Ultimate writing 4^th

The Ewells

“Come’n Scout! You aint scared are you?” Jem snickered turning away towards Dill. We were standing in our front lawn in summer time planning what we were going to. Since Atticus had banned our game that involved Boo Radly we had nothing to do.  “I aint scared, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Atticus says they live like animals, and their mean.”   

“Ah Scout don’t be like that. You can face the Ewells.” Dill said smugly, standing tall and trying to look smart. Jem narrowed his eyes and tensed “not that we would be meeting them of course” he added hastily.

“But Burris was…” “Scout! If your gonna be a girl about it just don’t come and keep your mouth shut.” Jem said shortly, after that statement I couldn’t not go with them.  Atticus had taken Jem to see where the Ewells lived when he got rid of the tree, but me n Dill hadn’t gone. Jem tried to explain it to Dill but he still wanted to see it.  Jem had hesitated, but it only took a minute for him to be convinced.  I still was hesitant, even though I had to go with them now.  When I expressed my hesitation again Dill proceed to remind me that we were engaged and he would never put me in harms way, and Jem called me a girl again. 

We couldn’t go to the Ewells place in the day because Cal would catch us and we’d be in for it for sure. So we played in the yard all day with the sun beating down on your backs, only coming in for lemonade time and for supper. When we parted ways with Dill for the night we had come to the agreement that Jem n I would pass by Mrs. Rachel’s house and Jem would whistle “Bob White”. That would be the cue for Dill to come down.

That night we ate dinner and I read with Atticus like normal but when me n jem went to bed we stayed in our clothes. When Atticus’s light went out I slipped out of my bed and crept quietly to Jem’s room “Jem?”  I whispered softly “you there?” a got a terse shush as a reply. “Meet me in the back” he murmured “no! Your gonna leave me! Imma stay here or Ill yell to Atticus that you’re leavin with Dill.” Jem rolled his eyes and we crept out as quiet as we could, but when I stepped on a board that objected under my foot, Jem gave me a poisoned look that shot icy splinters down my back. We finally got out of the house without anyone knowing. The moon was shinning, illuminating our way. The way the light shone shadows danced and jumped out at us. Sometimes I would think I saw a person and I would feel fear warming my stomach, but as soon as it came it would leave as I came to the realization it was only a shadow. We dashed towards Mrs. Rachel’s house when we go there Jem whistled Bob White and shortly after Dill wriggled out of his window. Once we were all together we started downtown. We all knew the way, but once we got there we let Jem lead us to the town dumpster. Dill’s sharp intake of breath was the only sound. It was eerie. We just stood there for a minute soon I started fidgeting “Jem where’s the house?” I spoke in a husky voice; “Just behind there” Jem pointed a not so steady finger at the dumpster. “Why do they live there?” I asked Jem didn’t answer, but he started slinking behind the dumpster slowly. Dill was close behind him; I started feeling the warmth of fear settling in my stomach. I pushed it aside and followed behind. We were not but 30 feet from the house when we saw a short shadow that was not any plant of any type rising off the ground. I felt my feet sew themselves to the earth, I could almost feel fear radiating off of Dill. Jem turned around and made a mad dash towards the town road, a bottle whizzed by his head. After what felt like hours but was really only a few seconds Jem called “Scout!”  I was ripped out of my fearful state and my feet could move again. I took off like a race horse in a starting gait. I looked back at the small swaying shadow, he was screaming profane words at us or he was trying to but he was too drunk to get them out. When I reached the road Jem and Dill were already there. Jem wouldn’t look at me, he tried to look unfazed by the incident but I knew him better than that, he was terrified. We walked back without any words but my head was spinning with thoughts. It was times like these when I wondered if Dill remembered that we were engaged and he was gonna protect me, I also was wondering who that dark little shadow was. Atticus had said Mr. Ewell spent his relief checks on drinks but could that really be him? We reached Mrs. Rachel’s house “night yall” Dill said softly, me n Jem nodded our heads night and waited for him to be safely in the house before we haltingly made our way back to our houses and into our beds. Before we said goodnight Jem embraced me, something he never did. “Good night Scout. I’m just over there if you scared” he said this with his annual brotherly kindness. I nodded wondering what he wanted in the morning “goodnight Jem”.