Lord of the Flies Chapter 13

Alex Freitag

Remorse and Repent

Ralph leaned on the rail of the Navy Ship that had taken them from the terrors of the island The Lord of the Flies had once resided on. But not anymore. The Lord of the Flies had grown bored of that island and had returned to where it had resided for years and years and years: the heart of man. Taking a casual glance behind him, Ralph saw the scars and terrors the beast had left on the boys. Percival was crying, as there was no more Johnny to throw sand in his eye. Roger was quite depressed; his power had been cut in half, since his right arm had been burnt so badly it might never work again. And he saw Sam, now just an ordinary person for he no longer had a double to share his life with, and his usually cheerful face was now grave and dun, stained with tears.
And now, out came Jack, face still painted as he walked toward Ralph. There was silence and then:
“Well.” Said Jack.
“Well?”
“Well.”
There was more silence. Ralph caught movement from the corner of his eye and saw that most, if not all the boys were watching them curiously. Finally Jack spoke.
“When we get back to school, maybe you’ll join the chorus.” He said, laughing lightly.
His attempt at a joke obviously had no effect on Ralph, who looked back at him blankly. There was silence once more. Then again, Jack spoke.
“I truly am sorry, if that’s what you want.”
Ralph looked back at him with the same blank expression. “You’re sorry?”
“Yes.”
Ralph wondered if Jack even knew what it meant to be sorry. He was so proud, and was not afraid to kill. It was hard for him to imagine
Once again, there was silence. Then finally, Jack spoke yet again quite angrily.
“You know, I’m trying to make you feel better! You could at least pretend that you think I’m worth more than a clod of dirt! You aren’t the center of the universe!”
Ralph once again looked at him blankly “Nothing will ever make up for what we did Jack. You know that.”
“Stop talking like you’re the hero!” spoke Jack threateningly “You may think I’m a murderer, but you’re no better! Look who’s tribe they joined! The fun one! Not the one where they eat fruit and keep a fire going for a rescue that isn’t even out there. But even though no one likes you, look! I’m talking to you, an outcast, a reject!
“You’re tribe was the fun tribe?!” roared Ralph “Look at all the boys around you!” he yelled and some of the boys cowered a bit. “Look at them! Over half of them are injured in one way or another because of you! You think the fire was useless?! You lit the whole island on fire and look what came! A ship! I wonder how it was possible you became head boy? Because you are the stupidest, most ignorant, most cruel person I have ever met in my entire life!”
Jack was yelling now. “You think I don’t know that?” yelled Jack, tears springing into his eyes “I know! I know, I know, I know…” And at that, he was crying, tears running down his face washing away the paint. He was no longer Jack the hunter. Now he was Jack the schoolboy, so proud of his prefect status, living in his happy protected little world. And the other boys saw it too, saw their leader repenting and reflecting upon the sad loss of two boy’s lives, not trying to hide his shame at all. When he was done, England was in sight and they knew they would go back to school, and after a while, they would forget the many scars all over their bodies and minds. The scars left by the Lord of the Flies.