I woke up and I didn't know where I was. I looked around taking everything in. I was in an alleyway... I know this place. I can't be here! I'm not supposed to be here! I was used to sleeping on hard cobblestone. I sighed. The night before I'd just wanted to close my eyes for a second but I must have fallen asleep because I could see the sun peaking through the clouds. What time was it? I reached for my pocket watch but found nothing. Somebody must have stolen it off of me during the night. Damn it that thing was new and I'd been saving up for months!
I stretched and my bones made horrible cracking sound from cold and lack of movement. Every calendar read Spring but in the morning it was still twenty degrees out. I know I should get out of Brooklyn as fast as I can but I don't want to leave. It still feels like home to me. I sighed. I was still tired I never seemed to get enough sleep back then. I stood slowly and started to walk to Manhattan. I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and started walking to work. I was a factory boy and I hated it more than anything. But not more then the one who really killed Sound...
I walked into the factory. All of the kids are working at their machines. It seems like they are working more carefully then ever since yesterdays accident Clara had, where her hair was pulled out of her head by one of the awful machines. At least I'm on time today. I walked to my work area.
"Hey Spot, so how are we doing today?" I heard next to me.
"I'm fine Game." I mumbled.
As nice as Game is, I'm not in the mood to talk today. I wouldn't call him a friend. I wouldn't say I have any friends anymore. I didn't trust like I used to. Not since every newsie in the whole state turned on me.
"Come on Spotty have a little more pep in your step." He joked.
"Ha ha." I said sarcastically.
"What's wrong with you today?" He asked.
I just shrugged and got back to work. I could barely keep my eyes open so work needed my full concentration.
"You visited Brooklyn last night didn't you?" Game asked.
"Yeah."
"I told you not to be going around there you'll get hurt."
"I only visit every once and a while."
"Well all of the newsies over there want your head. And that one kid whats his name... West?"
"That's him."
"Well he wants you dead most."
I felt anger boiling inside me and it was about to blow.
"You know I didn't-" I started.
"I know you didn't do what they're saying you did. You wouldn't have done that Spot."
I take a deep breath to calm down. I don't like talking about what happened back then. I wish things could just go back to the way they were three years ago. I barely make half of the pay here that I made as a newsie. I don't get a warm bed anymore. I thought maybe Jack and his newsies would take me in once Brooklyn through me out but no he wouldn't even look at me. I took another few deep breaths.
"Spot you dropped something." Game told me.
I looked to my side and saw a picture. It was my picture. I picked it up.
"Who's the girl in the picture Spot? Is that your girl?" He teased.
I rolled my eyes.
"She's... Well not anymore." I stuffed the picture into my pocket. I don't really know why I kept that picture. But every now and then I'd look at it. It always made me smile. The girl in the photo was my girl a few years ago. When Game wasn't looking I took out the photo again. We took it at Coney Island together. She had brown eyes and brown curly hair.e Her name was Faith. I put it back in my pocket.
I thought for a second that maybe I could go see her. Sometimes I really did miss her. I thought that she would at least let me talk to her. She hadn't communicated with me other then the occasional smile and wave. Even that got her into deep shit but she still did it anyway.
After another few hours I was so tired I could barely move. I was starting to doze off... I yawned.
"Hey Spot you okay?" Game asked.
At first I didn't answer.
"Hello Spotty? You okay?"
I just nodded my head. But before I knew it I was falling asleep standing up. Suddenly I felt freezing cold water being poured on my head.
"This is twice in one week Conlon! Fall asleep on the job one more time and I swear to god!" The foreman screamed.
Once he was far enough away I gave Game a look.
"You c-could have t-told me." I stuttered from the cold.
"Sorry Spotty. I was working."