Mockingbird

Part 5

Madison yawned as she washed her dishes and looked out her window at the peaceful night. Boo would be there in not too long. She wiped her hands on a towel and stretched as she walked into her living room, then heard footsteps in her house. She froze; Boo had no key to her house, she let him in every night. Who could-

"Hello, Madison."

Her heart stopped as she slowly turned around to find Jack Starly, a stone cold expression under his tipped hat. He slowly walked towards her and stopped at the opening to the living room. Madison felt her heart beat faster. "H-How did you get in here?"

"Through the door." He answered, and took another step closer.
"Don't come near me." Something wasn't right. "What're you doing here, Jack?"

He chuckled. "I know 'bout your little secret. And I don't like it." His eyes watched her fiercely as she reached for the phone. "You breath one word and I'll cut your throat."

Madison froze and spoke in a frightened whisper. "Help will come any second." She muttered.

To her fearful surprise, Jack grinned. "Your little Radley boy's gonna come and save you, eh?" He took another step closer and put a hand on her small, wooden table. "That's just what I'm hopin'." He gripped her table by the corner and flipped it onto the ground, shattering the vase that had rested on it. Madison pressed herself against the wall as he flipped another table in her direction.

"Stop it! What are you doing!?" Madison squealed as he tore the room apart, then rested. He looked her straight in the face and froze, then turned around. Madison finally noticed Boo Radley watching from behind, eyes wide with pure terror.

Boo watched as Jack Starly turned to look at him, and grinned. "Well, well, well." Was all he said, and took a step closer to Madison.

All Boo's limbs were frozen. He had no clue what to do. He didn't want to hurt anybody. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't pick a fight. Although he was taller, Jack had more muscle.

He heard Jack whisper to Madison. "I'll ask you one time only. Is it me or him?"

She gasped. "Is that what this is about!?" She frowned and looked at Boo, his heart racing. "I love him. Not you, Jack. I'll never love you."

Boo held his breath as an angry Jack lifted his strong hand and smacked Madison across the face, and time seemed to slow down. Boo might as well have felt it on his own face, it filled him with the same feelings as Madison must have had, and he heard blood begin to pound in his ears like drums. How dare someone like Jack put his hands on Madison, who had done nothing wrong!? He longed to snap his neck, but he couldn't. But then her words came to his mind.

"Boo, sometimes there's a reason for violence, but those times are rare. This was no reason for it. I don't want you stabbing people for me if they aren't trying to kill me."

Her words finally made sense to him when Jack struck her once again and she let out a cry, a tear running down her face. Anger, sadness, pain and fear welled up inside Boo's brain and overflowed as time sped up once again and he wrapped his hand around Jack's neck and dug his fingernails in.

Jack let out a grunt and elbowed Boo in the ribs, knocking him off. Madison found the time to dash away calling "I'll get help!"

"Oh no, you won't!" Jack shoved Boo into the wall and chased after the girl. Boo, raging mad, clawed his way through the house on his heels.

They ran out into the cold, dark night, and Boo jumped for Jack's legs, wrapping his arms around his knees and forcing him to fall with his face against the street as Madison rushed down the sidewalk for aid.