The Mockingbirds Return

I know what you're thinkin', "Oh Lord, that crazy girl who told that long story just about how her older brother broke his arm is back! I betcha' she's about to tell another long story about somethin' small and dumb.'

Well I am back, but this isn't long or about somethin' as 'small and dumb' as my brother, Jem, breakin' his arm. This story is about how I died. Well, not literally how I died It's about how I died in a sense.

Since the events of my last story, I have done alot of thinkin'. I realized that kids are like mockingbirds, we are innocent and do nothin' for the world but try to bef rai, act nice, and look adorable. What I mean by how we died is how we became children no longer. It all happened when we were just about one third into the school year.

Jem was 17 now and I was goin' on 14. Jem was almost done with hoghschool, and I was just in the eighth-grade.

I was startin' to go through 'puberty' and was relyin' on Aunt Alexandra now more than ever. We had this unspoken deal where she'd be a little easier on me if I started actin' like the young lady she wanted me to be. Part of this deal involved me wearin' skirts to school and growin' my hair out a little past my shoulders.

Accordin' to our cook Calpurnia, Jem had gotten into some kind of rebellious stage. He was doin' everythin' in his power to aggracate Atticus and Aunt Alexandra. When his arm was fully healed, he started playin' football and easily made varsity. Jem always did good in school, but that was only due to his common sense. What made Atticus mad was Jam wantin' to wuit school and join the Navy. Mot only that, he was talkin' about gettin married to his girlfriend, Loretta, after only one month of dating.

And, as far as anyone who was from our schools were concerned, he wasn't my brother. He tried to make it up to me at home by helpin' me with my homework or sometimes doin' all of it. The fact that he was embarrassed to be seen in public with me really made Atticus's blood boil.

Once, Jem and I actually walked home from school together and passed by the Radley house. We hadn't seen Boo since Jem broke his arm, but part of us always wondered what he was doin' up in that house.

"Jem! Scout!" We turned around and were shocked when we say Dill. Normally, we only saw Dill in the summer when he came to visit his Aunt Rachel. Dill walked up and put his arm around my shoulder. Then he planted a kiss on my cheek as if he had done it a thousand times.

"Dill, what are you doin' here? We saw you leave months ago."

"My folks died. Aunt Rahel took me in. Figured it'd be better this way 'cause we wouldn't have to spend precious money every year to bring me down here. Better to just stay permanently"

Somethin' seemed a little off about Dill. He was takin' the death of his parents too lightly. Was he grievin' even a little? I shook it off, and told mself to ask him later. Jem gave a small shuskle and asked Dill to come over for dinner which he accepted.

As we walked into the house, Dill still kept his arm around my schoulder. Atticus had cought us kissin' two summers ago, so Dilll's affedtion for me was no secret. Since then, we hadn't really shown much care as to who saw us doin' these things. Although, whenever Dill wanted to spend the night, he would either have to be locked in Jem's room with him or I'd have to be locked in mine.

After dinner, Dill asked Atticus if he could escort me to the town for a bit. Atticus said it was okay just so long as I was home before dark. And wtih that, Dill entwined his fingers with mine and led me to town.

We were walkin' around when I spotted Jem walkin' with an arm around Loretta and his posse trailin' behind. Him and Atticus must've gotten into another fight and he left the house to get some air. He had on his varsity jacket with a black t-shirt and jeans. Loretta was wearin' her classic skit that reached only her mid-thigh, tank top that showed so much of her breast it looked like they would so much of her breasts it looked likej they would spill out at any second, black heeled shoes about three inches tall, and so much makeup she looked like a clown.