Lord of the Flies Chapter 6 Summary
by William Golding

Beast From Air

Two fighter planes are engaged in a nighttime battle over the island -- more evidence that the world is at war. One of them is shot down and the pilot bails out and opens his parachute, but he is already dead. As the victor flies away the dead man floats to the island only to be caught on the rocks of the mountain. There he will stay for some days, slowly rotting. Presently, though, the twins Samneric are on fire duty and have fallen asleep. They wake up, re-light the fire, and see the "Beast from air" breathing in and out. They run to tell Ralph. As the sun is rising an assembly is called.

The kids all believe that they are now in terrible danger. Jack calls for volunteers to help him go to the top and kill it. A debate ensues and it is determined that the Beast does not leave tracks and moves by swinging through the tree tops, which is why Jack has never seen traces of it. It is decided that a party of hunters, plus Ralph and Simon, will go to hunt the Beast. Piggy is left at the beach with the littluns. They will first check the only place on the island that no one has been to: Castle Rock. If the Beast is not there then they will check the mountain and re-light the fire.

They trek to the castle and discover that nothing is there. Jack exclaims that the rock would make a great fort and he and his hunters proceed to push a boulder into the sea. Ralph breaks up the fun and they start the journey to the mountain.