Disclaimers etc.: Ok, so I finally finished the third chapter. The fourth one should be up reeeeally soon. Please R&R.

Enjoy!

The cottage was warm and cozy. A fire roared softly in the fireplace, wood crackling. A slight drizzle had begun, and rain gently drummed on the roof. A warm cup of tea was placed in front of Ralph. Steam rose from the cup, swirling into shapeless masses.

Ralph placed his hands on the table, that table with ridges along its top, and scratches on its legs. A cat meowed somewhere on the floor and brushed itself against a table leg. A stool was pulled back, its feet scraping against the coarse wooden floor.

"So, Ralph…how have you been? It's been a while."

Ralph heaved a huge sigh. "I've been all right…I guess."

There was along silence. Ralph stared off into space and tried not to think of the island happenings. Simon's voice echoed in Ralph's head, echoing back and forth in his mind. Piggy's grunts and gasps of airs reached Ralph's ears, heard only by him. A painted face with red hair peered at Ralph, specs flashing, wind howling, waves crashing, palms swishing, rocks falling, fires crackling, pigs squealing, boys chanting. The sound of destruction, greed, power, war, a quest for life.

Ralph covered his ears with his hands. The comforting cottage noises were not comforting anymore, droned out by memories speaking to him. Ralph could not see, could not hear, could not sense. The splintered wood under his fingertips became a handful of sand, water, a rough wooden spear…sharpened at both ends. His breath became rushed and shallow. Ralph's eyes saw black, blackness stretching on forever. His ears heard nothing but the pounding of blood, roaring, and cracking of twigs. But soon, soon, the noise would return, and the boys would be shouting, and the cries piercing.

Ralph suddenly looked up, silence settled back in. There was the cottage, exactly the way he had left it, his ancient professor's eyes still watching him.

"Ralph…I believe there are some things that I cannot work out for you. Some things you may have to work out yourself, some things you may have to talk to others with. You cannot ignore others that were trapped on your island with you. No bad can come from talking to any of them. But me, I will still be here to listen and offer any advice I have."

So much had been exchanged with no words. Gromley understood him.

Ralph looked up and let his eyes trail around the cottage. Another silence settled in. The soft drizzle of rain became a steady drumbeat upon the roof. Life was suddenly becoming a little more normal.

"How did you get to find me, anyway?" Ralph finally asked.

"Well, after you left, the school was burned down, and mostly everyone got out alive. Thankfully, not everyone had been in the school at that time, and the fire was started in a vacant area. After that, the district would not fund us to help build another school and we certainly didn't have the money. The boys were sent to other schools or home to their parents. Most professors left. I was one of the last to leave, not wanting to let go of the establishment and boys I had devoted my life to. Of course, soon there was no one left, and I packed up and left. I donated our dormitory to the city, and they turned it into a hospital. I traveled around, looking for a job or something of the sort. I stumbled upon this place, and volunteered, as their staff was very limited. Children abandoned by their parents or who didn't have a home came here. We became a sort of shelter. Now, there is not much use for it. But we still have occasional people that come through. We were about to shut down, but you guys came. I saw you at your young friend's funeral and decided to drop by on you later in the day. It happened I just found you as I was going on a walk before the rain came."

"I'm surprised you still remembered me….when I can hardly remember myself."

"A strong statement, Ralph. I'm sure if you search, you'll find parts of you that you still remember. Parts of you that have not changed."

"But not like before. I can never feel like a kid anymore. Never carefree. I know what people will do to each other - even kids like us! Who would have ever thought 11 year olds would go to extremes such as killing peers just as a struggle for power! It would have never crossed my mind. It was so perfect. We were going to have everything we ever wanted…we were going to live in a paradise!"

"Ralph, innocence has to disappear sooner or later. It is tragic that your end had to come sooner, but I'm sure though it will scar you, it may also help you in certain instances of life."

The professor placed his cup of tea down on the table. The sound resonated with a dull 'thwap'.

Ralph stood up. "Listen, it was great to see you. I have to get dinner and get to bed. I need to figure some things out; I'll come back if I need your advice or anything. I guess I'll see you around."

Professor Gromley nodded and Ralph slid out of seat. Ralph wasn't going to eat dinner, and he knew it. Ralph was slowly eating himself away, becoming a skeleton. Nothing could save him. He had lost the will to live. He opened the door and slipped outside into the rain silently after a wave to his professor. Ralph's lonely figure walked away, slowly being enveloped by shrouds of mist. And then he was gone.