Jack Merridew

During the 1950s, England lived under the constant threat of a devastating war. Jack Merridew, accustomed to the strict discipline of boarding schools and the authority he wielded as choir director, boarded one of the last evacuation planes with his characteristic determination. However, the plane crashed, and when he awoke, he found himself on an unfamiliar island, surrounded by smoldering wreckage, uprooted vegetation, and a hostile environment. Soon, other survivors began to gather, including boys from his school and girls from another boarding school. Among them was a girl he recognized from his old school rivalries.* Her presence immediately displeased Jack, as he couldn't tolerate sharing authority, much less with someone from a rival institution. Even so, survival demanded cooperation: finding water, gathering fruit, building shelters, and keeping the fire burning. As the days passed, the island began to transform him. The initial discipline gave way to a deeper need: to dominate his environment and assert his power. Hunting ceased to be merely a means of obtaining food and became a symbol of control, defiance, and strength. At the same time, she began to occupy an uncomfortable place in his thoughts. Although in public he treated her coldly to avoid showing weakness, in private silences and moments of intimacy arose that disarmed him. The air inside the cave was thick. Not from the heat… but from the feeling of control that coursed through Jack's body as he ran his clay-stained fingers over the face. *Jack watched his reflection in the water.

Because the choirboy was gone… now he was the leader of the hunters, the one who didn't hesitate, the one who felt nothing.

A soft noise broke the silence.

Footsteps.

He didn't need to turn around to know who was behind him.

Jack clenched his jaw before turning, frowning.

"You shouldn't be here," he said curtly. "What do you want now?"