The third day Henry was on the island, some littluns reported seeing smoke on the island. Henry must've figured out the old trick with two sticks. Too bad he hadn't been smart enough to figure that out that morning.

The chief and his partner decided to return early, since the others didn't seem capable of caring for themselves. They didn't particularly mind returning to their hut. It wasn't as intimate as the cave at night, and doubtlessly the littluns heard them showing their love to each other, but they didn't care that much. Jack declared the week the Week of Soul Bonding, and said it was perfectly all right for him and Roger to drop down in the middle of a feast or hunt to mate. After all, they had just tied their souls together and they were teenage boys. Savage, powerful, sadistic, but teenagers.

Later, they had to specify that this rule only applied to the ones that had been bonded. They assumed everyone was asleep when they went for a walk on the beach and found Samneric literally as one on the cool sand. They had parted, clumsily, Sam trying to close his legs while Eric tried to hide them both.

Roger stayed a few feet away, watching, while Jack kneeled down before them both and gave them his blessing. They hadn't been able to look him in the eye, but they accepted it.

A week after the fire first appeared on the small island, it began to glow in the night. They were feasting that night on their newest kill. Jack stood outside the circle of dancing boys, watching them stab and holler at his bonded. His blood stained the white sand and he fell upon his back, dead. The others hollered in triumph, then Roger climbed to his feet, ran over to where Jack stood, and dropped at his heels, panting. Jack ran thin fingers through Roger's soft brown hair.

"I felt it inside me."

"Did you feel the terror?"

"Its dying terror, not my own."

"Good."

"Chief, chief, dance with us," some of the littluns grabbed his hand, pulling at him. He grabbed his spear; one carved with designs and decorated with feathers, which was used for only the dance, and led a new chant. Many of the boys dropped down, running on all fours. Roger watched Jack closely. He didn't fall, he stood tall and proud. Slim and golden, blond hair, cropped messily, flowing behind him. It fell over his eyes, soft and loose and proud. His eyes wondered towards the island.

And the island was orange and bright.

He jumped into the circle, grabbed Jack's arm, and pulled him away.

"What's wrong," he was breathing heavily.

"The island," he pointed.

"He must've fell asleep with the fire lit, we have to get him off. He's been a good follower, he doesn't deserve to die."

"He's a good hunter," Roger agreed, nodding. "Get the twins, I'll get the raft ready."

"Don't say anything to the littluns, we don't want them panicking."

"Exactly," they looked at each other, kissed each other briefly, and parted.



"Jack!" Henry was curled up on the beach where the fire had not yet spread. He was dirty from not bathing in over a weak, and skinny from the diet of bananas. Currently, his face was almost black from smoke except two identical trails of clear flesh washed by tears.

"Hurry."

He leapt onto the raft, being caught by his chief who held the younger boy against his chest, stroking dirty hair as if it was the silkiest hair he had ever felt. Henry couldn't stop crying.

"The littluns have noticed," Roger observed quietly.

"I certainly hoped so. I have trained them better than that to know their surroundings. Samneric, start back to the land."

"I thought, I thought…" Henry trailed off.

"I wouldn't let you die. You will not question my authority again?"

"Never, never, I swear."

"I want you to talk to the littluns, tell them you were wrong and they should always trust their chief."

"I will!"

"Roger still has to beat you."

"I, I, yes. I understand," he pulled away from Jack's chest, still sniffling, and looking over to his punisher. Roger's eyes glowed orange from where he watched the island set ablaze.

When they reached the lagoon, several of the boys were already in the water, helping to pull the raft onto the beach. They were excited from the fire and begged to be allowed to go over to the island. But when they heard Henry was now to be whipped, they quickly decided the main island was much more entertaining.

Jack turned to order the twins to bind Henry's arms, but they were missing suddenly. Maurice tied the wrists together and wound them above his head to a strong branch. Henry was forced to stand tiptoe to keep himself from being completely suspended by his fragile-boned wrists.

