LOTF: Before and After

Phase 3: Chapter 10

Ralph nodded silently as he tried to hold the tears in his eyes, to keep them from rolling down his cheeks right here in the hallway, in front of Dylan. Ralph thought about the glowstick, the darkness of that night, what the other boys were turning into, the fear of the alleged monster. Simon must've recognized all that, but perhaps not from where the others had been standing.

"A warm welcome is in order to you, our Bainbridge Military Academy community. We are proud and grateful to see so many cadets, staff, community members, families, and supporters here with us in the assembly hall today. The reason we are gathered here is a devastating one; one that will forever remain part of Bainbridge Military Academy's story. The eighteen cadets we lost, alongside our very own, Captain Johnathan Benson, are on the hearts of our school community today, tomorrow, and always. We are here to remember those we lost, and honor the footprints and legacies they've left behind. To the families out there who are mourning the losses of their beloved sons; our hearts are here with you, aching with you, and mourning with you. Every cadet we lost to this horrible tragedy was valued, loved, and respected. Each of them were a piece of the puzzle that came together to make our Bainbridge Military Academy school community what it was. I cannot begin to imagine the loss the parents of these children are experiencing, but we want you to know that your boys were part of our Bainbridge family, and that we are mourning them alongside you."

As Head Officer Ronald Bailey spoke out into the intensely large crowd, Ralph's father wrapped his arm around his son's shoulder and squeezed him tightly. Ralph knew that for the parents of the 22 cadets who had been rescued, this ceremony was a reminder of what could've been. It could've been Ralph's parents here, without their son. It could've been Sam and Eric's. It could've been any of them. How randomly selective and cruel life could be.

On the giant projector screen behind the stage where Officer Bailey spoke, the photos of the 16 cadets who died in the plane crash appeared side by side. Ralph scanned the photos until his eyes found the pictures of Simon and then Piggy among the other 16. At the top, Captain Benson's military photo was pictured. Ralph couldn't get the image of the man lying on the sand, a bloody bandage wrapped around his damaged head, moaning and groaning, tossing and turning out of his head. The photo on the projector was unrecognizeable to Ralph, despite the fact that that was the way Ralph had known the man for 3 years before the island.

As Officer Bailey spoke about Captain Benson and the 18 former cadets pictured on screen, Ralph couldn't stop looking back and fourth from Simon to Piggy. They were shuffled in the middle of the rest of the photos. Ralph recognized all 18 cadets from their photos, and struggled to even comprehend that the rest of them were even dead. Ralph had blocked it out on the island, when he found himself tredding water, both living and dead members of his squadron around him. His eyes found those who were dead, those who had landed nearby in the crash, only for a moment. "Dead" he'd realized rather quickly, and failed to give it another thought. Until now.

He couldn't stop seeing Piggy laying on the ground, his lifeless eyes staring up at nothing, blood dripping down the side of his head in excessive amounts. He couldn't stop seeing the distant sight of Simon's lifeless body, covered in blood and stab wounds in the dark, being gently tossed around by the waves crashing on shore. He felt like he was going to throw up.

And then he did.

Everyone within earshot of Ralph turned to look at him as he stood there, covered in his own vomit. His parents were on either side of him. They were in the middle of the assembly hall, having sat in a row closer to the back but it was still the middle. Officer Bailey and the other staff on stage didn't seem to notice and continued with the service.

"Ralph, sweetie, come on, come 'ere" his mom whispered to him in a gentle panic as she wrapped her arms around him. The others in their row stepped back, forward, or out of the row to let Ralph and his mom out. Everyone was staring. Jeffery followed behind them, politely excusing them and apologizing quietly as he stepped through the aisle.