A/N People liked my story. *Blinks with happiness* I never expected such a big response! *Looks around guiltily* I know I said that I thought this chapter would be R rated - and it was going to be - but when I wrote it the whole idea of Jack throwing Ralph on the ground and ravishing him just didn't seem to fit. Don't worry - it will happen, and in pure evil Jack style, lol. Can't wait!
Thanks to all my reviewers!! You made my day! The first one I got I was so certain that it'd be a flame that I actually had to read a couple of other emails before tackling it! Yeah, I've decided that I'm a little paranoid *grins happily*.
Athena: I would LOVE to be on your website! I've never been on a website before and no doubt it will do great things for my ego.
Hope you enjoy!!
Ralph was pushed forward, out of the sea, onto the wet sand by Jack's strong hand. He lay there for a moment, catching his breath, then struggled to his feet. He looked up straight into the painted faces of the tribe, crowded around him. He stumbled instinctively backwards but was brought up short by the butt of a spear between his shoulder blades.
"Nuh uh," Jack's breathy voice, so near to his ear, made Ralph shiver involuntarily. "No more running away for you. I want my hunters to see you, see what you've become." The Chief's cool, rough hand encircled the back of his neck. "Stand still," he demanded, "and give them a proper look."
Ralph tried to pull away from the restraining hand but Jack squeezed the back of his neck tightly. He gasped in pain and increased his struggling. The chief only increased his grip, digging into the soft flesh with his finger nails. Ralph forced himself to go limp. The hand immediately lessened the painful hold, but Jack didn't move it away from the boy's neck. It was now proprietary.
Ralph breathed in deeply, then stood, tall and proud, head up, fists clenched at his side. He was not going to allow the others to see that he was anything other than what he had been when they had voted him chief. He was not going to play Jack's power games. If the boy had thought that, by sparing his life, Ralph was going to conform to every single whim he had, he was very much mistaken. Ralph still had his pride.
Jack growled softly when his eyes took in his captive's defiant posture. Already he could see the doubt flickering in his followers' eyes. They had attacked Ralph with the understanding that he was a broken individual, a young boy with no friends and no power. But now, to be faced with a tall, athletic boy, albeit trembling with exhaustion, whose very stance demanded respect, was a totally different thing. Never had the seething mass of young boys been more reminded that Ralph had been their chief, had held power over them, had owned the conch… They were enthralled by the boy's determination, his defiance even in the eye of unbeatable odds. There was no way that they could harm or laugh at such a being.
Roger stepped slowly out from the painted ranks, gave Ralph a look of utter hatred, then smiled and swung his spear, hitting the boy sharply across his shins. Ralph gasped in pain and dropped to the floor.
There was a moment of suffocating silence, then -
"You will kneel to your chief, prisoner!" Roger spat, his voice thick with an unidentifiable emotion.
Jack looked across at the dark boy, an odd expression crossing his face. He nodded shortly at his second-in-command, then turned to his tribe.
"Who am I?" he demanded.
"Chief!" came the shouted reply.
"And who is this?" Jack indicated to Ralph, sitting in the damp sand, nursing his bruised shins.
There was silence. None of the hunters knew what answer Jack desired and giving the wrong one could result in punishment.
"Well, who is this?" Jack shouted, eyes glittering dangerously.
Maurice made a rude noise in reply. Everyone laughed, Jack included.
"That's right! That's exactly what he is!" He paused and his face contorted into a scowl. "But not all of you know that. Some of you still believe he's chief," his voice broke as he spat the words.
The others looked at each other, awkwardly. Ralph looked up at Jack, unsure about what the boy was going to do. The chief looked down at him with such a look of malice that it took his breath away. He attempted to struggle to his feet, so he could be on a level footing as Jack, so he could argue his case, but the red headed boy saw his movement and leapt on him, keeping him pinned to the ground. Ralph struggled but Jack was the stronger that day and his grasping hands soon found the other boy's neck, locking around it, cutting off Ralph's air supply.
Ralph was immediately still. He lay on the ground, miserably, looking up at the boy lying naked on top of him with a scowl on his face.
"Get off me," he choked.