Roger had already wound a whip of vines earlier, preparing for the beating. It was made special of only the thinnest strands, and pieces of metal were woven into some of the tips, guaranteed to slit flesh. Jack stood beside him; spear in hand, leaning to one side. Roger waited for the order.

"How many lashes do you believe are in order."

"He questioned your authority."

"I was thinking, one for every boy on this island? For he insulted every one of us."

The boys thought this idea splendid. They loved the idea that their friend would be branded by one of their lashes. Roger nodded, finding the punishment fair. A visible shiver, even with the light only from the fire, traveled down Henry's spine.

"Precede, Roger," his arm pulled back, muscles flexing, appearing large and smooth from the shadows of the fire. Jack found his eyes following the movement of the shoulders, and forward, bringing the whip down. Henry's back arched and he grunted, but did not cry out. Jack turned, walked slowly backwards, so as to see Roger's face. The features were set stern and cruel, except for just the littlest turn up at the corners of the lips. By the fifth lash, Henry was crying out while blood trickled down his spine.

The boys danced around him, kicking sand at him in front. Many of them were his closest friends and played and hunted with him every day.

Seven before the last lash fell; Henry went limp, head falling upon the chest. Roger continued to lay down the whip on the unconscious body. Every lash was important, even if the prisoner could not feel them at the moment. Maurice untied Henry's wrists and he fell to the sand. His closest friends gathered around him, carrying him away but being careful of his back. They brought him beside the fire and began to tend to his wounds with soft, wet cloths. Jack and Roger, walking in step, sat down beside the fire, and began to eat.

That's when they heard it.

A booming sound, loud and low. It was two syllables long, cut in two by a change of pitch. They didn't see the ship until they were attracted to it by the noise.

The boys all jumped up, startled, scared. The ship bypassed the island, as it was obvious nothing could be alive on it. That must've been what attracted them initially, but now they could see the small fire on the beach.

Jack's head whipped around, looking for a way they could escape. But how could they. Henry was, he was in no condition to escape. He was unconscious and in pain. A voice was already coming from the ship, crackled and mechanical sounding.

"Stay there, we will send a boat to meet with you. I repeat, stay there."

"Chief, what do we do," Johnny sounded frightened, taking Jack's hand in his own.

"I, I don't know. Roger, do we attack them?"

"We can't attack a whole ship," his jaw was clenched, rigid. When Jack took his hand and squeezed it, Roger squeezed back.

When the captain and a few of the men on the crew walked towards the sand, they found several chains of boys locked together. Many of the little ones in one long chain. Shorter, smaller chains of the biguns. And together, Jack and Roger stepped forward, chins held up high as royalty, to greet their visitors. Jack swallowed and nodded to him, eyes glossy.

The captain looked at the two scrawny teenage boys. How they held hands and stared with what seemed like one set of intense eyes, just doubled and changed in color. But the feeling was the same. He stared at their clothes. At the loincloths of pigskin, painted with blood and clay. At their decorations, the different spears and feathers and shells. At the sharp teeth around the neck of the larger boy, and the shining earrings of the smaller one. At their bronzed skin and uneven hair. The boys behind them shivered.

"Do you speak English?"

"Yes, my tribe is made of English speakers," Jack acknowledged.

"Your tribe? Are you the leader?"

"Yes, I am the leader and this is my tribe. These are my hunters."

"What are you doing?"

"We killed a pig today, we are having a feast."

"Do your parents know you're here?"

"Our…parents?" this voice came from a small boy behind them.

"Quiet, Percival," the chief hushed. "They don't have parents, I take care of them all. I feed them, I watch over them, I make sure they don't hurt themselves."

"You? You're just a boy yourself!"

"I am not!"

"Aren't there any adults on this island?"

"This is my island, there are no adults. I rule this island."

"How long have you been here?"

Two identical voices spoke from behind them, reciting a date together in unison. Jack hadn't noticed when the twins had returned.

"That was over four years ago!"

"Yes, and we are doing fine on our own. We would appreciate it if you would leave our island and forget you ever saw us."

