--Journal # 2--
Chapters 4-9
Ms. Maudie
The day started off bad. I didn't expect it to get so much worse. I didn't think it possible for it to go from a bad day to a horrible day. The reason it started off bad was all because of the stupid snow. I know it's exciting for all the kids and actually pretty much the whole town because of the fact that they have never seen snow, but I just don't feel the same way about the cursed fluffy white flakes swirling through the air. The fall all over the place and make a mess. They makes everything miserable and cold. But the worst part about them is how they freeze my beautiful garden. This morning all I was hoping was that it would warm up at night and not freeze my Azaleas. Well, they ended up pretty warm after all. After I covered them all with brown bags, then explained to Mr. Jem Finch my reasoning for doing so, I just went about my business. But that night was when things really heated up.
I had gone around the house and put a fire in all the fireplaces, including the one in the kitchen that is closest my beloved garden. I hoped that by doing so, it might make the poor things a little warmer, and not let them freeze over. After that I went to bed, leaving the fire place in the kitchen blazing. I was sleeping when it happened. I woke up around 1 in the morning, but not for any particular reason. Maybe it was the smell. I didn't consider that at the moment. As I turned over in my bed, I caught a splash of red and orange down the hall from the corner of my eye. I was still half asleep and dismissed it from my thoughts as I snuggled into the blankets the freezing air all around me. Then it kicked in. I flew out of bed and glanced down the hall. The flames were billowing up and producing a thick sheet of smoke, making it difficult to breathe. I threw on my robe and overcoat, jumped into my shoes on the way out the door, and fled out of my burning house through the back door and straight to Ms. Stephanie's. I banged on her door and begged that the fire wouldn't catch onto the poor neighbors house's.
I'm not positive if I mean it when I tell people that I am perfectly fine with moving away from my cow barn of a house. Well it used to be at least. Now it is all but a pile of ashes. But I am pretty sure. The only thing I am grieving for is my garden. But in truth I am glad that it happened. Maybe it was all meant to be. I have always wanted a bigger space for my garden, and now I shall build myself the finest one in all of Maycomb County. I will miss a few of my favorite possessions, but there nothing I can't live without. But I do feel awful about all the commotion and danger it caused everyone else. Poor Mr. Avery! I wish no one had to have gone through what they did last night. But what is done is done. There is no going back now. I have a new life ahead of me, and I plan to walk into it with my head held high.
