Trouble

Introduction:

Marisa grew up on the streets. She never met her family she didn't even no her last name. She lived in an orphanage in the city of Philadelphia, which was complete hell. She was a very stubborn and free spirited girl who didn't take very well to people telling her what to do. During her time at the orphanage she was forced to go to school so she could be taught how to act like a lady, basically seen and not heard as they say. She was constantly getting in trouble for talking back, speaking her mind, and just being to rebellious for her own good. She would often get in trouble for fighting. She was a tiny little thing that had a mane of brown curls on her head that made her hair look to big for her body, but she was scrappy and would always defend herself with her fists.

One day when she was ten the orphanage burnt down, She decided that it was time to move on, hopped onto a train and left her only known home and went out into the world on her own. She went from town to town, living there until she got bored and then she would hop the train to the next town. When she was thirteen she stopped at the city of Boston. That was her home for about three years. She would steal to eat, and sleep on the streets. One day she was caught stealing and arrested. She was in jail for two weeks and when finally released sent to an orphanage. Marisa hated living in her first orphanage she wasn't about to go back to one so she ran away and hopped a train. It took a whole day of riding but the train finally stopped.

Welcome To New York

Marisa heard the car door open and quickly went stiff. She heard two men talking and starting to unload the car. She knew she had to get out of the car before she was caught. When the men left to put down the items that they were unpacking she quickly jumped up, ran for the car door, and jumped a good three feet out of the car. As soon as she hit the ground she heard the two men yelling after her and she started to run. She ran into two boys about her age selling newspapers. One had a cowboy hat and the other had an eye patch.

"Scuse me miss" The one with the eye patch said taking his hat off his head and giving his best smile to her she just looked up at him and then back at the two men chasing her.

"Hey you get back here" She heard them scream as they ran after her; she quickly looked back at the boys, smiled at them and then ran off.

She just kept running until she ran into the busy city streets and dodged the two men by ducking into an ally. She stayed there for a while until she new that the cost was clear. She needed to figure out where she was, but she wasn't gonna just go up to someone and ask, she was to street smart for that. She didn't want anyone taking advantage of her not knowing were she was. She saw a dirty old newspaper on the ground and started to read it. She read one head line that read "Man gets attacked in central park" she tried to remember were central park was. Then she went to the headline underneath the first one and read "immigrants over populate New York" Then it hit her she was in New York City. She always dreamed of going to New York and here she was. She got up and walked out of the alleyway with her head held high and a smile on her face.

She walked for blocks just taking in the sights and smells of the greatest city in the world. The people on the streets reminded her of bees buzzing in every direction. She walked late into the afternoon. She started to get really hungry. She walked a while until she saw a vender with bread. It made Marisa's mouth water and her hunger pains get worse. While the vendor was selling to a woman she quickly grabbed a loaf of bread, but not unnoticed, the woman the vendor was selling to saw.

"Hey stop! Thief!" The woman screamed as the vendor quickly turned around to see the girl running past him.

"Thief! Stop her!" the man cried. Pretty soon there was a cop hot on her trail but she just kept running. She ran into another boy with a white shirt, suspenders, long black pants, and a cigar in his mouth , but this time she knocked him down and he fell flat on his face with a loud "Umf" sending about twenty newspapers flying in every direction. She quickly got up and started running again.

"Sorry!" She screamed back at the boy who looked dumb founded then the cop that had been chasing her tripped over the poor boy and came crashing down on top of him.

"Watch it boy" The cop growled as he got up and looked around for the girl he was chasing but she was no where in site he quietly muttered something and started heading back to where he came from. The boy that had been knocked down by both the girl and the cop sat up and started gathering up his scattered newspapers while muttering angrily under his breath. He got up and went to go sell the rest of his newspapers.

Marisa sat down in an ally way and quickly consumed her stolen meal. Marisa hadn't eaten in about a day in a half and was starving. When she finished she brushed the crumbs off her, stood up and continued walking through New York. It seemed that she was the only person in New York to be walking without a purpose. She eventually walked into a park area which she could only assume was Central park. She walked through the park looking at all the people and pretty trees and flowers. She passed a boy with a dark completion and wiry curls who was about her age.

"Care to buy a paper miss" He asked giving her a big smile.

"I ain't got money sorry kid" she said giving him a weak smile and walking past him. She walked to the other end of the park. The park had emptied and night was falling all around the city. Marisa lied down on a bench next to a small body of water and looked up at the stars. She didn't know how long she had just been starring at them when she heard someone walking towards her. She quickly shot up to a sitting position starring straight at the person not three feet away from her. She recognized him from earlier; he had tried to sell her a newspaper.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scar you" He said smiling at her.

"You didn't scare me" She said smiling back at him.

"Were you sleeping, I mean did I wake you?"

