Despite the horrors going on in town, breakfast for the Finch family was still just as good as ever.

As a suddenly new full time resident of the Finch home, Calpurnia woke up bright and early to make blueberry pancakes, bacon, and eggs for the family and herself. She was shocked when she saw a pale, tired man fast asleep on the couch, and she was shocked to see that the birds hadn't come at all in the night.

Meanwhile, Jem rushed upstairs to Scout's room. He knew he had to tell her about his encounter with Boo Radley.

When he saw she wasn't there, he went to his father's room. And sure enough, there she was, cuddled up right against their father's chest, fast asleep.

"Scout!" He whispered and nudged his sister's shoulder. "Scout!"

"What?" She didn't look at him, and wanted to keep sleeping.

"Scout, I saw Boo Radley last night."

"Sure you did." She then fell back asleep, forgetting about what her brother had said.

Jem was disappointed she didn't listen, and went back to be also.

So, Calpurnia clled Scout, Atticus, Jem, and Maudie down for breakfast. They all arrived and tiredly trudged their feet to the table. Even the normally awake Atticus had a hard time keeping his eyes open, having gone through a sleepless night think about his children's safety. And of course, the birds.

Finally, after what felt like hours of anticipation for Jem, Boo Radley walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Arthur!" Atticus greeted his new guest and invited him to sit at the table.

"Good morning." He gave Atticus a small smile. He sat silently at the only empty chair and was given a plate. He ate and said nothing to anyone else.

Jem tried to ask questions but was silenced by his father.

After breakfast, bags were packed and ready to go to the landing. It was the safest place in the county, and unless the birds would go away, they were thinking of leaving not just the county, but the state.

Just as they prepared to walk out the door, Atticus took a look out the window and saw an unbelievable sight.

Birds. Crows, seagulls, and even mockingbirds lined the entirety of the driveway, leading right up to the doors of the car house.

In other words, unless they avoided the birds, there was no way out.

Atticus watched the birds calmly sit in the driveway, and Scout clung to him, trying not to cry.

"We'll never get out, Atticus! We'll never get out!"

With the gun in his hand, Atticus looked down at his young daughter and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We can and we will, Scout. We will with corse we have, real courage. If you don't remember from before, real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. And we'll see this through. We'll see through these rotten days with these rotten birds. I know we will. "

He knelt down to his daughter and kissed her cheek. He put a hand on his son's shoulder. He waved to the others, and then walked outside to face the birds.

He stood at the edge of the driveway and could see the formerly easy to reach car house over the top of the birds head's. He hoisted the gun up to his shoulders and adjusted his tortoiseshell glasses.

He took one glimpse at the mockingbird sitting in front of the door, and took a shot.

The other birds got into defensive mode and flew in the air, trying to swoop towards his head.

He ran back into the house and shouted, "Block the windows! Quick!"

Everyone frantically blocked the windows and and shut the door to the upstairs. They shiveree, hiding in the bathroom as they waited for the wave of terror to pass over them.

Screams filled the air as the other neighbors rushed across the steets, crying for their lives.

The family and their friends waited out the mess almost silently.

Scout hid her face in her father's shirt. Maudie and Calpurnia held their arms around their legs. Jem sat in front of the door and kept his hands in his face. And Arthur, well, he sat in the bathtub and stared st the ceiling, thinking of how quiet it used to be.

Maycomb County had turned into pure hell. Not buts about it. There was no rich or poor anymore; no black or white either.

There was only one thing that cemented any boundary in the town anymore.

Living or dead, pecked or not. And this town, this town was licked.