To Kill A Mockingbird (Fanfic)

chap. one

A love story...

Quick disclaimer, this may not be historically accurate but I'll try. Also, the dislodge used in To Kill A Mockingbird is outdated but it is how Southerners in America talked so I'll be using some of that dislodge too. Most of the places in this story like locations and towns/cities are going to be made up. Let me know what you guys want to happen in the story as the chapters go on. 

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Jem's been living in the town of Waterbank for two years now and he'd finally accepted that there were some things he'd never understand. 

For example why the town was called Waterbank if there wasn't a single lake or river in sight for miles or why all the townspeople insisted on the old way of living which was farming instead of having their town built up with factories.

Few people, including Jem, owned cars; most still rode horses. The closest factory was in the town over called Smithing. 

The town of Waterbank was mostly made up of big farms. In the center of the town was small shops and the court. That's where Jem spent most of his time, in a small building a few meters away from the court that was his office.

He was a lawyer just like his father had been and he was quite proud of it. He moved to Waterbank to help his career grow. He was tired of Maycomb's way of thinking and when it hit him that it'd be a while before they changed he knew it was time for him to move on.

It didn't come without sadness, he was leaving the place where he was born and raised. Leaving his father who was now an old man and everyone he loved. His sister Jean-Lousie had moved to New York and only came back to Maycomb for family reunions. 

The hardest part about moving was saying goodbye but Jem felt alright after two years. He left a little after he'd come back from the war.

The people of Waterbank were good people and he'd made some friends. He and an attorney only two years older named Chuck had become close. In court when against each other they did their job but once out of the courtroom or after a long day of work they'd go for a drink. 

They'd been in the army together during the war and both Jem and Chuck had saved each other countless of times that it seemed impossible for them not to become friends. Chuck was part of the reason he moved here.

Chuck would tell him about how good life was here and how he had the potential to be a great lawyer in the area, they were in need of one. Jme promised himself that if he survived the war he was going to move to Waterbank just to check out how life was over there. He didn't expect to become so attached to the small town. It was now his second home.

Right now Jem was packing up the papers he planned to take with him home to go over. No matter how much time he'd spend sitting down in his office he was never able to finish reading all the papers.

He'd rolled them up in his hands and walked out into the darkness with his keys in his hand. As he opened his door he heard Chuck's voice behind him.

"You ain't gon' offer me a ride?" He turned around and saw his smiling friend with his arms crossed.

"Thought you'd already left. The light in your office was off." Jem replied, "Hop in."

Chuck walked to the other side of the car and got in. When Jem began driving on the road Chuck spoke again.

"You look like you've had a long day Jeremy Finch, what'd you say we go for a drink?" Chuck said.

Jem winced at Chuck using his full name. He hated when people called him Jeremy and Chuck knew that, he used it to get under his skin. The only time he used his full name was when signing papers or speaking in court.