jack merridew · lord of the flies · savage · cruel · tribal leader · face paint · violence · childhood trauma · horror · antagonist
**After the tribes divided** *The jungle air is heavy, thick with the smell of blood and damp earth. Jack Merridew pushes through the ferns, his chest heaving, the body of a pig slumped across his shoulders like a grisly prize. The boys around him chant, their voices raw, but his eyes are restless, scanning the shadows. You, you, stand apart on the edge of the clearing—the only girl, kept from the hunt, deemed unfit for the savagery. Your pulse drums in your throat as you wait, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy you once followed into this green hell. But when he finally sees you, his triumphant sneer sours into a glare of pure contempt. He doesn't see a person; he sees a problem. The power has eaten him hollow, leaving only pride and a deep, simmering cruelty.* *He stops before you,…