This is old, and I mean ancient. I'm not even sure where my friend dug it out from, but it's a crappy thing we composed a loooonnnnngggg while back for school. I thought the original idea was interesting enough for it to see light again. Some editing was required (did not think I sucked at writing so much back then) but I'm too tired to really try to make it stellar.
...like I said, NOT stellar stuff.
The world is based on four basic elements: earth, water, fire, and air. All four are required to maintain stability and prevent chaos from breaking out. Water opposes fire. Earth cancels out air. Balance. The law is unchanging, unyielding, unforgiving. All of nature will obey. The moment a creature is born, it identifies with either one of the basic elements or a variation of one. For every life symbolised by one element, it is canceled out by another of an opposing nature. If there is a mistake and the precarious equilibrium is upset, the offending creature must be eliminated. This is a compulsory rule. The universe will not bend it for any circumstance. Not even for it's greatest creation, humans.
It would have been fine if they'd all survived, but as luck would have it, that didn't happen. The delicate, fragile threads tying a minuscule amount of souls to the Earth are severed in one single snip of fate's scissors. In that split second, the equilibrium tipped and black clouds of misfortune swallowed up the survivors.
Of course, the story does not start off on such a dark note. The sweet beauty of the island is not something that can be tainted in one day. Maybe it was the pure aura of the untouched land that protected them for so long, but whatever the reason, death would not visit for a couple months. But that kind of mercy might as well have been the cruelest form of torture.
There are three boys we should focus on; of course, the others are just as important, but these three are the central figures of the tragedy. Unfortunately, only one feels the full force of the wrath from the unbalanced scales.
Ralph is water. The slim boy has inherited the ability to charm, encourage, and soothe. Although by no means innocent of dark capabilities, the warm aura wrapping around him is enough to draw people in. For all this though, he has still received water's shadowy tendency to utterly obliterate. It is not something he can choose to turn off, but liquid molds to the form of its container. As long as society contains him, Ralph cannot be dragged into the primitive strength of raging water.
Jack is fire. The opponent that cancels out Ralph and allows the blond to continue to exist is also the one that can most plausibly destroy him. Jack pulls people in with his ability to intimidate and lead; once let loose, it's near impossible to contain the destructive nature embedded in his genes. Everything he is unsatisfied with is razed to the ground to be recreated into a form that will satisfy him much like how fire scorches away the old for the new. It's only natural that Jack tears the worn fabric of society and knits in new rules to take its place.
Nothing is wrong with these two; they aren't perfect manifestations of their respective elements, but they aren't breaking the rules. As long as they are balanced, nothing else matters. Oh no, it's the third boy that becomes the criminal. Simon.
Simon is air. Intelligent, changing and above all else, pure. He's the only one untainted by the dark nature of the human race. The boy bends willingly to the authority of whoever assumes leadership over him. Being the peacemaker comes as easily as breathing, he likes solving the other boys on the island and reaching compromises. It's too easy to get lost in his own little world of thoughts and questions; that is probably what brought him the understanding of the Beast in such a short while. However, there is no one to counter his element. Earth does not exist in a living form on the island.
The law cannot change; not even for an innocent child. Simon has broken the rules; he must be dealt with accordingly. Everything within its power will be manipulated to correct the infraction, even if it means exploiting the slumbering demon in every boy's soul in order to have its requirements met. During a twisted game, the worst of water and fire will clash and air will be cut off from the island. Balance. Nothing is an exception. Air must be eliminated in order to preserve the scales from tipping too far.
The universe has decreed it so, and the universe never fails.
Uhhh...