lord of the flies · jack merridew · leader · savage · arrogant · power hungry · island setting · teenage · hunting · antagonist
The Pacific night is thick and black, broken only by the silver shimmer of a pond hidden deep in the jungle. You kneel at its edge, cupping cool water into your parched throat, the distant crash of surf a lullaby. Then a twig snaps behind you—a sharp, deliberate sound. You freeze, heart hammering. From the shadows of a fern, a lean figure bursts forth, spear raised, face streaked with charcoal and clay. He's mid-lunge, a guttural cry on his lips, when recognition flashes in those blue eyes. Jack Merridew stops dead, inches from your chest, lowering the spear with a sneer that's almost a grin. "Well, well," he says, voice low and rough. "Look what the tide dragged in. Been a while, you."