"These children… Some of them can't be older then ten! You can't just keep them here, like pets! I'll radio my crew to send more boats to bring you all home."

"We don't want to go back there," Jack spoke louder now, stepping forth so he was no longer even with Roger, "We don't need that world anymore. We have lasted this long and the children no longer need their parents. Please, leave us be."

"This isn't fun and games!"

"Have you ever thought maybe that was the problem? We want fun and games! We don't want that hell you call society."

"You're all underage, your parents have probably been mourning for years, and you just say screw them?"

"Yes, now leave."

"Little boy, the one who spoke, come here," the captain waved to Percival. He bit his lip, and stepped forth.

"Percival, go back," Jack commanded.

"No Percival, come here, I'm an adult."

"Percival, don't! I'm your chief."

"But I'm an adult."

"I'm the chief."

He looked back and forth between the two older males, and stepped towards the eldest. Jack glared at him.

"Percival…"

"He's an adult, Jack," he sniffled, taking the man's hand.

"I will be in a few more years also, and you know me. I've cared for you, come back to me."

The youngest boys all stepped forward, crowding around the captain. Jack curled his lip, angry. He felt more then saw Roger step up beside him. The captain noticed this also, and his hand rested on something in his pocket as he saw the spear Roger carried.

"Who's that, your henchman?"

"My bonded."

"Your what?"

"My husband, in your society."

"Er, right. Does he talk?"

"He's better at stabbing."

"Listen, kid, I'm just trying to do a good deed."

"Then do forty of them and let every child on this island go back to their lives and pretend none of this ever happened."

"I can't do that kid. Alan, get some more boats over here," he called back to a bearded man wearing a fishing hat.

"Jack," Roger's voice was strained.

"I, I don't know."

"We can't."

"What can we do?"

"Me and you, we could just turn, and run."

"They'd come after us."

"It's dark."

"But they know where the island is."

"It's a big island."

"Roger," he turned to him, eyes shining, "We can't survive here alone, we can't hunt with only me and you."

"I know, we'd die."

"Are you coming peacefully," the captain questioned. "I'm not leaving you two behind."

"Where are you taking us," Jack handed his spear to Roger and ran a hand through his hair.

"California. We were heading home tonight, we expect to arrive by morning."

"We're only a night's drive from California?"

"Less then."

"It doesn't feel like… We'll come, if we have to. But what if the littluns agree to stay, then can they stay?"

"No, they can't. Their parents need them back."

"Many died in the plane crash. They can assume they just died then and it's like nothing ever happened."

"Young man…"

He looked over at Roger then took his arms, put them around his waist, and leaned against him. They didn't speak again in the presence of an adult until they reached the main land.

Jack lay against Roger on the ship, his back against Roger's broad chest. They had been assigned the food hall to stay in for the time, since they had no rooms available and the cafeteria was the biggest room. The crew had set out cots for them all, as many as they could, and many still had to sprawl out on sleeping bags. Almost everyone in the tribe was gathered in the room, sitting upon the floor or the cots. But they all faced their leader, confused and needy. He hadn't talked. Jack seemed beaten down. Percival was absent, frightened as he was. And the twins had been taken into the captain's quarters to talk. Henry had been taken also, to have his wounds looked after.

"Sir," one of the youngest kneeled before Jack, taking his hands gentle in his own. Jack looked down into his face, then out over the others. He licked his lips.

"My hunters."

They nodded, looking around, frightened. Some of them held each other.

"Simon, Piggy, and Ra, Ralph, they crashed upon the island with us."

"We know that, sir," Robert's forehead was crinkled in confusion.

"And Simon drowned. Piggy died of an asthma attack. And Ralph just disappeared so it's assumed he was killed by a boar or disease."

"Sir," Bill sounded confused, "Simon died that night, and Piggy beneath the rock. And Ralph, we…"

"No. Simon drowned, Piggy has an asthma attack, and Ralph simply disappeared. Everyone got that?"

They looked around at each other then back at their chief, nodding.

"Somebody go find Percival for me. Tell him I'm not angry. Samneric already know how the three died, so nobody need remind them."

