LOTF: Before and After

Phase 2: Chapter 9

Ralph was certain he had lost it when he got his face out of the sand, and saw the legs of a man in military uniform standing in front of him. He was so desperate for a miracle, he must've been hallucinating. It hadn't even occurred to him that the island going up in flames would've been quite an eye catching rescue signal.

Ralph's eyes widened as he soon realized his imagination wasn't running away from him. His eyes met those of the Marine Corps officer who stood in front of him, staring down at him with judgement and confusion. Ralph brought himself to sit up and back away from the man fearfully. He'd forgotten what civilization looked like; what it smelled like; sounded like; felt like. The officer standing in front of him reminded Ralph of how he'd gotten here in the first place, and the life he'd be going back to now that it really was the end.

Ralph could hear the screams of the hunters following in behind him. Just as soon as they'd gotten loud, they were deafeningly silent. Ralph turned around to see the others gathered around behind him, their blood and charcoal painted faces stunned to their very cores; even Roger's.

"What are you guys doin'?" the Marine officer asked curiously.

Ralph finally released the pent up emotion he'd been bottling up since Piggy's death, since Simon's death, since he lost his friendship with Jack, since he'd arrived on the island all oozing out of him at once. Ralph couldn't keep it in any longer. He started to cry. Not just a little, but really cry, the way Piggy had when his glasses were stolen. The officer stared down at Ralph, confused and concerned. The other boys stood behind him, and some of them started crying too, Jack included.

By the time Ralph scanned the beachfront, a second helicopter was landing on the island. Behind the officer, Ralph could see who must've been the Commandant of the Marine Corps get off the second helicopter to go talk with a group of marine officers who'd gotten off the first helicopter. They all were in uniform, they all had guns, they all were clean, fully clothed and civilized. They had just flown in from a world Ralph had long forgotten still existed.

Ralph looked behind him as Jack and the other boys dropped their hunting sticks to the ground. Ralph felt silly all of a sudden for being so afraid of a bunch of school aged boys and some sticks. These men in front of them were trained, equipped adults with real guns. This was reality. Not only for the rest of the world, but for them now too.

In the distance, Ralph could see a third helicopter bound towards the island. It was really over. And yet he almost hadn't survived long enough to find out.

The Marine Corps officer who'd first made contact with Ralph directed the boys to sit where they were as the adults figured out what the next step was. Jack and the others sat down behind Ralph, whispering amongst themselves. He couldn't believe how quickly they'd gone from ruthless savages to obeying adults like school children sitting on a classroom carpet. Quite literally, this drastic shift had occurred in a matter of seconds.

"First and foremost, to your guys' knowledge, is there anyone else on this island?" the marine asked.

"No" Roger piped up immediately.

"Not anymore" Sam added quietly.

"Excuse me?" the officer looked to the twin, who struggled to hold his head up.

"There were others, they didn't make it" Eric elaborated for his brother.

"How many?" the marine asked.

Sam and Eric locked eyes with each other as everything began to unfold.

"Three" Ralph finished for them. "Our captain and pilot... and two other boys" his teary voice pigmented with a deep sadness.