Lord of the Flies- The Epilogue
One lone mother stood away from the groups. The other parents huddled together, all experiencing the same thing. Some weeping for joy; seeing their little boys again. Others weeping with sadness; their little boy would never come home.
But Mrs Wemyss-Madison was alone. Her little son was finally coming home, but there was someone who would never be returning. The first boat had brought bad news. Some boys had talked, told of the "adventures" they had had. One had mentioned a parachutist that they'd thought was a monster. Little did they know that he'd been sent to find them.
The next boat was entering the harbour. Percival was standing in the bow, waving. He was first on land, running to his mother. "Mummy, mummy!" he cried, sobbing with all that had happened. "Mummy, where's Daddy?" he asked with the perfect childish innocence that was once lost. His mother held him closer. One day he would learn how the monster on the hill had actually been his Daddy.
Ralph was laughing inside himself while the boat came to dock, his hair tousled, clothes bedraggled and yet his face had been cleared of the soot from the fire. The shock of events had affected him so much he could only laugh or cry, and he'd had enough of crying. That wasn't the only reason. 'Merridew' would never be the same again. Ralph was watching him now, huddled in the corner, his red hair limp around his face and a blanket wrapped around his sooty body. He'd refused to talk, to wash, to have any contact with anyone. This was not the Jack that Ralph knew…the all powerful Chief, commanding all his followers to hunt and chant and dance and eat and hate Ralph and Piggy and Samneric…None of his gang, nor the choir were with him now. He was scared, scared of himself, scared of the other boys, and scared of what might happen if they told what they'd done, what Roger had done, what he'd done. Jack felt useless, cruel, craving for the power he'd once had, yet scared that this time, the evil would again overpower him, rule him, twist him to do what they bid, kill him.
On shore, Mrs Merridew was standing with Ralph's mother. They'd become good friends over the weeks. Crying with joy they welcomed back their boys, oblivious of what had happened to them, thanked the officer and made their way back to the Merridew family car. Jack climbed in first, Ralph following. They sat on opposite sides of the car, looking out the window, indicating to anyone who wasn't blind with the joy of seeing them again that they hated each other. Each flinched when they accidentally touched and, eyes averted and bodies turned away, spent the entire journey in silence.
Ralph's father was jolly when they returned. "I bet you two got on like a house on fire, like we did!" indicating Jack's father and himself. Ralph looked at Jack, still cowering but trying to make a stance in front of his father. The fire part was right. The soot was still ingrained in him, and couldn't any of them see the state of Jack, in his blackened tribal-wear?
It was the August bank holiday Monday a day or two later. The Merridews had come over again and the boys had been told to be "good little boys in the garden". Jack was sitting under a tree, when Ralph stuttered over, not sure if he should do this or not.
"Look, Jack… there's no point in keeping this up. It's over, it's happened."
Jack looked as though he had just had sour milk. "What, and become friends with the enemy? Let you win? I wish I'd killed you…when I h…ad the…chance." The venom in his speech was choking him.
Ralph looked into his eyes, but this time, towering over him, he didn't see the proud fire of the Jack he was afraid of. Ralph felt sorry for him for a moment, he'd never wish anyone the degradation that Jack had experienced.
But when Jack tried to punch him in the stomach, Ralph gave in to the evil that had tried to consume him like it had Jack and Roger. Ralph caught his hand, twisted it, making Jack wince with pain.
"Listen here, 'Merridew,'" he hissed mockingly. "You almost killed me many a time on that island, but you didn't…you couldn't. Now. I know the terrible things you did- so do Samneric. So, if you dare try anything…" Ralph had hit a sore spot- he could see it in Jack's eyes. What little fire had been left in his eyes left when Ralph said that…and never came back. Jack tried to wrench away, cowering, trying to hide his eyes so Ralph couldn't tell his soul, his thoughts, his fears…
From the day on Ralph knew he had power over the once all-powerful Merridew, Leader of the Choir.