Ethan Chan
10-9-08
☺
Goodbye
A siren screamed loudly. All the boys were going on board, wind gusting through their tangled, dirty hair. Their faces, covered with dry tears, were pondering on how it was possible that they were once refined British boys. Realizing the truth, that they were transformed into savage beasts on their own will, brought more mourning from Ralph.
“It's not that bad, Ralph.”
“Yes it is Jack, and you know it! How could we become what we are? How could we become murderers?”
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but there was something stopping him. Something that told him that Ralph might be right. Percival was wailing as loudly as he could, as if he were calling out to the gods to make his bad memories disappear. Everyone wanted to forget the island burnt by fire.
“You know Ralph,-”
“it's already over-”
“so just forgive-”
“and forget.”
“How could I forget the way we killed Simon? How Roger killed Piggy?The way everyone had forgotten about the conch and the rules? Even you had joined Jack's side. You don't forget things like that, you don't forget the first time you've...killed.”
“But Ralph, it was-”
“an accident!”
Ralph stared out into the ocean, remembering everything. The first pig they killed. The first fire they started. The first calling of the conch.
“There's no way it was an accident.”
“Ralph, you're not going to get anywhere by beating yourself up.”, Jack said.
“I don't care! This whole island life was a disaster because of you and your hunting!”
“But-”
“Who was the one that was trying to kill me? All of you, and you know it!”
Jack suddenly realized what had happened. He was the beast on the island. He was the one that converted all the boys into savagery. He was the reason that Simon and Piggy were killed. He looked back to a few hours ago, when they were hunting Ralph like they were hunting a pig.
“Boys, no screaming up there! I'm trying to man a ship here!”, said the naval officer.
“Sorry. What's your name?”, Ralph asked.
“Stanley. Call me officer Stan. How about you?”
“Ralph.”
“Glad to make your acquaintance.”
“Thanks for rescuing us, officer Stan.”
“Anytime. What happened on the island? I mean, what set it on fire?”
Ralph pondered for a while. What started the fire?
“The beast.”
“Beast? What beast?”
“It's not something you can hunt or kill. It's something that can kill mankind.”
“I don't get it.”
“It's like when... when... when a rush of power makes you do something... savage.”
“Oh. I see. Could you tell me your story?
“Yes. It all started when our plane crashed.”
Ralph went on telling the naval officer all the details of their misfortunes. From Piggy to Jack to Simon, from pigs to the man with a parachute.
The naval officer started talking again.
“Wasn't there anything to keep order around there?”
“Yes. There was the conch.”
“What was the conch used for?”
“Calling meetings and taking turns to talk.”
“That's interesting.”
One of the crew members then walked in.
“Captain! We've reached the harbor!”
“Excellent. Ralph, we've reached your homeland.”
Ralph went back on deck. He couldn't believe his eyes! It was home, home at last. Ralph wanted to leave immediately, but the naval officer beckoned to him.
“Well Ralph, what are you going to name the island?”
“.... Isle of the savages.”
“Why that name?”
“That was what we became when we went there. No one should ever go to that island again.”
Jack was coming to Ralph, and Samneric were too.
“Ralph!”
Samneric came to Ralph first.
“Ralph, I guess this is-”
“goodbye.”
“I guess it is. It was a fun while, Samneric. I hope you guys will do fine wherever you go.
“Thanks, Ralph.”
Samneric got back on board, but Jack came up to Ralph next.
“Ralph.”
“Jack.”
“I guess... it's goodbye.”
“I guess so.”
“D'you think that we'll be alright?”
“Of course we will.”
Yet there was an empty tone in Ralph's voice.
“I mean, do you think that we'll lose control again?”, Jack said.
“Maybe. We won't know for sure.”
“Well, after all we've been through...”
“Let's hope for the best. Let's hope for a bright future.”
“Right!”
“Farewell, Jack.”
“See you around.”
The boys shook hands, with a feeling of friendship. Now that sanity had been restored, they were now friends. If only Piggy and Simon were alive to be rescued. Even if Jack had been a beast, even if he had committed murder, it was a thing of the past. Civilization had been returned, and order was restored. It might be hard, but like Samneric said, it's better to forgive and forget. No matter what the crime, every living being deserves a second chance. It's going to be hard to forget about Piggy and Simon, but they've moved on to a better place. The friends that he had for quite some while, were going to depart. Even if they were departing, they all knew one thing. They were going to meet again, for sure. They were going to meet in the great place above, where they could start anew.
After walking towards his house, he rang the doorbell.
“I'm home.”