"Where will we go sir?"

"Home, I suppose, wherever you all lived before going to school."

"School," it was one of the younger boys, "Will we have to return?"

"I think so," Jack sighed. He shifted against Roger's chest, feeling closed-in and restrained.

The door opened and the twins entered, followed by the captain who looked even more perturbed than earlier. He looked around then centered his eyes on Jack and Roger.

"Come to my cabin."

"You do not order me around," Jack spoke threateningly.

"I am not ordering, I am requesting your presence in my cabin."

He looked back at Roger then stood, pausing to allow Roger to also stand, and followed the captain back to his quarters. Roger stayed approximately two feet behind him, keeping a close eye on the captain.

"Does he have to be here," the captain gestured to Roger.

"He comes everywhere with me."

"I just wish to speak to you."

"Anything I would say Roger already knows, so why does it matter if he is here?"

"Alright. Just sit down," he opened the door and followed the two boys in. They stayed standing in the middle of the room, before a crowded desk. The captain took a seat behind it, moving some of the papers aside. "Will you be seated?"

"We don't need to sit. What do you want to speak of?"

"I talked to the two boys, they told me how you came to be there and how you have survived. They named all the boys for me and I already have my crew contacting schools, police, and parents at the moment. They told me you are the leader, but there was once another leader, a boy named Ralph?"

"Yes, but Ralph died shortly after our arrival."

"They said he just disappeared."

"It was very early, before we knew the dangers of the island. He walked out one day, he said he was going to explore, and he never returned."

"Did the other boys like him?"

"They respected him, they chose him as their first chief."

"The little one, Percival, could not remember how he died, when I asked him?"

"He can't even remember his own name."

"He's scared of you, he says you'll punish him for leaving, like you punished Henry. Why did you beat this boy?"

"Henry? I am their chief and I have an obligation to watch after them and protect them. I ask them to do as I say in response. Henry went against my rules and needed to be punished."

"What did he do?"

"He entered Roger and my home, without my permission, and tried to steal something from us. I had him exiled for a short time then instructed Roger to whip him. He will be fine, in a few days."

"Surely there was nothing so important that he deserved such a beating."

"When you run an entire tribe, you can never show pity. I have to keep them in order or chaos would rule. I did what I had to."

"They're just young boys."

"As was I, once."

"Yes, well. One of the twins told me you last name is Etruhseperay, and the same for your bonded. This is not your real last name, is it?"

"Yes, the spirits chose it for us."

"But what about when you arrived on the island, it wasn't that, then, was it?"

"No."

"I have spoken to the school the twins gave me, and have already received your rightful names. They have contacted both your parents and they are on their way to the city to meet with you."

"I don't wish to see my parents."

"The police will also wish to speak with you, I suspect. Go back to the cabin and rest."

"Wait, I wish to speak to them, alone." Nobody had noticed when Henry had awoken, but now he was pulling himself up onto his elbows, looking at the three figures in the middle of the room. The captain hesitated.

"Alright, but only a few minutes."

After he left, they waited for a few seconds until they heard the footsteps fall away, then Henry sat up farther, stopping with a hiss. His back had been bandaged up and the checkered quilt only came to his waist. His back was a large, white bandage with blood soaking through.

"Why did you mention Simon, Piggy, and Ralph at all, sir?"

"One of the littluns is bound to mention them. I don't want them to think we have double stories and get suspicious."

"Samneric said Simon drowned, Piggy had an asthma attack, and Ralph disappeared."

"Yes, that is what we are sticking to. Will you tell them the truth?"

"I'll tell them whatever you wish me to tell them."

"Good. How is your back?"

"Not too bad, I understand why you had to do it."

"We didn't plan on leaving you on the island. I just couldn't take that disobedience."

"I was just having trouble dealing with it. I don't know why I reacted that way."

"You're a teenager," Jack offered with a slight smile.

"But you never reacted like that just because you were a teenager."

"Henry, I took control of forty boys, killed three, and ran a tribe for four years. I think I had my fair share of teenage outrage."

