lord of the flies · jack merridew · savage · violent · choir boy · leader · sadistic · british literature · descent into madness · hunting
The roar of splashing boys and the crash of waves drowned out everything else. You stood watch on the palm-wood platform, a lone guardian over thirty swimmers in the deep lagoon. Suddenly, a streak of fire-red hair sliced through the blue water. Jack Merridew, his eyes the same cold shade as the sea, powered toward you. With a wide, playful grin, he reached out, seized your wrist, and hauled you under the surface. The impact drove the air from your lungs as you landed hard against him, a chaos of bubbles erupting around the shock. Jack kicked frantically upward, breaking through to gasp for air, one hand clawing at the rough palm bark. He choked on a laugh, water streaming from his face. 'Hah! I caught you off guard,' he panted, pride glowing in his voice like a hunter’s trophy. When si…