10 Years Later

RALPH
Day after day, everything is the same. Whenever I close my eyes I can see
his face; his malicious eyes staring down at me, his hair as red as the
paint covering his body. And the noises. They come often, more often than
anything. The screams of Simon as we killed him, the sound of Piggy
pleading for my help as the rock tumbled towards him.
"Ralph," the sound of my sister's voice always made me happier,
as happy as I could be," Ralph, you have to stop just sitting there!
You've got to get out and smell the fresh air, skip rocks in the
lake." As soon as she said this last sentence, she knew those weren't
the right words.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! You know what I mean!"
"It's fine, Rose. I know what you mean." Although I didn't, even
rocks remind me of that day when I lost my best friend.
To please her and make her think that I was feeling better, I got up off
of the couch, where I was staring absentmindedly into the wall, and went
outside. As soon as I got out of the door, I stopped to lock it, all 5
locks. You never knew who could come in the night to do you in.
The crisp autumn air blew my blond hair into my eyes causing me to shiver.
I let my mind wander as my body did the same, and it ended up on the same
subject as always: the island Tomorrow would be the 10 year anniversary
of getting off of that wretched place, I was 22 now and had to get past
all of this!
Just a week before I was better, but the reminder of the island brought up
the memories of death and fear. I can't deal with any of this island talk!
I have to get on with my life.
"Sir? Are you all right?" a young girl, about 15, was touching
my shoulder with a concerned look on her face.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" It was obvious I was lying, but
there was no need to cry to a young girl.
"Oh, well you were talking to yourself. Something about the island?
Wait, are you one of the kids that came off that island 10 years ago?"
Pain struck me when she said this. Someone who was 5 at the time even
knew! Why couldn't anyone forget?
"Yeah, that was me." I replied warily, I was completely on edge
by now, "I've got to go. Bye."
Quickly, I hurried down the busy streets, weaving in and out of crowds,
trying to keep Jack and Roger far away...
After 20 minutes, I paused to catch my breath and look at my surroundings,
I hadn't been in this part of town before. At a leisurely pace, I
sauntered down a street called Pig Trail and stopped before a St Michaels
Hospital. Suddenly I felt the urge to know where my enemies are, and if
they're like me
JACK
"No!" I screamed at the top of
My lungs "I'm not going to take those pills! They make me insane!"
"Jack, Jack you have to take them," the voice came from in front
of me on the ground, there sat my nurse, cowering in a corner with a cup
full of my 'helpful' meds,"They'll make you better. Isn't that a good
thought? Not feeling so bad all the time?"
"No! They do make me worse," for some reason I was starting to
break down again, at the thought of feeling good, the way I felt before
the island,"They do."
My voice trailed off when I burst into tears, I'm not strong anymore. Not
as I was 10 years ago.
"Jack? Jack, look at me. They do help, and I will be with you till
you're better. But you're going to have to work with me, ok? Just take
these pills and we'll go visit Dr. Stone, again. She always helps you."
Dr. Stone has been my psychiatrist for years, and when I was admitted to
St. Michaels, she transferred districts just to help me. I wish she could
just fix me though...

"Jack, tell me what made you angry." Dr. Stone's soothing voice
dulled into my permanently still ears.
"H-he came into my dreams again," I started to wrap my arms
around my legs, which were against my chest, to keep myself from falling
apart,"It's always him."
"Who, Jack? Who's always in your dreams?"
I looked up to meet her worried gaze, "Ralph."
"The other chief from the island? I thought we went through this,
Ralph can't hurt you. You and he are far apart." She's told me this a
numerable amount of times, but it makes no difference.
"Yes he can! I-I know it, he's always t-there. I can't get rid of
him. Every time I close my eyes! It's his f-face. That stupid blond hair,
with his stupid green eyes, and most of all, his stupid, beautiful smile."
"Jack, why do you hate Ralph so much?"
"I don't know, I thought I loved him." The answer was so simple
yet so complicated. I really don't know what made me want to kill him, but
all I do know is I did.
"You were in love with Ralph? Are you still? I can set up a meeting,
if you wan-"
"No! Ralph has haunted me for years! If I see him again, I have no
idea what would happen. The only person from that island that I can bear
to see is Roger. He'll be the only one that can understand..."
ROGER
"All rise for the honorable Judge Jathdon."
A semi-fat man with a long black robe entered through the door that I was
facing. He gave a little nod and everyone sat down, the power that he
thought he had made me roll my eyes,
; just because he's a judge, and will ultimately decide my fate, doesn't
mean everyone has to get up when he comes into a room, it just looks
ridiculous! This did not, however, go over well with my lawyer who
proceeded to elbow me in the side.
"Thank you, today Roger Malloy will be on trial for the murder of
Jonathan Brewster"
My case wasn't the best one, so I would most likely be having life in
prison. Unless, of course, the whole island thing makes the jury believe I
was an 'innocent boy, who was traumatized by his childhood, which led me
to commit these heinous crimes'. Yet the chances of that working are as
low as the chances of me seeing Jack, again. No matter how much I want it,
it'll never be true.
The day goes by quickly and leads into the latter, next thing I know, the
jury has decided!
"We the jury, after 9 hours of deliberation, have decided that Roger
Malloy is not guilty, on account of his childhood and mental illnesses.
He, rather, will be sent to St. Michaels Mental Facility."
What? A mental institution?! No! I refuse! I'm not so insane that I need
someone to take care of me!
"Isn't that great, Roger? You won't go to jail!" My lawyer's
ecstatic voice was like a gunshot to my ears
"Yeah, great" I attempted to force a smile, but nothing could
come. Being in solitary confinement wasn't exactly the way I had imagined
the rest of my life...

"Hello, Roger. I'll be your main nurse here, you're room is 201 and
you'll have Dr. Stone, she's brilliant. I believe she requested you, in
fact."
Whoo-pee. Another psychiatrist who wants a peek into the mind of a
psychopath, she'll be running away in no time.
As I entered my room, I could distinctly smell this perfume of violets,
something my mother used to wear.
"Roger, it's great to meet you. I was hoping that we could start
immediately. I've heard that you were one of the boys off the island,
correct?"
"Yeah," I replied drowsily," that was me."
"Is there anyone in particular that you remember from your times
there?" This question was oddly specific, did she know something that
I didn't?
"Umm yeah. My best friend, Jack Merridew, and Ralph. One kept me
going where as the other haunted me."
A big smile sprawled across her face,"Well I have a big surprise for
you! Come in, please."
The door opened, and there stood the one thing that made me human; Jack.