Delaney Edwards
March 23, 2009
Period 7
Fan Fiction
Extended Ending: To Kill A Mockingbird
I tried to turn but I hurt all over. I opened my eyes and saw Atticus sitting in a chair beside my bed. He was reading the newspaper and looked more tired than I had ever seen him.
I looked over at him. When he saw me he put the paper aside. He put his foot on his knee and intertwined his finger on his other knee.
"Well, son, how do you feel?"
"Not very well, sir." I answered. I wasn't real sure about what had happened the night before, so I asked, "What happened?"
Atticus's face became alarmed and he said, "Can you not remember?"
"No sir, I can 'member right fine, its just I'm not quite sure as to what happened. I remember me and Scout was walking and we kept hearing something. Then Scout shouted into the woods because she thought it was Cecil. Then we walked a little ways more and then someone attacked me and Scout." My heart suddenly dropped and I said, "Where's Scout? Is she hurt-", Atticus stopped me and said, "Scout's sleeping in her room. She's fine, but quite tired. She had a long night." I sighed with relief.
"Bob Ewell was the person who attacked you. He was very drunk. Scout's costume saved her from getting hurt, but you were beaten up pretty badly. Had Arthur Radley not come, I'm not sure I'd be talking to you right now." Atticus said.
"Boo saved us?" I asked.
"Arthur", Atticus corrected me. "And yes, he saved you both."
"How?" I asked.
"I'm not sure how it happened. I'm just thankful that Arthur heard you. As for Mr. Ewell, he was found with a kitchen knife stuck under his ribs. I do not know if Arthur did it trying to keep you both safe or if Mr. Ewell did it by accident." I knew there was also a possibility that I did it, but I thought if I had done it I would remember it. "I'm sorry it had to happen that way, but I'm not sorry you're alive. Bob was asking for it." Atticus said.
"Will Mr. Radley go to jail?" I asked, careful not to call him Boo.
"No, as far as everyone else knows, Arthur was in his home last night, as usual. The town will be told that Mr. Ewell killed himself with the kitchen knife by accident when he tried to hurt you and Scout. The only people who know otherwise are you and Scout, Arthur, Heck Tate, Dr. Reynolds, your Aunt, and I. It must stay that way. Do you understand?" He asked.
"Yes sir." We sat for a minute, reminiscing. I started to ask about the time, but Scout came running in. She ran over to the bed and said, "Oh Jem, you're alive. I was so worried. They said you were unconscious and would wake up in the morning, but you looked dead and I wasn't so sure-" Atticus interrupted her, though he was smiling. "Scout, Jem's still not well and needs his rest."
I was afraid they were going to leave and I really didn't want to be left alone. "It's all right." I said. Atticus looked at his pocket watch and I said, "What time is it?" He said it was almost eleven.
"Where're Aunt Alexandra and Cal?" I asked.
"I gave Calpurnia the day off. I reckon Alexandra is giving us our privacy." He said.
"I'm going to call Doctor Reynolds. He'll need to get x-rays, and I want to make sure its okay for you come in today." He left and shut the door behind him leaving me and Scout alone.
"Do you hurt a lot?" Scout asked. I felt pretty lousy and my arm was hurting real bad now that she'd brought it up. I didn't want Scout worrying anymore than she already was though, so I said, "I hurt, but I'll be fine. Are you alright?"
"I feel fine. I wasn't hurt none. Did you hear? Boo saved us."
"I heard. But you better not tell anyone else that." I said. "Did you get to see him? Did he say anything? What was he like?"
She sat on the edge of the bed. "I knew right when I saw him that it was him. His skin was real pale, almost white, and his eyes weren't used to the light. He was real thin. He wasn't scary at all, Jem. I took him out on the porch. And he asked me to take him home. He saw you before he left and then I walked him all the way to his porch and I wasn't scared, never. He was nice and I don't know why we was ever scared of him, Jem."
I wished I had gotten to see him. "How'd I get home last night?" She smiled and said, "Boo carried you home 'cause you was unconscious."
"Oh." I said. Scout was staring at something and I traced her eyes to my arm. "I hope my arms better by next football season. I had a good chance of making the team next year." She nodded in agreement. I sat rubbing my arm while Scout looked at me.
"Jem?" Scout said. "Were you scared last night?" I looked at Scout and wondered if she had been scared last night. I reckon anybody would have been, but Scout wasn't anybody and she usually surprised me for a girl. "I don't remember. I reckon I probably was. It all happened so fast. I was trying to get him off of you and trying to get him off of me and then I was thrown. Were you scared?"
She started playing with the blanket and said, "I didn't have much time to be scared. Plus, I knew you were there."
Aunt Alexandra came in with my breakfast on a tray. She started to set it in front of me, but I said, "I ain't real hungry, Aunty." She set the tray in front of me anyways and said, "Atticus said you were to eat something before you went to the doctors."
"Can I go with them?" Scout said.
"No, Jean Louise, you may not." Aunt Alexandra said.
"Actually Sister," Atticus said from the doorway, "Dr. Reynolds said he would want to look Scout over again today. Scout you go get dressed and eat your breakfast." Scout left obediently with Aunt Alexandra behind her. I started to eat a biscuit as Atticus went to my dresser and got some of my clothes out. Though my arm was in a splint, I was afraid to move it. Atticus came and sat in the chair next to my bed again and said, "Hurry up and eat." I finished the biscuit and pushed the tray away. "I ain't hungry no more."
"Fine." He said and put the tray on the table in the corner of my room. He pulled the covers from me lightly and helped me set up. Since I was unable to use my left arm, Atticus unbuttoned my shirt and put the other on for me. Then he helped me to the car.
Dr. Reynolds put my arm in a cast. My arm was at an angle at my side, and the cast went from a little above my elbow to my fingers. My arm had been broken in a few places, so I would have to wear the cast longer than in most cases. He said I had hit my head fairly hard and would have to take it easy for a while. He also said I would probably be okay by next football season, if I took it easy.
Atticus told me to go to bed the minute we got home. I was tired and didn't protest, but I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Atticus told Scout to go to bed too. Dr. Reynolds said she should take it easy too, because she hit her head like me.
"But Atticus, I ain't tired." She objected.
"Scout, you heard the doctor. You are to take it easy." Atticus replied. "However, if you would like it better, you may make a pallet on Jem's floor and take a nap in there. But only if it's alright with Jem." Atticus looked at me.
"It's alright." I said. I didn't want to sit in my room and stare at the wall, so I was happy for the company. Scout ran back to her room and came back with a pillow and blanket.
Atticus tucked us in and left. We were not used to napping and the sun coming through the window made me sure I would never go to sleep. Scout sat up and laid her head on her hand.
"Jem?" Scout said.
"Yeah?" I said.
"Why do you think Mr. Ewell did what he did?"
"I don't know, Scout. There was something wrong with him."
"What do you think will happen to his kids?" she asked.
"I don't know, Scout. Why don't you ask Atticus these questions?" I said. She said Atticus didn't seem like he wanted to talk about Mr. Ewell.
"Just give him time." I said.
"I think everything is gonna be okay now, Jem. Bob Ewell killed Tom Robinson and now Bob Ewell is dead. Atticus is safe and so are we. And so is Boo."
"Yeah, Scout, everything's gonna be alright." I said.
After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling I said, "I sure wish we could tell Dill that Boo saved us."
"Yeah, Dill would go crazy if he knew I met Boo Radley." Scout said.