Take My Hair Down

Allison's POV

"Carry the banner boys." Kloppman says walking back down stairs

I ignore the jabs of sexuality from the gang. Jack throws his arm on my shoulder as we walk toward the wash room. Jack is the most protective brother I have ever met. It gets a little ridiculous when I get in a fight with the Delancey brothers or scabs and I turn and Jack is standing covering my back. When we get out of this hellhole and get a real job it will change. We won't need to soak anyone. Like always Jack can tell what I'm thinking.

"But until we get there, I will cover your back. You are and always will be me only girl." He says

"Nah she's me girl" Racetrack says running up and kissing my cheek.

"She knows and all of you know she me girl." Blink says kissing my other cheek. I am half undressed now.

"Jack do me up." I say holding the leather strand that I use to tie my gray 'dress', it was really a long button down shirt, behind me.

"Dear me I fear that shirt gets shorter and shorter every single day." Skittery says mocking Racetrack. Unfortunately he's right, the shirt started right about my knees and now I had to wear footless black tights underneath

"Yea well keeps your eyes off it". Jack says tying the leather "'Cause boys it will be a little hard to hawk da' headlines if you have to hold da' papes in your mouths"

Skittery and Kid Blink walk away but Racetrack continues staring at Jack

"Hey Racetrack pump so I can wash my face?" I ask. He nods and walks to the green pump. Icy water starts streaming out of the facet. After I wash my face I reach out for the towel next to me. It appears in my hand courtesy of Mush. I smile as I set it down. Mush doesn't tend to make comments about me being the only girl in the Lodging House but that may be because he is afraid of Jack. I loved most of the guys but Kid Blink and Specs loved teasing me. Jack had always been there for me and Race it depended. He was Jack's best friend. He usually respected me he had even told me he loved me, but he sent so many mixed messages.

"Really yesterday I saw 3 crips in the same area as me!" Crutchy is saying to Jack, Race and Mush.

I walk next to Jack and fasten my shoes.

"Crutchy, go somewhere … new!" I say realizing what I need to do. If I could get Jack David and Les to go more near the track then I could talk to Race.

"Speaking of which, Jack we should go to some new turf I mean we go to the same place everyday. Everybody knows we exaggerate by now we need to try somewhere new." I say

"Yea Jack why not outside the track I'm inside the track everybody outside gets no papes" Racetrack says. Jack shrugs

"Weasel hey Weasel!" I yell at the red board covering the bars. Morris Delancey opens it and smiles at me.

"Miss me?" Morris says

"Nope 100 papes" I say placing down the money. Oscar passes me the papes which I pass to Jack. David and Les walk up and Jack splits the papes giving each of us 25.

"Hey we were thinking that everyone here knows that we stretch the truth and that we should near the track." I say. Les and David nod and we start off with Racetrack hawking headlines all the way. We sell half the papes on the way there. As we approach the track a huge carriage comes through I hear Jack yell for me but I can see him in the dust from the carriage. I walk forward but have no idea where I am. I come up at a brick wall I turn and find my way blocked by Morris and Oscar. Oscar wiggles his fingers and slides his right fist into brass knuckles. Morris pins me to the wall his hand on one shoulder and his arm across my chest.

"So Jacky-boy ain't here to protect you sweetheart we're going to enjoy this." He says I try to pull my head away from his hot stinking breath. Oscar punches at me with the knuckles I duck as much as I can he just misses. I lift my head again and wham! Oscar punches me right in the jaw with his other hand and Morris uses his free hand to back hand me. I scream in pain and shut my eyes. Morris knees me in the gut and lets go of my chest. I hear a loud roar of anger that didn't come from me or the Delanceys.

"Get away from her" I hear two people yell. Racetrack and Jack! I feel Morris pulled off me and Oscar nails me in the stomach. The breath comes out of me in a loud gasp. I fall onto the dirty alley ground. I feel someone roll me over and punch me in the face. I am guessing it's Morris since I don't feel the sting of the brass knuckles. Blood is covering my face. He is knocked off me and soft hands press a cloth to my mouth. I try to push them way but one grabs my hands and the other presses the cloth even harder to my mouth. I hear the scrambling of the Delancey brothers running from the alley. Rougher hands, Jack's I think, press the cloth to my mouth. The pair of soft hands lifts my head onto its knees.

"Jack we should bring her back to my parents' apartment and take care of this." I hear David says

"Dave, are you sure? Will she even be able to walk that far?" I hear Racetrack ask

"Jack Boys what happen to Allison?" was that… Denton!

"Denton, the Delancey brothers got to her she's bleeding my father just finished studying to be a doctor and Dave thinks we should bring her to him, but Racetrack doesn't think she'll be able to go that far." Les says.

"Denton wait I thought they shipped you out?" David asks

"I just got back I was looking for Jack but Boots said he went with Racetrack but focus on her right now. Allison, Allison, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can." Denton says. I feel a strong hand slide into mine. I squeeze it tightly.

"Good do you think you can walk to David's apartment? Squeeze my hand once for yes twice for no and 3 times for maybe."

I squeeze it three times.

"Don't worry we'll help you, just take a deep breath and my hand Allison. Relax" Racetrack stutters it sounds more like he is trying to relax himself rather than me. He grabs my hand and pulls me up. I stumble.

"Whoa Race no so fast" David says replacing Denton's hand with his own. Racetrack holds the cloth to my mouth with his other hand. Jack grabs my waist and lets me lean back on to him. Denton walks next to us. Les slides in front of me.

"Well the good thing is its only 3 blocks." He says.

We walk the 3 blocks and up the stairs of the apartment building. David knocks on the door; I lean heavily on door frame my breath coming in gasps. Jack is supporting me from behind and holding the bloody cloth to my mouth.

"Oh my god what happened to her?" A female voice exclaims.

"Ma is Papa home? The same men that went after Sarah went after Allison." David says quickly.

"I'm here Dave" A man say "Oh dear god don't just stand there bring her in bring her in"

I try to open my eyes but the world starts spinning and my knees buckle. Jack picks me up and lays me down on something soft. Denton peels the cloth off my lip and someone gasps.

"Yes this is shallow but I'll need to cover it to stop any infection but I need to clean it first. Sarah bring me water and a clean rag." I shudder as cold water washes over my face. Then a soft pad is placed on my chin under my lip. "Now where else did they hit her?"

"Her stomach and her jaw with brass knuckles then kneed her in the stomach and backhanded her" Racetrack says.

"Her jaw is badly bruised but doesn't feel broken"

I feel the icy water as he presses it to my jaw.

"Allison can you open your eyes for me?" he says taking the water from my mouth.

I open my eyes and Mr. Jacobs is kneeling by my head with Jack right next to me Race is right behind them.

"Good now here drink this." Denton says handing me a glass of water. I start to drink greedily. He pulls the glass from me and smiles "Not so fast, how do you feel?" He asks tentatively.

"Better now just tired really" I mumble fighting to keep my eyes open.

"Boys why don't you go sell your papers then come back after." Dave's father says standing up.

Jack looks torn "Race can you spilt my last ten papes between Dave and yourself. I need to stay with my sister"

They nod and leave quietly as I shut my eyes and pass out from exhaustion.