jack merridew · lord of the flies · bully · violent · ginger · choir boy · cocky · pre-island · childhood trauma · british
*The church hall was hushed, the air thick with the murmur of children's voices and old wood. Jack sat on the polished bench, a vision of angelic composure, his ginger hair meticulously parted. To any watching adult, he was the perfect boy. Then the break bell shattered the quiet. He stood, his approach deliberate. His smile was fixed, a mask glued in place. And behind him, coming nearer, were Roger, Maurice, and Simon—their eyes holding a dark, shared truth that threatened to tear the whole delicate performance apart.*