Disclaimer: All of the Newsies characters belong to Disney. They are not
mine, though I wish Spot was, and I don't know who would want Hearst. I
would like to offer my humblest gratitude to Sparkles for the line, "She
knew she was making a fool of herself, but extreme frustration is rarely
submissive to common sense." and for all her and Fairy's dedicated help on
this piece. Thanks Fairy and Sparkles, I never could have done this without
your help. The rest of the characters, such as Calli, Michaela, and Clips
are mine. Hope you like my story!
PAVING THE WAY By Queen
Chapter 1-
The refuge stood, tall and foreboding, a prison for the poor, helpless children all over New York. The night was dark and still. Shadows overpowered any light that may have managed to seep into hidden areas. Wind and rain rattled the shutters, covering all noise. The refuge warden walked down the halls, keys jangling at his belt. He checked all the rooms carefully, but quickly.
He sped up as he neared the last room of the top floor. *She better be here,* he thought as he looked through the bars on the door. Blankets were pulled up over a sleeping figure on the bed. *Thank goodness, she's still here.* He turned away, then hesitated, eyes narrowed. He put the key in the lock. *Just in case...*
Calli paused, darting through the shadows surrounding the building. She listened with her ears pricked, barely breathing. Moments later, Calli heard shouts from the direction of her room. She bounded away, stopping only when she had ran several blocks. Satisfied after more listening, she gasped for air and worked to calm down. Tucking a stray piece of white-blonde hair under her hat, she surveyed the street cautiously with green cat-eyes. *All right I've come this far, now what?* Calli heard a whistle begin to shrill a warning to the sleeping occupants inside the refuge. Shouts and more whistles filled the air. Carriages began coming towards the street Calli was on. *Oh, crap,* she thought running with all her might from her fate at the refuge.
~*~*~*~*~
The next morning Calli, dirty, tired, and hungry, weaved her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. She was in search of food. *The hard part's over, the next should be a piece of cake.* Her stomach growled and she regretted using that particular choice of wording.
Calli confidently walked up to a bread store and stepped through the door, only to find herself walking out again. A large, heavyset woman was pushing her backwards. "GET OUT! No money means no food, and no food means..... BEAT IT!!!!!" She yelled, emphasizing her seriousness by slamming the door.
Passers by stared at the figure sitting on the ground glaring defiantly at the closed door. *Or maybe not,* she thought. Calli stood, *This calls for drastic measures.*
~*~*~*~*~
*This is pathetic. Two hours spent looking, just looking, for food, and I haven't found any.* Or stolen any, an annoying voice in her head reminded her. The only thing she had succeeded in getting were lectures on her ungodliness and pathetic lifestyle, and more bruises. She kicked at a rock, and howled when it hit her sore foot. Calli hobbled over to the side of the street and bent down to examine her foot. Suddenly a carriage came rushing by and knocked her into a mud puddle. Calli stood up dripping with mud, and raised her fist at the retreating back of the carriage, yelling dire threats. More people stopped and stared at her. Calli knew she was making a fool of herself, but extreme frustration is rarely submissive to common sense. (Author's note: This line is Sparkles' line. Thanks for letting me use it, Sparkles.)
From the corner of her eye she noticed someone observing her curiously. Spinning around, she saw a small dark-haired newspaper boy staring at her. It was at that moment that she lost it.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" She screamed. "IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ME? DO YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN TO STARE AT ME ALL DAY?! "
"B...b...but.." The boy stammered nervously.
"I DON'T CARE! I..." She stopped as two older boys about her age stepped up next to the kid. Grinning sheepishly, she bolted, knowing instinctively that it would be healthy to do so.
~*~*~*~*~
Les watched the boy run down the street. *What was that all about?*
"Les?" He whirled around at his brother's voice.
"What did that boy say to you?" David asked angrily.
"I...don't know." Les hesitated, torn between telling his brother and merely trying to forget about the whole incident. After all, that boy looked like he didn't need one more problem to worry about.
"He better be careful talking ta people dat way." Jack said dangerously, glaring down the street. "He could get himself inta trouble."
~*~*~*~*~
Calli stopped running a safe distance away from the boys. She sucked in air to her burning lungs, and took in her surroundings. She was in the middle of two long rows of stall-like boxes. Loud talking and shouts came from beyond the row.
Calli walked to the end and poked her head around the corner. Near the 'stalls' was a racetrack. Beyond the track were bleachers filled with fans and gamblers. *So that's where all the shouts came from.* Calli looked back at the track and saw dozens of horses running neck and neck. She leaned on the railing and watched, mesmerized. *They're so beautiful,* she thought.