Jack smiled, relishing the control he had over Ralph at that moment. They lay like that, eyes locked, Jack's hand wrapped tightly around Ralph's neck, neither of them giving an inch.
Then Jack laughed harshly. "This was your chief," he said to the hunters gathered above them, "but not any more. I spared his life and he belongs to me now, to use as I wish and to punish when he displeases me."
Ralph flinched, not at the words, but at the excited fire burning in Jack's eyes. His breath came quicker and he shut his eyes against the other's prying gaze. Jack snorted, triumphantly, at being able to get this small concession out the boy. He released the hold on the fair headed boy's neck slightly, so it was not choking, just uncomfortable. His entire focus was drawn by the quick, irregular beat of Ralph's blood in his jugular thumping against his thumb. Blood lust came upon him, the blood lust of a hunter. He ground his naked body into Ralph, exercising his complete control over the other. Ralph bit his lip and kept his eyes closed, but his body was tense and ready for anything Jack threw at him.
The red headed boy laughed harshly and got up smoothly, placing a dirty foot heavily on Ralph's chest, dissuading the boy from trying to follow suit. He then addressed the crowd of boys surrounding him.
"I don't want any misunderstandings over who has full control on this island. Do you hear?"
There was a general murmur of consent.
"And, to prevent any confusion," he smiled nastily and ground his foot down hard, making the boy beneath him gasp, "we will hold another vote. And you will choose." He looked around menacingly, daring anyone to disagree with him. "You will choose between me and," he gestured dismissively to the prone body on the ground, "him." His voice held an uncomfortable ring of self-assured power and finality.
Ralph opened his eyes in horror. Was Jack really going to do this? Was he really going to be so cruel as to rip any semblance of esteem or power away from him? By casting this vote, Jack would destroy any respect that the tribe held for him, and, being a prisoner, Ralph knew how much that tiny amount of reverence would add to his chances of survival. Why would Jack do such a horrid thing when he was already, undeniably, chief and held his followers in the palm of his hand?
Ralph glanced up at the boy above him and his question was immediately answered by the savage look of triumph and revenge dancing on the painted face.
Jack wanted it to be as if Ralph had never been chief. He wanted to eradicate any memory of the conch, or rescue, or the fact that Ralph once held power over him. Ralph could recount the first vote and Jack's fury and indignation and embarrassment over not being elected. He also vividly remembered when Jack had openly rivalled him for chieftainship, and the total humiliation the boy must have felt when not one person voted for him. Jack wanted to make everyone forget his twice-felt shame, and, at the same time, force the humiliation he had felt onto Ralph. He wanted revenge.
Jack raised his hand and the group was immediately silent. "Now," he said, quietly, "who wants Ralph for chief?"
Jack's face was contorted into a scowl, as if daring a hand to go up. His eyes flickered quickly around the crowd, his gaze resting on every boy until they turned away, unable to take the penetrating stare. The only boy not to flinch when their chief's eyes locked on theirs was Roger. The dark boy only gave a small smile and jerked his head in silent approval.
"No one?" Jack's voice was cruel in his savage pleasure.
There was a scuffle at the back of the group and then one trembling hand was raised above the sea of heads. Jack growled softly.
"Bring him to me."
A couple of the bigguns grabbed the offender and hauled him to the front, the other hunters parting before them. The two boys threw the small heap to the floor in front of Jack. Ralph twisted his head and could just see who the boy was. An unparalleled gratefulness gripped his heart and he almost smiled. He turned to look at Jack and any hope he had felt was immediately quenched, replaced by an all consuming dread. Jack's blue eyes flashed with such great anger that it took Ralph's breath away.
"So," Jack said softly, "you didn't learn your lesson properly last time, did you?" He bent and, without taking his foot from Ralph, jerked the trembling boy's head up, grasping him cruelly by the hair.
The boy whimpered but didn't yell out.
"Which one are you?" Jack continued in that forced calm tone. "Sam or Eric?"
"Sam," came the defiant reply.
"And what did you think to gain by defying me, Sam?" Jack forced the boy's head up until he was staring into his eyes.
"You asked me to vote and I did," Sam said, in a small voice.
