Chapter 12
Ralph reflects on the disorder that has overtaken the island. Piggy's glasses are stolen and possibly broken, and Piggy is dead. Samneric are stolen by Jack and made into savages. In effect, Ralph is the only sane one left on the island. All have died or became savages.
Ralph goes to the clearing to discover the Lord of the Flies and the spot that Simon passed out on. He is disgusted by the sight and breaks the skull into two pieces, now grinning at the sky.
That night, Ralph heads to Castle rock where he is surprised to find Samneric, guarding the entrance. They give him food and warn Ralph not to come back since Jack's hunters are going to sweep the island, looking for Ralph and hunt him down. Ralph thinks about his options: hiding in a tree, attacking, or hiding in a thicket. He hides in a thicket and waits for the light of day.
The following day, Ralph awakens to the ululating calls of hunters. He is found by several, but fends them off. Then, Ralph smells that the island is burning. It was part of Jack's plan to scorch the earth to find and burn him. He runs for his life towards the end of the island, all of a sudden, greeted by a naval officer.
The officer looks at him and the hunters, puzzled, thinking they were playing games. He tells Ralph that the only way he and his crew knew they were there was, because of the "signal fire" they sent by burning the entire half of the island off.