Two horses pulled away from the rest and galloped ahead as they reached the last stretch. Calli decided that the shorter brown horse would win. *Well, it looks like it has more determination, anyway,* she thought. As the horses came within several feet of the finishing line, though, the black horse pulled away and crossed over the line.
Calli pushed back from the railing and sighed. *Good thing I didn't bet, or I'd be worse than completely broke,* she thought glancing towards the source of loud groans. Two boys were standing farther down the rail. One was a short, dark-haired, Italian-looking boy who was handing money to a blonde boy with an eyepatch. They looked around her age and very familiar with gambling.
She watched them for a moment, then turned her attention back to the track.
~*~*~*~*~
Racetrack groaned. He glanced at his friend who chuckled and stuck his hand out. Race dug into his pocket for the money resignedly, and handed it to Kid Blink who made a show of counting it.
Race scowled at him, and lit his cigar. Abruptly, he brightened and nudged Kid Blink slyly. "Heya, Blink. Dere's no point in puttin' dat money away, I'm jist gonna win it back at cards tanight."
Kid Blink smiled, and patted his pocket reassuringly, "Oh, dat's okay. I t'ink I'll jist keep it wit' me til den."
Racetrack sighed. He leaned on the railing and glanced down it. *Who's dat guy? He ain't been on da streets dat long, what wit' dose clothes and face.*
"Hey, Blink." He nudged his friend. "See dat kid down dere? Who is dat?" Race gestured to the boy.
Blink glanced up and shrugged. "I don't know. He's been dere since da beginnin' a da last race."
Race tossed the remains of his cigar to the ground. "Looks kinda down," he said. "C'mon. Let's go innerduce ourselves."
~*~*~*~*~
Calli watched the remaining activities listlessly. Horses being put away, gamblers collecting money, announcements, people leaving... *pretty boring.* She turned and headed back down towards the streets.
"Heya, kid." Calli spun around and noticed Italian and Eyepatch a few feet away from her.
"Um....hello," she muttered and glanced over her shoulder nervously. Italian grinned reassuringly at her and spit in his hand, holding it out to her.
Seeing Calli's rather disgusted look, he wiped his hand off on his pants and they shook. "I'm Racetrack, but youse can call me Race. Dis here's Kid Blink." He nodded at Eyepatch. "We noticed youse sittin' ovah heah watchin' da races. Do ya like horse racin'?"
"I guess so. I never really gave it much thought." Calli shrugged and twisted her hands. She watched the two boys suspiciously, until she caught herself and rebuked her old nature. *Calm down, they're not gonna hurt you.*
Kid Blink looked at Race, raised an eyebrow, and turned to Calli, "What's yer name?"
"Guess." Calli stated flatly, not in the mood to be civil. *Hopefully they'll get bored soon and move on so I can leave.*
Both boys sized her up. "Jeffrey?" Race began, "Jim? Jonathan? Samuel? Michael? Jake? Jack?" They continued on but Calli was in shock.
*BOY NAMES?! Where do they get that?* She struggled to maintain a normal expression as the realization dawned on her. *Oh, my gosh! My hair is under my hat and I'm wearing a loose shirt. No wonder they're treating me like this.*
She focused back in on Kid Blink's face as they gave up.
"So, what is it?" Racetrack questioned, curiously.
"Huh? Oh, my name? It's...uhh...Curt. Yeah, my name is Curt."
Kid Blink watched Curt. *Curt, huh? I wonder if dat's a real name or a fake one? Oh, well. It doesn't really matter. It's not like we're ever going to see dis boy again. Unless...Race brings him to da Lodging House with us. He better not. Jack might not like it. But Race wouldn't bring a complete stranger to da Lodging House witout Jack's permission, would he?*
A moment later Kid Blink was practically dragging Racetrack away. "Well, it was nice ta see ya, maybe we'll see you again sometime. But me and Race hafta go back to da Lodging House."
Race pulled his arm away from Blink. He spread his hands. "Hold on, Blink. Dat gives me an idea. Heya Curt, are ya staying anywhere?"
*Is that a trick question?* Calli thought, recoiling from Race's hands. *It's probably a good idea to stay away from these guys. They're too friendly, it makes me nervous. There is no way on earth I'm going with them anywhere.*
"Yes." Calli stated. Seeing Race's disappointed expression she almost changed her mind.
