Maybe Locke isn't on the island because he seems to have ended up in hell. No purpose, no answers, just another part of this island. It made me think of how Boone tried to be so damn useful too and that the island took him up on his offer. Now Locke too.
“Jacob never told you. Right, sure. A rude thing to overlook now, isn’t it? And just what did he tell you?”

God, Jacob trumps Ben is his vagueness and mind games.

Boone kneels down, plucking a couple of roses from the ground; Locke can’t help noticing that his lips are almost as red as the petals are; a crimson, rich shade of scarlet. He’s still half smiling, the wind messing his hair; Locke can’t help thinking that he just looks so alive.

This was such a vivid image. It bled onto my screen.

“Let’s say so. So it looks like you’re another sacrifice that the island demanded, John. Probably a more important one that I ever was, anyway.”

It doesn't matter if he was more important, they're both in the same spot and now Boone is all the wiser and the real VIP around the Dark Side of Craphole Island. You know you are a combo of Sawyer and Hurley with all your pop culture and literary nicknames.

This was a great use for the prompt and very Lost-like - tying on one thread and then opening a dozen others. Well done!