"No I was just looking at the stars."

"Well it's getting dark you shouldn't be out here all by you'se self, it's dangerous for a goil."

Marisa rolled her eyes and shook her head as she smiled.

"I'll walk you home if you'se like" the boy offered smiling at the girl.

"The streets is my home." She said to the boy in front of her.

His smile quickly left his face and he scratched his head.

"Well you can't sleep here" He said with concern in his voice.

"Oh I wasn't gonna, I was gonna sleep ova there" she smiled pointing under the tree behind her. She then looked up as a fat rain drop hit her square in the nose followed by thunder.

The boy looked up at the sky and then back at the girl in front of him. "C'mon you'se can stay with me ta night" he held his hand out to her with a smile on his face.

She looked at his hand and then back at him with a frown on her face; "I don't even know you" she said looking into his eyes.

"The names Mush. Now you know me so C'mon lets go before we get soaked" he smiled at her and held his hand out to her.

She looked at him quizzically for a moment and then smiled and took his hand letting him lead her to his home; "I'm Marisa"

"Nice to meet cha"

"Thanks" she said smiling at him.

"So are you new round des parts, I mean I neva seen you'se before ta day?"

"Yeah today is my first day in the city, I am originally from Philadelphia, I lived in an orphanage but when it burned down I hopped a train going from town to town. When I was thirteen I made my way to Boston I stayed there for three years living on the streets but one day I got caught stealing food and I was arrested and sent to jail for two weeks then they released me to another orphanage but I ran away my first night there hopped a train and ended up here. And that's my story"

"Well how do you like New York so far?"

"Well It's only my first day and I have already gotten into trouble." She said smiling at the boy.

"Yeah what happened" the boy asked smiling at her

"Well when I got off the train two of the train workers saw me and chased after me. Then I ran into two strange boys, one with a cowboy hat and the other an eye patch"

"Cowboy and Blink" Mush said in a loud excited voice. "Their me friends!"

"Figures, well after I crashed into them I kept running from the two men chasin me but I finally lost em by ducking in some ally. Then when the cost was clear I came out from hidin and walked around. I gots really hungry cause I hadn't eaten in a day and a half and I stole a piece of bread but a cop saw me and chased me. I then ran into another kid and sent all his newspapers flyin everywhere and I knocked the cigar out of his mouth. The poor kid I knocked him flat on his face. He looked about my age but he was really skinny and kinda short.

"I think I knows who your tawkin bout, his names Racetrack, Race for short."

"Great another one of your friends, well any ways then I guess I lost him cause he just disappeared then I ran into you."

"Wow your day was eventful." He said smiling at her. At that moment the sky was ripped open releasing a raging rain that hit the ground like bullets. Mush grabbed Marisa's hand and started running. After a couple of blocks Mush opened the door to a building and ushered Marisa in.

They walked into the building and Mush told Marisa to hold on for a second. He went up to the desk to talk to an old man who looked at me and then back at mush. After about a minute he waved for Marisa to come over to him and the old man.

" Marisa this is Kloppman, Kloppman this is Marisa"

"Nice to meet you" She said giving the old man her sweetest smile.

He smiled back at her and then turned to Mush "Alright she can stay"

"Thanks Kloppman"

"But tonight is the only night you get to stay for free. After tonight if you gonna stay here the fee is five cents a night. Here sign here."

Marisa signed her name and followed Mush up an old creaky wood stair case. And into a room filled with rows of bunk beds and boys scattered around playing cards, throwing pillows, smoking, reading, and laying in there beds.

"Hey everyone" the room went silent and everyone looked up at Mush and the strange girl, except for one boy that lay down on his bunk with a bag of what looked like ice over his head. "This here is Marisa and she is gonna be stayin here ta night, so be nice and don't try anything funny" they all looked up at Marisa and as quickly as everyone had stopped talking and doing what ever it was that they were they stared up again.

Mush lead Marisa to a bunk "You can have the bottom one here, I sleep across from you on the top one ova here. So if you need me I'll be close." He told her.

She smiled at him "Mush I'm tougher then I look. I'm small but I am strong and I can take care of myself but thank you for your kindness and for caring"

"Ok well ah then I guess I'll let you get settled then." He smiled and then walk away.

Marisa sat down on her bed and took off her socks and shoes. Someone walked over to her and stood in front of her and she looked up to see a familiar face.

"Hi me names Jack Kelly but you can call me cowboy. I'm the leada of all the Manhattan Newsies and all these bums, they'se me newsies" he said extending his hand to her.

"Yeah we already met" She said smiling.

He looked at her confused and then a smile came to his face "Hey Blink" He called out.

The boy with the eye patch came up behind Marisa "Yeah Jack?"

"This heah is Marisa, you remeba her from earlier at the train yards?"

