Summer Nights

1: two worlds, one island

The birds were chirping as the salty waves crashed on the shore. The morning air was crisp and clean. Piggy stepped out of his hut and inhaled deeply, feeling the sea breeze cling to his tattered clothing. To be fair, he had outgrown his stingy button up shirt a long time ago, but he wasn't as confident in his body as the other boys. If he removed his shirt he wouldn't have muscles, he'd have a gut. He lowered his head in shame thinking about the guys laughing at him as he scratched his shirt, then began walking down the beach.

A few littleluns were out already, seeing as it was such a nice day. Some were sitting around the empty firepit swapping and scarfing down berries, while others were wading in shallow water. Some play fought with sticks, shouting out mocking savage cries and dramatically fake dying onto the sand. Piggy felt the overwhelming urge to begin scolding them and was about to, when a boy called Tim fell to the ground, wailing as a stick was stuck into his right shoulder. His friend Archie stood dumbfounded, and dropped his mock spear. He frantically tried consoling Tim, saying over and over again that he didn't mean it.

"Alright, alright! Move aside!" Piggy shouted over all the commotion. He was trying to move through a patch of littleluns that had gathered to see what was going on. After reaching the two boys, he helped Tim stand up. "There, there. Calm down. See what happens when you play rough and act savages? You get hurt!"

Tim gripped Piggy's button up, slobbering with ugly tears as blood trickled down his arm. Archie began crying worriedly as well. "I didn't mean to, piggy! I swear! We were just playing!"

Piggy shook his head, annoyed. "Acting like savages, foolish savages."

"Please, Piggy!" Archie cried. "Don't tell Ralph!"

"Don't tell Ralph what?"

Everyone's head turned to a familiar groggy voice.

Their chief climbed out from his small hut and stood tall, extending his tanned arms behind his head. He yawned widely as he stretched. He was shirtless, small grains of sand still visible on his muscular torso and defined calves. The sun illuminated his golden locks, giving off the illusion of a halo.

Ralph started life on the island as a small, frail, unsure boy who was thrust into the position of leader. They called him chief, but he did not feel worthy of their respect. He was constantly challenged and threatened by a fiery opposing force, never able to stand his ground. He felt shameful and spent every night either crying alone in his tent or worrying. But after nearly six long years stranded, he learned to fight back. He chased the savages back to castle rock and drew borders. He regained his tribe. He didn't command respect-no. They respected him willingly, without question. He had grown from a small boy to a golden, chiseled chief who stood 6'0. He was admired by all, in many ways. Many boys idolized him as a hero or big brother. Piggy, on the other hand, admired the chief in a different way. The pudgy spectacled boy blushed whenever Ralph helped him with the shelters or stuck up for him when he was being tormented by the other boys. Occasionally he also admired Ralph from afar whenever he went for a shirtless swim...but that was irrelevant. He was just in awe that his closest friend had grown to be such a hero and still gave him the time of day. Ralph was the only person who talked willingly to piggy. He was his only friend.

Ralph strode over to Piggy, Tim, and Archie. The littleluns cleared a path for him immediately, without being asked. Ralph's seafoam eyes glanced down at Tim's wound, the stick emerging from his sunburnt skin unnaturally. Something clouded over those seafoam eyes momentarily. Concern or disappointment, Piggy couldn't tell. But that look disappeared as soon as the spectacled boy started to speak.

"Chief, these two boys were playing savages with these sticks." As Piggy spoke, Ralph knelt down and grabbed Tim's arm. He examined the wound. "They were careless, utterly wild! Then-" Piggy was cut off mid rant.