Chapter Text
Ralph had begun waking without meaning to. Before the birds chirped in the dull sky and the sun blazed upon his fair skin creating a tan or a burn something he had grown accustomed too.
He was frustrated no exhausted. Does nobody want to leave this god forsaken island and instead want to live a meaningful life. Start a family with a woman and have kids, even if he himself couldn't see him doing that and felt a ache whenever he heard of his planned future layed flat by his father. Instead he is stranded on an island in which the boys who paint themselves as warriors refuse to ignite a fire and chase after a pig, kick it, stab it until its nothing more than a piece of meat meant for consumption and not a loss of life, not their humanity chipping away as they use their hands to spill red across the landscape of a prison displayed as paradise. Shelters meant for protection disguising as a hilarious image of home falling apart again and again and again. Jack's hunters returning late and not even bothering about their hope their faith, a fire which spreads calling out to help that might aswell never arrive. He wonders what his family thinks. Is he dead in their eyes? Is he erased from their memories and thrown in to the back of their mind never to be looked upon again? Or are they dead and he is yearning for a home that no longer exists?
Simon arrives silently carrying wood and fruit not interesting not surprising just a routine just nature.
Batty Simon sits beside him naturally and listens attentively to Ralph's words rolling off his tounge. "Can Jack get his head straight and listen to the real priorities!" "They let the fire out again!" Simon smiles and nods not interuppting or challenging him staring at Ralph's blue eyes full of resentment,bargaining and still a hint of hope. Hope that hasn't fully died away. Ralph is his god, his universe. An angel sent for him and only him an angel which he must serve protect and love until his dying breath. Even if Ralph doesn't thank him for helping it's not out of cruelty but because it's something he subconsciously depends on already. "He always thinks hunting solves everything can you believe it!" But he says it with too much energy for it to be a simple annoyance. An ache is created which washes away as Piggy joins blabbering about littleuns and their improper use of language.
A few littleuns are fighting over bruised fruit nearby the pathetic excuses of a shelter. "He stole it!" Whines percieval. The 'robber' starts crying. It's nothing until they start pushing and shoving eachother as if they were the pig being slaughtered,butchered and cursed by little boys dressed up as hunters. "See this is what I mean! The littleuns are all becoming crazy! Not obeying rules and acting on their own accords like they own the place!" Exclaims Piggy in disappointment which is splattered across his face. The order of the island is slipping away and there's nothing Simon can do to stop it. He knows that like he knows everything else he denies. But what can he do to prevent it? Simon naturally steps in. Afterall helping people is all he can do all he should do. He steps in calmy and not angry not demanding but naturally it's his nature after all. Simon isn't aggressive like Jack. He isn't intuitive like Ralph. He isn't like Piggy . He's himself. Batty Simon. He kneels beside them quietly and solves the problem between the 2 children without annoyance or anger splitting the fruit in half evenly. "Will you stop crying for a minute!" Ralph shouts without meaning too immediatly took back and covering his mouth in guilt. He doesn't apologise or move trying to help, he puts his head in his own lap and sulks in the burden of carrying responsibility too large for a boy his age. The guilt and etches of sadness across his face melts at the sight of the ginger boy coming out from the forest. How brave Jack and his hunters must be for painting themselves like tribesmen, scavenging a jungle for a defenseless pig to rip apart just so they don't rip eachother apart from hunger or need. Ralph doesn't quite remember his mother's face. The image of his mother is replaced by Piggy a fat boy with a broken pair of glasses.
Jack returns from the hunt with Roger and Maurice by his side earlier than usual. Roger has his stoic expression like a permanent mask wore on his dark skin shone on by the arising sun showcasing his scars and cuts. Nobody really questioned why he wore the scars even whilst he was in choir or the start of the island when no rules were established and stress didnt tug at their hairs pulling it out until you see a skull cracked and disfigured. Maurice maintaned his usual character being playful and direct with his curls bouncing off his head flowing down the outer corners of his sun burnt face. He always smiled with that tooth gap that he gained from falling face flat on the floor whilst trying to deal with Rogers bs. Jack was a lanky tall ginger quite ugly to societal beauty standards and literally everybody on the forgotten island. His ginger hair knotted and dirtied by the mud and blood gained from brutality or maybe games meant to entertain not created out of underlying violence but instead something to resemble how childhood would never be fully stripped away even if they had to grow up fast. Jacks eyes werent as beautiful as ralphs eyes and were instead the type of blue which makes u scream in fear which adds more to his ability to intimidate and scare with a view of him looking at you with an emotion far away from niceness as some might say. Tired, irritated and empty handed. As soon as Ralph notices, the atmosphere changes immediately and Piggy tries to stop an argument before it even occurs but what's the point of that anymore? Ralph stands before a single word is exchanged and Jack ignores all those around him to look directly at Ralph's beautiful sea coloured eyes.
"The fire Jack the fire! You neglect it as much as you neglect-"
"Goddammit what dont you understand!? Hunting feeds people it feeds us its the only way we don't starve to death! Why relight a meaningless fire searching for rescue that can never come instead of doing something worth while?? You think that standing next to smoke is important??" Snapped Jack
"And you think killing things does?"
Everyone gets uncomfortable the argument isn't like all the others it feels personal it's bigger and more proclaimed than the actual subject at hand.
Simon notices Jack observing Ralph and his blonde swaying hair and his rosy coloured cheeks and how Ralph reacts hardest towards Jack specifically. Neither boy acts this intensly towards anybody else. Not Jack to Roger or towards Maurice when he's particularly pissed off or even Ralph to Piggy when he complains about his ass mar. Simon chooses to ignore the hurt building up in his chest. It hurts but he doesn't know why.
Ralph storms away as he always does down the beach alone with Piggy shouting after him. Simon without moving his limbs goes after him but Jack moves first and hesitates for only a split second unnoticeable to everyone but Simon.
Simon stops walking.