-Journal Entry-
Atticus Finch
Chapters 10-11
It was late in the afternoon, my mind was spinning with laws, statements, and evidence. Papers clustered across my desk as I racked my brains for an idea. Scribbles of messy words and sentences scrawled across crumpled paper as I tried, and tried again, to write it out. I suppose the blistering heat baking through the windows wasn't helping either. It felt like I had been sitting in this stiff chair, preoccupied with my work for far too long. Then I got the call. Calpurnia said there was a crazy dog outside our house. It was not the typical time for those dogs to be out but she seemed quite sure so I ran out to get there as quickly as I could. By the time I got to the house I could see it. I skinny little thing, definitely crazy, wandering across the street, wobbling on its feet. Foam slowly dripped from its mouth dribbling along, and his eyes danced around, unfocused. I yelled for Jem and Scout to run inside, which I could tell they did not enjoy, but they did not dare to contradict me.
We were not in grave peril, the dog was wandering around several meters down the road, but he was dangerous for sure. He was definitely not inconspicuous, stumbling up and down the street, he would have to be shot before he hurt someone. We walked to as close as we dared get to the dog, and the Hector Tate pulled out his gun. After a bit of fumbling he glared at the gun, it was clear he did not believe he could hit the dog, and tried to hand it to me. I refused, I hadn't shot in ages, and this was not an easy shot either. But Hector was cantankerous, this was a one shot task. A miss would send the dog running and it could be hours before we could find him again. I mumbled something inaudible and reached for the gun. Pulling it into my hands I squinted, trying to aim. My hands were sweating from the heat and slipping off the gun as I gripped the sides. My hair started to slide in my face and I squinted through the gun at the dog. My glasses were slipping down my nose from the dribbling sweat. I pushed them up three times before I gave up and dropped them behind me. I would rather take the shot with bad eye sight then with those frustrating glasses slipping off. I prepared for the shot, focused and aware. I could feel the stillness in the air and there was no sound as I felt four pairs of eyes on me, watching what I did next. My finger clenched on the trigger and the gunshot broke through the silence, and with a yelp, the dog fell over. A rush of familiar excitement ran through me as I remembered those old days. When I could shoot anything from anywhere, and hit it on the first shot. I had given up the sport many years ago but that surge of energy when the bullet left the gun reminded me of those times. I went back to work after that, Jem's face of pure disbelief imprinted in my mind.
We were not in grave peril, the dog was wandering around several meters down the road, but he was dangerous for sure. He was definitely not inconspicuous, stumbling up and down the street, he would have to be shot before he hurt someone. We walked to as close as we dared get to the dog, and the Hector Tate pulled out his gun. After a bit of fumbling he glared at the gun, it was clear he did not believe he could hit the dog, and tried to hand it to me. I refused, I hadn't shot in ages, and this was not an easy shot either. But Hector was cantankerous, this was a one shot task. A miss would send the dog running and it could be hours before we could find him again. I mumbled something inaudible and reached for the gun. Pulling it into my hands I squinted, trying to aim. My hands were sweating from the heat and slipping off the gun as I gripped the sides. My hair started to slide in my face and I squinted through the gun at the dog. My glasses were slipping down my nose from the dribbling sweat. I pushed them up three times before I gave up and dropped them behind me. I would rather take the shot with bad eye sight then with those frustrating glasses slipping off. I prepared for the shot, focused and aware. I could feel the stillness in the air and there was no sound as I felt four pairs of eyes on me, watching what I did next. My finger clenched on the trigger and the gunshot broke through the silence, and with a yelp, the dog fell over. A rush of familiar excitement ran through me as I remembered those old days. When I could shoot anything from anywhere, and hit it on the first shot. I had given up the sport many years ago but that surge of energy when the bullet left the gun reminded me of those times. I went back to work after that, Jem's face of pure disbelief imprinted in my mind.
You did great on your blog post. I really feel like your the character in the book and you did great on using the verbs in your blog post. I don't think you really need to improve on anything except making the second paragraph into two paragraphs. Overall I think you did an awesome job on your blog post.
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