"True, but I thought I had already persuaded you to which direction your loyalties lie. Have you forgotten, Sam?" His voice hardened, "Do you need Roger to remind you?"
Sam flinched as if the boy had hit him. He looked up with fear-filled eyes and shook his head, fervently.
"Good," Jack was satisfied and released the boy's hair. "We will have to have another talk about your obedience soon, Sam." His eyes turned icy. "And if I hear anything about your behaviour that displeases me, I will give you to Roger."
Sam's eyes widened at the threat and he whimpered in fear. He lay at the chief's feet not daring to move in case the volatile boy became angry at him again and carried out his promise.
Jack ignored him. "No votes," he said viciously, as if the incident had never occurred. "Now then, who wants me for chief?"
The hands went up smoothly, as if they were all part of a well oiled machine, and Jack's grin was one of savage delight.
"Well, I'm chief then."
Ralph almost had to stop himself from snorting in mirth. Jack had said the words graciously, as if the outcome hadn't already been decided before he had even suggested the vote, and as if he would have accepted any other decision.
Jack must have felt the movement in the other boy's chest. He glared down at the boy. "Bring me rope," he growled to the audience.
The fire was dying down. A couple of boys ran into the smouldering jungle and returned with long bunches of the strong creepers. They handed them reverently to their chief.
Jack grabbed them and then knelt down to his captive's level. He replaced his foot with his hand, again around Ralph's neck, keeping the boy from moving. Roger moved forward, as if to help, but Jack looked at him sharply and shook his head.
"He's mine. I can deal with him by myself."
Roger stopped and looked at the other boy, a look of contemplation on his face. He nodded, slowly, then moved to stand over Sam, who trembled visibly at the boy's unwelcome presence. Roger smiled darkly and knelt down to the other boy, whispering something in his ear. Sam jerked and his face, even under his suntan, paled.
Jack turned back to his prisoner, his eyes raking Ralph's defenceless naked body hungrily. He removed his hand for a second, to turn Ralph over, and it was the moment Ralph had been waiting for. He immediately sprang up, trying to catch Jack unawares, trying to get away. His movements, drastically slowed by his injuries and exhaustion, were not fast enough and Jack swiftly reached out and grabbed his arm, dragging him back to the ground.
"Don't try anything like that again, Ralph," the boy whispered, his breath hot on his ear. "The next time I will have to punish you and you certainly will not enjoy the experience."
Ralph looked up at him hatefully, but didn't say a word. Jack smiled spitefully, then flipped him over onto his stomach and straddled him. He grabbed the boy's arms and pinned them together behind his back, then he began wrapping the rope about them, tying them viciously tight. Ralph squirmed in discomfort but his movement only added to his holder's pleasure.
Once firmly secured, Jack grabbed the boy by the shoulders and hauled him up. Ralph swayed unsteadily on his feet and Jack kept hold of his shoulders for a moment to prevent the boy from falling over. The chief then picked up his spear and gestured to the group of hunters watching him.
"Back to Castle Rock," he yelled. "We feast tonight to celebrate!"
There was a cheer from the painted boys and they hurriedly turned and began making their way back to the other side of the island, easily avoiding the few pockets of the wood still burning. Soon it was only Jack and Ralph left. Jack smirked and prodded his captive with his spear.
"Get going. I'll have to get you settled into your new home before I can go hunting."
And Ralph began making his faltering way to the unfriendly side of the island, impeded by his tied hands and the other boy's incessant prodding. He smiled bitterly, knowing that, before today, he would never have considered Castle Rock his "home". Not where Piggy was murdered…
He clenched his teeth, angrily. He had no choice in the matter. He was playing a game with his former friend, a game of Jack's choosing and Ralph didn't even know the rules.
He just hoped that the loser of the game didn't end up dead. After all, how could he hope to win a game which he didn't understand?
A/N So… yeah, that was it. Thought it was definitely darker than the last one and I feel that it might suggest an upcoming trend. *Laughs sadistically* Oh I do just love torturing Ralph! *Grins evilly* That sort of angst really does just do it for me. I assume it does for you too, otherwise you would have stopped reading a while ago.
If you enjoyed, please read and review!! It makes my day - really!