"Yeah I'se remember you. The names Kid Blink but me friends callme blink" He said smiling at her "So why was you'se runnin?"

He asked smiling.

"Well it's a long story."

"Well lucky for you we'se gots the time." Cowboy said sitting next to her on her bed, and then Blink did the same as he leaned up against the head board in front of cowboy and Marisa.

"Ok well I guess I'll start from the beginning. I'm not form here. I am originally from Philadelphia, I lived in an orphanage but when it burned down I hoped a train going from town to town. When I was thirteen I made my way to Boston I stayed there for three years living on the streets but one day I got caught stealing food and I was arrested and sent to jail for two weeks then they released me to another orphanage but I ran away my first night there hopped a train and ended up here. When the train stopped These two men found me on the train and started running after me then I bumped into you guys."

"Getting inta trouble your first day in New York" Jack said smiling at her

"Well that's only half of it." She said smiling.

"So what's the odda half?" Blink asked smiling.

"Well after I bumped into you guys I kept running and ducked into an ally and lost the two guys chasin me. I waited there until the cost was clear when it was I came out from hidin and walked around. I gots really hungry cause I hadn't eaten in a day and a half and I stole a piece of bread but a cop saw me and chased me. I then ran into another kid and sent all his newspapers flyin everywhere and I knocked the cigar out of his mouth. The poor kid I knocked him flat on his face."

At the end of Marisa's story the boy who was lying on the bottom bunk behind her with the ice on his head sat up "You are da one who knocked me ova." He screamed pointing at her standing up.

Marisa quickly turned around to face the furious boy. He had a large bump on the right side of his forehead that was bruised and swollen. She smiled at him and said " Yeah that was me, but I'm real sorry I was just trying to get away from the cop chasin me."

"yeah well the cop chasin you triped ova me and know I has this shina on me head cause of you, and me papes were all diorty and torn and I couldn't sell half of em," the boy screamed out angrily at the girl in front of him. "I OTTA SOAK YA!"

"there is no need to soak me I am already soaked." She said smiling at the furious boy in front of her.

Both Blink and Jack started cracking up.

"Well aren't you just a smart ass." Said the furious boy

"I'm really sorry, how can I make it up to you," she asked

The boy just stared at her and then smiled at her "you'se forgiven, but just this once ya hear," the boy said trying not to smile and to look tough"

"Yes sir." She said smiling up at the boy

"The names Racetrack but me friends call me Race"

"I'm Marisa"

"so how long you staying here for." Jack asked Marisa

"Well probably just tonight I mean I don't have any money to stay here, the old guy kind of gave me a free be just cause of the storm."

"Well if you'se want you can be a Newsie, I mean you'se gotta be tough but at least you would have a place to stay every night and you would have money to eat."

"Can girls be Newsies?"

"I'm telling you that you'se can be a Newsie, and I'm da leahda so what I says goes, and if I says that you'se can be a newsie then you'se can be one, you just gots ta listen to what I says cause I'm the leahda and you'se gota be tough and street smart and you'll do fine."

Marisa silently sat and thought about Jack's proposal for a minute.

"Well what'd ya say, ya gonna be a Newsie."

"It can't hurt to try right? So yes I'll be a Newsie."

"Great" Jack then spit in his hand and the held it out for Marisa to shake.

She gave him a look and the slowly and very cautiously did the same. Jack then grasped Marisa's hand and then shook it. She grimaced and made a face that looked grossed out. Jack just laughed.

"You should change you'se cloths before you'se get sick."

"These are the only clothes I got."

"That's alright you can borrow some a mine." Blink said going to a dresser and grabbing one of his button up shirts "hey snipes let me burrow you'se underwear" he asked a smaller boy of about eleven. Then he gave the clothes to Marisa. She went into the washroom and she changed hanging her wet clothes on the door and then walked out into the bunk room. Blinks shirt went down to right above her knee's and the boys underwear were hidden they were short and tight fitting on her and only went to her mid thigh. She went back to her bed and put her knee high socks on. Kloppman came up stairs.

"Alright lights out" he turned the gas lanterns off around the room "Good night boys. . . and girl." He said exiting the room and going back down stairs. The boys all climbed into their designated bunks. On Marisa's right Mush was on the top bunk and the boy called boots slept on the bottom one. To Marisa's left race track slept on the bottom bunk and Kid blink slept on the top, and above her slept Cowboy. She lay down in her bunk and waited for sleep to come to her. Her body was exhausted but she couldn't fall asleep. She hadn't slept in a bed since she was ten and the feeling was different and alien. After about an hour of trying to go to sleep Marisa sat up and looked around to make sure everyone was asleep, then she took the blanket wrapped it around her and then she lied down on the floor and almost instantly she fell asleep.