Careful What You Wish For

Chapter: 22

(Jem's P.O.V)

In three days: Boo had turned an intire small town into one person. Jem kept walking, he had no other choice. He lost the little food, him and Atticus, had packed back on the train. But that wasn't all he lost. He guessed it finally hit him, that hot, dark, moonless night: he just lost everybody. Everyone he's ever loved or called a friend. He was even sad about losing those he didn't like or never knew. He fell onto the ground and laid there. Boo had taken everything away from him, and for that: he could never forgive the monster. He bit his lip to keep from crying. He's a big boy now. He can't cry. That wasn't Jem's thought. It wasn't even a thought. Someone said it. And who else, that Jem knew, had a booming monsterous voice. Jem looked up, but didn't see anything. No one was there, what was wrong with him. He didn't think much about it, because soon he fell asleep.

The next day was gray and wet as it continued to rain. There wasn't much light, but Jem could see. He was soaked due to the fast falling rain. "Good morning, Jem." Someone sneered. Jem looked behind him.

"No!" He shouted at Boo, who was staring down at him. "Why are you doing this?!" Jem shouted at him. Boo laughed.

"Well, you see Jem, this isn't my fault." Boo said.

"You're a monster!" Jem shouted, tears threatened to fall. But he wouldn't let Boo see him cry.

"I'll only take that as a compliment. Anyways, am I really, Jem? Am I the one who wished for everyone to disappear?" Boo asked, putting a hand on his chest. Jem couldn't say anything. "No. I'm not. It was really an easy question. What do they teach you these days." Boo trailed off.

"They teach me to stay away from things like you!" Jem shouted.

"Now, now, Jem." Boo reached down for him. Jem gasped and tried to escape, but before he knew it: he was in Boo's hand. "I gotta thank you, though."

"Leave me alone."

"If you wouldn't have wished what you did, I would've never found Maycomb."

"Go away." Jem growled. Boo only laughed.

"You call that a growl!?" He boomed, his voice becoming more demonic. "This is a real growl." Boo growled back. "Listen closely now. It'll be the last one you ever hear." Jem gasped.

"Put me down." He tried to desperately get out of Boo's grip, but it was no use.

"Did you learn your lesson, Jem?" Boo asked, tilting his head back.

"What?" Jem asked as he looked down at Boo.

"Careful what you wish for, Jem." Boo said. Then he opened his mouth and dropped Jem inside. Jem fell and fell and continued falling. He could hear Boo laughing and the last words Jem heard rang in his ears: Careful what you wish for, Jem.