"Well, maybe if ya weren't, youse could stay wit us at da Lodging House. Da work isn't dat bad. Ya earn enough money ta buy food, at least. The people aren't dat bad, either," he added hopefully.
Calli immediately decided to go with them the moment the word 'food' came out of Race's mouth.
"Well, maybe one night."
PAVING THE WAY By Queen
Chapter 1-
The refuge stood, tall and foreboding, a prison for the poor, helpless children all over New York. The night was dark and still. Shadows overpowered any light that may have managed to seep into hidden areas. Wind and rain rattled the shutters, covering all noise. The refuge warden walked down the halls, keys jangling at his belt. He checked all the rooms carefully, but quickly.
He sped up as he neared the last room of the top floor. *She better be here,* he thought as he looked through the bars on the door. Blankets were pulled up over a sleeping figure on the bed. *Thank goodness, she's still here.* He turned away, then hesitated, eyes narrowed. He put the key in the lock. *Just in case...*
Calli paused, darting through the shadows surrounding the building. She listened with her ears pricked, barely breathing. Moments later, Calli heard shouts from the direction of her room. She bounded away, stopping only when she had ran several blocks. Satisfied after more listening, she gasped for air and worked to calm down. Tucking a stray piece of white-blonde hair under her hat, she surveyed the street cautiously with green cat-eyes. *All right I've come this far, now what?* Calli heard a whistle begin to shrill a warning to the sleeping occupants inside the refuge. Shouts and more whistles filled the air. Carriages began coming towards the street Calli was on. *Oh, crap,* she thought running with all her might from her fate at the refuge.
~*~*~*~*~
The next morning Calli, dirty, tired, and hungry, weaved her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. She was in search of food. *The hard part's over, the next should be a piece of cake.* Her stomach growled and she regretted using that particular choice of wording.
Calli confidently walked up to a bread store and stepped through the door, only to find herself walking out again. A large, heavyset woman was pushing her backwards. "GET OUT! No money means no food, and no food means..... BEAT IT!!!!!" She yelled, emphasizing her seriousness by slamming the door.
Passers by stared at the figure sitting on the ground glaring defiantly at the closed door. *Or maybe not,* she thought. Calli stood, *This calls for drastic measures.*
~*~*~*~*~
*This is pathetic. Two hours spent looking, just looking, for food, and I haven't found any.* Or stolen any, an annoying voice in her head reminded her. The only thing she had succeeded in getting were lectures on her ungodliness and pathetic lifestyle, and more bruises. She kicked at a rock, and howled when it hit her sore foot. Calli hobbled over to the side of the street and bent down to examine her foot. Suddenly a carriage came rushing by and knocked her into a mud puddle. Calli stood up dripping with mud, and raised her fist at the retreating back of the carriage, yelling dire threats. More people stopped and stared at her. Calli knew she was making a fool of herself, but extreme frustration is rarely submissive to common sense. (Author's note: This line is Sparkles' line. Thanks for letting me use it, Sparkles.)
From the corner of her eye she noticed someone observing her curiously. Spinning around, she saw a small dark-haired newspaper boy staring at her. It was at that moment that she lost it.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" She screamed. "IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ME? DO YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN TO STARE AT ME ALL DAY?! "
"B...b...but.." The boy stammered nervously.
"I DON'T CARE! I..." She stopped as two older boys about her age stepped up next to the kid. Grinning sheepishly, she bolted, knowing instinctively that it would be healthy to do so.
~*~*~*~*~
Les watched the boy run down the street. *What was that all about?*
"Les?" He whirled around at his brother's voice.
"What did that boy say to you?" David asked angrily.
"I...don't know." Les hesitated, torn between telling his brother and merely trying to forget about the whole incident. After all, that boy looked like he didn't need one more problem to worry about.
"He better be careful talking ta people dat way." Jack said dangerously, glaring down the street. "He could get himself inta trouble."
~*~*~*~*~
Calli stopped running a safe distance away from the boys. She sucked in air to her burning lungs, and took in her surroundings. She was in the middle of two long rows of stall-like boxes. Loud talking and shouts came from beyond the row.
Calli walked to the end and poked her head around the corner. Near the 'stalls' was a racetrack. Beyond the track were bleachers filled with fans and gamblers. *So that's where all the shouts came from.* Calli looked back at the track and saw dozens of horses running neck and neck. She leaned on the railing and watched, mesmerized. *They're so beautiful,* she thought.
