If You're Gone
Author's note: I own nothing. Some of the
characters are from the movie "Newsies" by Disney and the other characters are
mine, but I can't own them because they just run free throughout my mind. This
story in the third in the series (Queen of the Bronx, Crossing Paths, and no
this one; If Your Gone).
Ginger sat next to a small stack of papers looking
depressed. Occasionally a person would come by, take a paper, and put money in
the newsie cap on her lap, but she didn't notice them. Her mind was elsewhere,
in the Bronx. After being kept in an orphanage there, Spot Conlon had sprung
her free and since then she had stayed in Lower Manhattan. Sure Lower Manhattan
was nice; her boyfriend Dutchy was there and many of her friends were too, but
she had to get home. Part of her heart was there.
"Excuse me miss?" an older newsboy asked interrupting her reverie.
His hair was ash blonde almost brown and his eyes were nut brown. He wasn't
much to look at, but he had a certain aura of familiarity to him.
"Yes," Ginger replied.
"I was just wondering if I knew ya from somewheres, me
name's Keys Walker. Maybe you've hoid a me, I'se da leada' a da Bronx newsies."
It was hard for Ginger to conceal her surprise for she shivered with the vivid
recollection of what had happened before she was taken to the orphanage. She
had to decide in an instant whether or not to reveal her true identity. Keys shrugged and started to walk away. That
was when Ginger noticed that he had retained his limp.
"Keys," she said in a tremulous whisper. He spun on his
heels to face her. He looked her over noting her proud face, her icy blue eyes,
but especially her long hair the unmistakable color of gingerbread.
"G-Ginger?" his voice choked in his throat. Ginger nodded
and Keys hugged her, "My God, where have you been?"
"I was shipped ta da orphanage right afta' I left, spent
two years there, and I've been hear eva' since."
"You missed some fun"
"So I hoid"
"And to t'ink I thought ya was 'ere in Lowa' Manhattan
right in da heart a it da whole time."
"No, did you 'andle it well?"
"I don't t'ink so. I know what you woulda said. You woulda
looked 'em right in da eyes an said 'I'll be watchin' ya; we'll see. Just like
Spot did."
"What did you do?"
"I told 'em if Spot joined we'd join. Oh Ginga' please
come back. I'm not leadership material"
"I dunno"
"Please," Keys was pleading now. This was the chance
Ginger had been waiting for. She smiled and gave a nod of approval.
"Praise God in heaven," Keys sighed with relief.
*****
Ginger and Keys walked into the Lower Manhattan Lodging
House. Race was in the lobby smoking a cigar. Ginger grabbed his hat off his
head and ran up the stairs. Race looked shocked for a moment and then ran up
after her. Keys followed slowly up the stairs to the bunkroom.
When Ginger got up the stairs she tossed Race's hat to him
and walked over to Specs. "Hey Specs! How's it rollin'?" Ginger asked.
"Stop taunting me, so what if you beat me to the
distribution centa'?" Specs said glowering at her.
"I forgot about that actually, but now that you mention
it…."
"Ginga' please!"
"It's okay Specs, we'll rematch tamorrow k? Anyway have
you seen Dutchy today?"
"He went to sell down by da bridge wit' Pie Eater an'
Bumlets."
"Why didn't you wit' em?"
"I left to go see Kristin."
"Aww….When he gets back, tell me."
"You got it Ging!" Specs and Ginger looked over to Keys
who standing like a statue in the doorway.
"Keys are you okay?" Ginger asked, but Keys just continued
to stare. When she traced his gaze she found that he was staring at Jack Kelly,
who was visiting that day.
"Frankie?" Keys asked in a forced whisper. Jack turned
slowly, trying not to appear as if he were who Keys was referring to.
"Tom?" Jack asked as his eyes grew wide, "Is dat really
you?"
"I go by Keys now."
"No wonder! You were the only one who got out by picking a
lock or two, and I'se Jack alright?"
"Got it! How've you been?"
"Doing alright. You'll have to meet Canda."
"Dat I will. How's Kris?"
"Alright." No on noticed how Specs got a stupid grin on
his face after that comment, except Ginger, who stepped on his foot.
"Keys?" Ginger questioned.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Keys said, "Fran- I mean Jack and I were
cell mates." Both boys laughed. Ginger decided that she would give Jack and
Keys some time to catch up and climbed out onto the fire escape.
The fire escape was always a favorite hangout. It made for
dramatic entrances and exits, and was just a great place to go and think.
Ginger wasn't quite sure how Dutchy would react to her going back to the
Bronx. Things were going too well now,
she didn't even really want things to change
"Ging?" Specs questioned crawling out on the fire escape,
"What's going on?"
"Nothin' I'se just wonderin'-" She stopped short when
something caught her eye. It was Dutchy, there was no mistaking that, and
Bumlets and Pie eater where walking with him, but who was that other person.
The dark haired boy looked up and his gaze locked with Ginger's. Suddenly she
felt a strange shiver go up her spine and a voice say, "I'll execute all da
dang newsies 'ere one by one." Ginger squeezed her eyes shut to block out the
memory and quickly went inside…
*********************
-Dun dun dun….cliff-hanger! Well next chapter we have a
sad Dutchy, a Borough in upheaval and a smidgen of Spot.