"There's just been something wrong lately, I've felt so odd."

"I think, I think civilization might be good for you again."

"What about you two."

Jack looked back at Roger, then shook his head.

"I don't know about us."

"Boys," the captain opened the door, "It's late, your parents are all on their way. Please, go back to the room and sleep."

"Mrs. Merridew, Mrs. Merridew, are you excited about getting to see your son again?"

"What do you think your sons now look like?"

"The captain reports your son didn't want to return, why do you think this is?"

Reporters crowded around the parents of the boys that had crowded into the small harbor as the ship appeared on the horizon, illuminated by the rising sun. Most of the parents had been able to get there in the eight or nine hours between the phone calls, some lived in other states, some just couldn't arrive in time, and some unfortunately, were dead. Jack and Roger's parents stood together, knowing each other from when their sons had been friends in the choir. The other parents of the choirboys were also nearby. Most of the parents were split into small groups, talking quietly. At least trying to, if all the damn paparazzi would leave them alone.

The captain appeared first, walking down the strip. In his hand, he held the fingers of a young boy of about ten years of age. A boy who could be described as being so ugly he was cute. The police met him at the bottom, one of them stooping down to talk to the boy. A cautious line of other boys began to descend, mostly the smaller ones in head, but some larger ones mixed in, towering over. At the very end, there were four boys that were not in a single straight line, but in couples. Maurice was steadying Henry, still half-naked and bandaged, on his shoulder. And at the dead end, Roger and Jack walked in unison, shoulders touching, heads held high.

"Mommy, which one's Jack?" Lisa, a three-year old daughter of Mrs. Merridew, tugged at her mother's arm.

"He's in the back somewhere, I can't tell which one he is yet."

The meetings were awkward. Children stood beside graying parents, feeling oddly tall and gangly. Parents looked into faces too dark and serious to be their child's. Mother's reached for children that pulled away from them, preferring to be held by older children for comfort.

"Jack," his mother ran up, embracing her son. The lean blond boy stood there, letting her wrap her arms around him but not making any effort to do the same. He might as well been a two-by-four.

"They said you were the leader of the boys the last four years, I'm so proud of you."

"Yes, well. Where are we going to?"

"They're bringing you all to the police station. You have been reported dead, we have to reclaim your citizenship. Then we'll probably have to talk to some reporters, but don't worry, we'll be home in no time and you can see your grandparents and uncles and father."

"I… We're going back home, separately?"

"Well, no, me, you, and Lisa. Oh Jack, this is your new baby sister, Lisa. She was born not too long after you disappeared."

"No, I mean, I have to leave me tribe?"

"Jack, you can see the boys again in school."

"I can't just leave them alone, I swore I'd watch over them forever."

"They don't need you to watch them anymore."

"You don't understand," he turned away, disgusted. Roger glanced at his parents, not really sure what he was supposed to say to them, then trotted after Jack. He was pushing his way through the crowd, up to a microphone that had been set up for the police and captain to speak to the crowd through. He shouldered a cop out of the way and tapped at the microphone. It vibrated throughout the harbor.

"Hello, I'm Jack Etruhseperay, I'm chief of the boys, and wish to speak. I know my hunters, and they do not wish to be separated. We will go with the police, if they wish us to, and we will sleep wherever you wish for us to stay. But we will not be separated."

Some of the parents began shouting angrily. A policeman grabbed Jack's arm angrily, yanked him away from the pedestal. Jack responded by pushing him back. When the cop shoved him another time, rougher then before, he suddenly found himself with a knife to his throat as Roger tried to uphold his love's honor. Panic surged through the crowd.

"Roger, it's okay, release him."

"He doesn't respect you."

"He's an ignorant fool. Come here, with me. We'll go for a walk, I need to get away from here."

Roger raised his upper lip in disgust. He had barely lowered his arm before he found it handcuffed behind his back. He and Jack were both shoved into the back of a cop car. They leaned their heads together, shielding their eyes, as they were driven away. At least it was quiet in here.