Finally,summer's here. An' that means I'll be able to play with Jem an' Scout. Seems like ages since I last saw 'em.

Saw Dad today, an' told Jem an' Scout so. Told them 'bout his job and how I helped that engineer. They didn't seem to believe a word of what I was sayin' though. Pity.

Anyway, Jem and I had decided to occupy ourselves with playin' the Rover Boys. Though, that idea was thrown away when Scout objected. Probably 'cause we often give her Tom's part, which ain't much.

Since we could not decide on what else to play after Scout's objection, we spent our time just strollin' around. And it was when we had stopped at the front yard that I smelled a peculiar smell from the Radley Place. Somethin' gloomy an' morbid. Almost like... death.

Maybe it was my imagination, but I told Jem an' Scout so. Scout told me to shut up, but I said I was serious. At her skepticism, I told her I could smell somebody an' tell if they're gonna die, and that an old lady told me how. I then sniffed her and told her she was goin' to die in three days. Alright, so that was a lie.

When Scout threatened me in return, Jem told her to hush and said somethin' about 'Hot Steams'. Scout retorted, and I asked what Hot Steam was. I then learnt from Jem that a Hot Steam's somebody who wallows around on roads 'cause he can't get to heaven and you can't walk through him or yawl end up with the same fate as him. He told me somethin' like a chant to keep them from wrappin' around you too. Somethin' that began with the words 'Angel-bright'. Can't really remember.

Anyway after all that talk 'bout Hot Steams and the usual conflict between Jem an' Scout, we decided to take turns to roll in that old car tyre. That's usually fun, and I wanted to be first. But Scout said she wanted to be first and Jem agreed. Though I found out later that he wanted revenge for her verbal victory over him earlier, for he pushed the tyre with Scout in it so hard that it went rollin' like the wind while we went chasin' after Scout. Can't imagine what Scout was feelin' like being shaken about so. Poor Scout. Reckon Jem was a little too harsh on her this time.

The tyre soon stopped it's journey at the Radley Place and spat Scout out. She lay there as if dazed. Jem and I were shocked for a moment, before Jem yelled for her to come back. She eventually did, but forgot to take the tyre with her, which sparked off another argument between Jem and Scout before the former gave in and retrieved the tyre. After which Jem taunted her 'bout actin' like a girl, which I have to say I agree with. And here I thought Scout ain't a scaredycat like her brother. How disappointin'.

I'd have added my two cents to Scout turnin' into a girl had Jem an' Scout's cook not called us in for lemonade. Thank the lord she did; never did notice how hot it was out there till I drank that glass of lemonade.I'd say, that was heaven.

While we were sittin' and drinkin' immensely refreshin' and heavenly lemonade, Jem raised the idea of playin' as Boo Radley and his folks. Wonder why I hadn't thought of that 'fore? But of course, Scout just had to reject her role. Was gettin' quite irritated by her sudden cowardice, and told Jem that he and I'd play and Scout'd watch if she's scared. That shut her up, alright.

Though, we didn't really do much. Just distributin' of the roles; Scout played Mrs Radley, Jem was to play Boo Radley and I played Mr Radley. Good thing we decided on somethin' at last though. Have to admit; I was startin' to get bored. Hope Scout'd stop bein' a scaredycat, and be back to her normal an' 'fearless' self again. She'd be much more fun to hang out with that way. She's the one girl I love for a reason, after all.

Name's Charles Baker Harris. Folks call me Dill though. Friends with Jem and Scout ; spend all of summer with 'em. Currently interested in the Radley Place. An' Scout, of course. Goin' on seven, and I can read. Same thing goes for Jem an' Scout. Guess birds of a feather do flock together.

Scout
Dracula
The Radleys
Plays

temporary none

Man Ping - Jem
Ivy - Burris Ewell
Dayna - Jem
Yun Teng - Scout
Feng Ling - Miss Caroline
Joshua - Scout
Links
Links
Links