was worried! When I checked the hut where the littluns slept you weren't there!"

I smiled. "It's okay. I'm fine, I just went for a walk."

He looked at me. His eyes still had a worried look, but for the most part he had calmed down. "Okay. Just next time, please tell me where you're going."

I assured him that I would, and left to wander around the camp. Ralph and some of the others were working on the huts. I went to help.

Jack stared at me. "You're helping build huts?"

"Yes."

"But...you're a girl."

I raised my eyebrows. "No way! I am?"

"I mean, shouldn't you be helping with the littluns? With the fire? Not building huts?"

I stared at him acidly. "Excuse me? Can we say sexist?"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, Miss-High-and-Mighty, I guess this means that you won't be bothered to help us...hunt later." He spoke the last part slowly and deliberately, complete with what seemed like his trademark smirk.

I was taken aback by this suggestion. "I...um...I...well...okay." As soon as the word left my mouth I regretted it.

A spark of surprise flickered in his eyes, then it vanished and was replaced by the former smug look. "Well, okay then. I'll see you later." He left me standing there, thinking, What did I just do?

Jack POV

I was surprised when she said yes to coming to hunt with us. Ariana seemed so...docile. So small and feminine.

But pretty. Yes, very pretty.

Wait. I did not mean to say that. I have things to do. I CANNOT be preoccupied with a girl.

Anyway, later I was talking with Roger.

"You did what?" His face was contorted with anger. "No. Absolutely not. We can NOT have a girl with us. She'll hold us back. She won't be able to do anything. She's merely an extension we do not need."

I shrugged. "You never know."

He stared at me, the angry expression never leaving his face. "Wait. Hold on. You are not developing feelings for this girl, are you? Say you're not, Jack."

I looked at him calmly. "I'm not, don't worry."

"Good. Because if you are, this is the biggest mistake you'll ever make, Jack Merridew." He stalked off. I had a feeling he wasn't convinced, though.

And to tell the truth, neither was I.

Ariana POV

A few hours later I was with the rest of the hunters, a spear in my hand. I tried with every fiber of my being to try to have a brave, or at least indifferent, look on my face, but on the inside I was shaking. It was times like these that I hated how impulsive I was sometimes. I always ended up in situations like these.

We took off through the forest. I heard Jack shout, "Over there!" I whipped my head to the side. A wild pig was frantically tearing through the forest, squealing at the top of its lungs. We chased after it. Before I knew it it had been impaled with two spears and it was writhing on the ground at my feet. I faintly heard Jack behind me. "Finish it! Finish it off!" But my eyes closed and suddenly I was back home, where I was nine years ago.

My mother stood in front of me. Rage showed in her eyes. "Well? It happened again?" I nodded, trying not to cry. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I can't fight back, like you tell me to. They're bigger than me. And they yell at me and hit me." As a six year old, I was picked on every day at school, and sometimes physically hurt. The teachers did nothing about it. They told me, "You pick your battles. We can't fight them for you."

My mom was no help either. She told me the same things.

She had the kitchen knife in her hands, the one she used while she was cooking dinner. She grabbed my wrist and slashed it. "Well? Fight back, you stupid girl! You can't go through your life acting like the stupid little pathetic child that you are!" She sliced my wrist again. "Fight back! You idiot girl!"

I hated this, the fact that I was beaten every day by my mother for years, and every time Simon tried to do something about it he only ended up getting hurt also.

Two years later, our mother died and we were put in a foster family. Finally, I was in a haven where my mother and the bullies couldn't hurt me anymore. But every night, I was plagued by nightmares of the first twelve.

I was shaken from my haunting memory by the skrieking of the pig, which stopped abruptly as a spear was plunged through its chest. I looked up and found my self looking into Roger's dark eyes.

Everyone cheered. I was too shaken to do so, however. They paraded back to camp, still yelling and talking.

I was startled by Roger whispering in my ear. "I knew it. You're weak. You're too weak to handle even something as easy as killing a pig. You stupid girl. Idiot."

I shuddered as his voice transformed into my mother's. Stupid girl. You can't do anything. Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid girl.

We made it back to camp. Ralph burst out into the camp, looking furious. "What did you do?" he shouted. "There was a ship! Out there! And you let the fire go out!"

"We were a little preoccupied," Jack replied coolly. "And besides, there'll be other ships."

Ralph's face was still rigid with anger. I walked up to him. "Come on," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go restart the fire," I said. "Don't worry about it. Let's go."

"Since she apparently isn't good for anything else," Roger said snidely. There were a few snickers among the hunters. I glared at him. His expression, though, when he looked at me, was still tinged with disgust, and something else- anger? Hatred? Whatever it was, it scared me, and I dropped his gaze.

Minutes later we were siting around the fire. We were thankful for its warmth during the nights, which got chilly. Boys were laughing, talking, and roasting pig over the fire. I, however, didn't have much of an appetite. I looked down, my mind still haunted by memories of my terrible past. My fingers absentmindedly drifted to my wrist. I felt nothing but the smooth skin. The scars left by the knife on my wrist had healed.

The emotional scars, though, never would.

A/N: I understand that this was a failed attempt to move slowly. But at least you got a litle more background info about Ariana.

R&R! If you do I will love you forever!