Two horses pulled away from the rest and galloped ahead as they reached the last stretch. Calli decided that the shorter brown horse would win. *Well, it looks like it has more determination, anyway,* she thought. As the horses came within several feet of the finishing line, though, the black horse pulled away and crossed over the line.
Calli pushed back from the railing and sighed. *Good thing I didn't bet, or I'd be worse than completely broke,* she thought glancing towards the source of loud groans. Two boys were standing farther down the rail. One was a short, dark-haired, Italian-looking boy who was handing money to a blonde boy with an eyepatch. They looked around her age and very familiar with gambling.
She watched them for a moment, then turned her attention back to the track.
~*~*~*~*~
Racetrack groaned. He glanced at his friend who chuckled and stuck his hand out. Race dug into his pocket for the money resignedly, and handed it to Kid Blink who made a show of counting it.
Race scowled at him, and lit his cigar. Abruptly, he brightened and nudged Kid Blink slyly. "Heya, Blink. Dere's no point in puttin' dat money away, I'm jist gonna win it back at cards tanight."
Kid Blink smiled, and patted his pocket reassuringly, "Oh, dat's okay. I t'ink I'll jist keep it wit' me til den."
Racetrack sighed. He leaned on the railing and glanced down it. *Who's dat guy? He ain't been on da streets dat long, what wit' dose clothes and face.*
"Hey, Blink." He nudged his friend. "See dat kid down dere? Who is dat?" Race gestured to the boy.
Blink glanced up and shrugged. "I don't know. He's been dere since da beginnin' a da last race."
Race tossed the remains of his cigar to the ground. "Looks kinda down," he said. "C'mon. Let's go innerduce ourselves."
~*~*~*~*~
Calli watched the remaining activities listlessly. Horses being put away, gamblers collecting money, announcements, people leaving... *pretty boring.* She turned and headed back down towards the streets.
"Heya, kid." Calli spun around and noticed Italian and Eyepatch a few feet away from her.
"Um....hello," she muttered and glanced over her shoulder nervously. Italian grinned reassuringly at her and spit in his hand, holding it out to her.
Seeing Calli's rather disgusted look, he wiped his hand off on his pants and they shook. "I'm Racetrack, but youse can call me Race. Dis here's Kid Blink." He nodded at Eyepatch. "We noticed youse sittin' ovah heah watchin' da races. Do ya like horse racin'?"
"I guess so. I never really gave it much thought." Calli shrugged and twisted her hands. She watched the two boys suspiciously, until she caught herself and rebuked her old nature. *Calm down, they're not gonna hurt you.*
Kid Blink looked at Race, raised an eyebrow, and turned to Calli, "What's yer name?"
"Guess." Calli stated flatly, not in the mood to be civil. *Hopefully they'll get bored soon and move on so I can leave.*
Both boys sized her up. "Jeffrey?" Race began, "Jim? Jonathan? Samuel? Michael? Jake? Jack?" They continued on but Calli was in shock.
*BOY NAMES?! Where do they get that?* She struggled to maintain a normal expression as the realization dawned on her. *Oh, my gosh! My hair is under my hat and I'm wearing a loose shirt. No wonder they're treating me like this.*
She focused back in on Kid Blink's face as they gave up.
"So, what is it?" Racetrack questioned, curiously.
"Huh? Oh, my name? It's...uhh...Curt. Yeah, my name is Curt."
Kid Blink watched Curt. *Curt, huh? I wonder if dat's a real name or a fake one? Oh, well. It doesn't really matter. It's not like we're ever going to see dis boy again. Unless...Race brings him to da Lodging House with us. He better not. Jack might not like it. But Race wouldn't bring a complete stranger to da Lodging House witout Jack's permission, would he?*
A moment later Kid Blink was practically dragging Racetrack away. "Well, it was nice ta see ya, maybe we'll see you again sometime. But me and Race hafta go back to da Lodging House."
Race pulled his arm away from Blink. He spread his hands. "Hold on, Blink. Dat gives me an idea. Heya Curt, are ya staying anywhere?"
*Is that a trick question?* Calli thought, recoiling from Race's hands. *It's probably a good idea to stay away from these guys. They're too friendly, it makes me nervous. There is no way on earth I'm going with them anywhere.*
"Yes." Calli stated. Seeing Race's disappointed expression she almost changed her mind.
"Well, maybe if ya weren't, youse could stay wit us at da Lodging House. Da work isn't dat bad. Ya earn enough money ta buy food, at least. The people aren't dat bad, either," he added hopefully.
Calli immediately decided to go with them the moment the word 'food' came out of Race's mouth.
"Well, maybe one night."