A/N: Hi guys. So this is an epilogue to the book, Lord of the Flies, which I wrote because I always wondered what happened to the boys after they were rescued. This one-shot is what I think would happen to the boys afterwards, and what the boys, Jack and Ralph, have to say to each other after they are rescued. Let me know how this goes, and don't forget to review!
The officer, surrounded by these noises, was moved and a little embarrassed. He turned away to give them time to pull themselves together; and waited, allowing his eyes to rest on the trim cruiser in the distance.
The boys were soon sent to a boarding school, and since they had no family, they were put under government support. Things were always rough between the boys. There were the people on Jack's side, and the people on Ralph's side. Jack and Ralph were never seen side-by-side, for the consequences of that would be clear. And no more deaths were necessary.
The first day of school brought hardships. It was heard that Roger had attacked his teacher that day because he claimed that the setting was too discipline and that he wanted to be the leader instead of the teacher. During recess, he kicked out all other students from the play structure, threatening to kill them. When the school realized that his anger was a recurring problem for Roger, he began visiting the psychiatrist in search for peace. Sam and Eric were inseparable as ever, and through their compassion and kindness, grew popular at school and succeeded to become teachers. Jack, like Roger, visited the psychiatrist as well, but soon grew accustomed to civilization again and pursued his interest in food by attending a culinary college. Ralph became a high school teacher, and the students loved him for his kindness and interest in the subject. After parting ways, the boys never saw each other again, but still thought of each other often. Little did they know how close they were living to each other...
20 years later
The streets of London were busy in the afternoon. People made their way in the market square, trying not to trample one another. A young man was walking among the rest, his fair hair and skinny body noticeable among the crowd. His eyes showed deep wisdom and sorrow, as if he had experienced a life time already. The man stopped by a butcher's shop, eager to get some new meats and replenish his stock from home.
"Hello," he said, glancing at the racks of meat yet failing to meet the butcher's eyes.
"Ralph?" the butcher said, his voice gruff and shocked. The young man's eyes snapped up and met the dark brown one's. The same ones that were filled with lust and power twenty years ago.
"Jack?" Ralph said, incredulous.
Ralph sighed and shook his head. Defeat was clear on his face, and he simply wanted to get home. "Can I have some of-"
"Ralph," Jack repeated, this time with more force. He had a confession to make, one that he had wanted to make twenty years ago. And now that Ralph was here, he wasn't going to let him go.
Ralph looked down, avoiding Jack's eyes. "What do you want, Jack?" he mumbled.
"I'm sorry," Jack confessed, looking down at his shoes. "Really. I am. I shouldn't have done what I did, it wasn't right,"
Ralph scoffs and rolls his eyes. There was no need for an apology now. What was done is done. And that is that. He begins to leave, realizing that there are many other shops where he can buy his meat from. But a firm arm stops him from leaving.
"Please Ralph," Jack says, eyes begging.
"Look, Jack," Ralph says, giving up. "What happened on that island was not right. And now that it's done, there's nothing you can do about it,"
"But I really am sorry. I've changed. A lot. And all these years have given me a chance to think. And I realize that what I did to Piggy and Simon was wrong and-"
"Wrong?" Ralph interrupts. "It was unacceptable. Piggy and Simon didn't do anything to you, do you understand? They didn't deserve to die!" he says, exasperated. Over the years, Ralph realizes that Piggy and Simon were great friends, and they could still be together. He misses them deeply, and regrets every action that he did since their deaths.
"Ralph, I know, I know," Jack says, getting irritated. "But can't you understand?" he says, trying to get Ralph to see reason. "The only reason I did those things was because I was jealous, okay? I was jealous that you were a better leader than I was and I wanted people to see that I had more power than you did. That's the reason I did what I did and I'm sorry," he confesses, running his hand through his greasy hair, hoping that Ralph would be forgiven so that he could finally have his chest guilt-free.
Ralph looks at him with sympathy. He was always quick to forgive, especially to his students. And even though he had secretly vowed never to forgive Jack, he realizes that Jack is saying the truth, because in all honesty, he was jealous of Jack, too. Back then, he was frustrated that all of the boys were turning to Jack, and he wanted to have some of that as well.
"It's okay, Jack. I understand. I'm sorry we couldn't be better friends once we got off the island."
"So am I. And I regret what I did to Piggy every day. So, in tribute to him and our new found friendship, I have to give you something," Jack heads behind the shop and soon returns with a shiny piece of glass. Ralph bends to take a closer look, then realizes that those are Piggy's glasses.
"His glasses. You had them?" Ralph asks, still examining them.
"Yes, I did, as a reminder of what I had done. But I want you to have them."
"Me?" Ralph asks, incredulous.
"Yeah. Besides, Piggy would have wanted you to have it anyways, so, you know, you could start a fire," Jack says jokingly, smiling at Ralph. Ralph laughs. It felt good, almost like a weight had been lifted off his chest, to be able to talk about the events of the island in a joking fashion.
As the men chatted at the store, a certain figure from the last hunt was staring at the boys, smiling a sick smile. Through the buzz of the flies around it, it said,
"Never underestimate the power of the Lord of the Flies,"
And with that, it vanished.