"Dirty soot all over my living room! That's the last time I ever hire you to clean my chimney! Get out of here, shoo!"
A woman tossed a child out of her house, and slammed the door. The child sat on the steps and put their head in their hands.
The child's name was Lizzie. Just Lizzie. No last name, she didn't know, didn't care. She felt hot tears coming close to spilling. Even though she hated to admit it, Lizzie had always been the sensitive type. It angered her often, but she couldn't exactly help it.
Quickly, Lizzie took a rag from her pocket and wiped her soot covered face, leaving only a few smudges behind. She sighed and stood up, putting her chimney sweepers over her shoulder and heading to the alley she slept in.
It was a skinny alleyway, but no one else had tried to stay there with her so Lizzie appreciated that. She set down her brooms, and that's when her stomach growled. Normally, she would have gone to get some lunch. But since one of the richest of Lizzie's 'costumers' had apparently fired her, with no money. It stunk.
She hated stealing. She really did. But when you have to survive on you're own, it's something you sometimes need to do.
Normally, Lizzie would be in an orphanage. She was ten, she had no parents, so that would be where to go. And she had been there. Lizzie went there when she was two, and stayed until she was seven. Then she ran away- the kids were annoying, 'guardians' were mean, and there were always rules. Now that she lived on her own, she could do as she pleased. Occasionally having to run from a policeman or two... But still, it was a pretty nice life... sort of.
Lizzie crept back out of the dark alley, and went into a nearby store. A barrel of apples stood by the window on the outside of the shop. A man was sweeping near them, but Lizzie was able to quickly grab and apple and walked away casually without being seen.
That's what she thought, until a loud voice shouted "You! Girl, come back here!"
A whistle blew. Lizzie ran for it.
Stealing one little apple, could possibly mean going to the clink for a night or two. But, Lizzie had stolen quite a few times and now people were beginning to recognize her as a thief.
She ran down her alley, and out the other way. She turned and saw the policeman stumbling through the skinny alley, but gaining speed at the same time. Lizzie turned around a corner, then she bumped right into someone.
Dang it! She thought, trying to get away from the person. It was probably a policeman, since he was holding her wrist so tightly, but Lizzie didn't exactly want to show her face.
"Wow Jack!" a bright voice said suddenly. "I thought you were jokin' when ya said that girls were always runnin' into your arms!"
A little confused, Lizzie turned. Instead of a policeman, two teenager boys stood there. She noticed the newspapers and the caps. Ah, newsies.
"P-please let go of me!" She said, and she realized she'd stuttered like she does when she's nervous, or anxious, or sad, or angry. (Kinda often really...) Lizzie's face burned a bright red from embarrassment.
"It's okay! We ain't gonna hurt ya. Why are ya runnin'?" the boy holding onto her wrist asked.
"Um... No.. reason..." Lizzie said.
"You're not a very good liar," the taller one said who loosened his grip slightly on her wrist. He looked at the apple in her other hand, and Lizzie chuckled nervously when he raised an eyebrow.
"Heey, isn't she that thief the bulls are talking about all the time? 'Lock up your windows and doors!' " The shorter boy said, who was leaning on a crutch and looking at Lizzie with a kind of respect.
"Please, I need to get out of here-"
"It's okay, come on!" the darker haired boy said. He pulled Lizzie away from the alley, and the boy on the crutch limped after them doing a surprisingly well job of keeping up.
The ran a few minutes before making it to a building with a sign reading "Newsboys Lodging House"
The tall boy pulled her inside. The three of them stood catching their breath a few minutes. The brunette finally let go of Lizzie's wrist, and she rubbed it with her other hand.
"So Lizzie, you've been stealin' huh?" The tall newsie asked.
Lizzie blushed again. "Just s-sometimes," she said in a small voice.
"Sometimes? Dat's not what people have been sayin'," The boy replied.
"People lie," Lizzie said quietly.
"Yeah?" was all the boy said back. Two minutes passed in silence before the boy with the crutch spoke up.
"Well, I'm Crutchie, what's your name little miss?" he held out a hand for Lizzie to shake.
"Lizzie," she said and hesitantly shook his hand.
"And I'm Jack," the tall boy said grinning. "We would introduce you to da others- but they ain't back yet. Actually, me and Crutchie here were just finishin' up. We got some good headlines t'day."
"Yeah- say, buy a pape, little miss?" Crutchie asked pulling a paper from underneath his arm.
"No, sorry. I- I mean, I would if I could. B-but I just-"
"Ah, no need to stutta Lizzie. Crutchie shouldn't take it too hard."
Lizzie's entire face burned red. Jack chuckled.
"So Lizzie, hold are you?" Jack asked.
"Ten," Lizzie said holding herself up proudly.
"Ten huh? Where's yer family?"
"Their um... gone... uh... well, sorta permanently you know," Lizzie spluttered.
Jack stared at her for a moment, then realized what she meant.
"Oh, sorry 'bout that kid. Shouldn't you be an orphanage or somethin'?" he said.
"Yes, kind of... I was, for a while, but it was bad there so I ran away."
"Geesh kid, I'm impressed," Jack said, and Lizzie grinned.
A long silence followed, and Lizzie found herself staring at the ground. Jack seemed to have followed her gaze, because he said,
"Hey, kid, where're you're shoes?"
She blushed. Again. Then shrugged, but said nothing.
"Gee, little miss, you shouldn't have ta be livin' like that!" Crutchie said. "No shoes, no family, no house, and havin' ta steal cause you's so hungry!"
"It's not like I like stealing!" Lizzie said defensively.
"It's okay, kid," Jack said giving the smallest of glares to Crutchie, who smiled at him. "I think we've all had ta steal at least once. I mean, among da Newsies and all."
He then looked at Lizzie, head to toe.
"Speaking of which, do you only steal? Or do you have money?"
"Oh, well, I cleaned out chimney's. But then when people started realizing that I was a 'theif' they didn't want me in there houses. Only a few didn't care or know, but I think I was just fired by one of my last, um... clients," Lizzie said hurriedly, then finished with a grin.
"Dat's too bad..." Jack said shaking his head and folding his arms, looking at the ground. Then a few seconds later, he slowly raised his head with a mischievous smile on his face.
"Hey," he said slowly. "I got an idea..."
"I don't like dat look in ya eyes Jack- nothin' good ever comes from dat look..." Crutchie muttered.
"What if you become a newsies?" Jack asked beaming.
"Oh, no... No, no. I couldn't do that. I mean- I'm chimney-" Lizzie began.
"But, if you become a newsie you could have a family, and a place, and you could still be gettin' money!" Jack exclaimed.
"No one would buy a paper from me," Lizzie said.
"We could disguise ya as a boy!" Jack said, looking extremely proud as his brilliant plan.
Lizzie blinked. Crutchie laughed.
"Ya know Jack, you's crazy! But- that ain't a bad idea..." Crutchie said.
"No! I can't just- I mean.. come on, what about when I get older! I'd have to bathe and dress in front of you!" Lizzie said, her face going slightly red but still stubborn.
Jack and Crutchie laughed.
"Well, we won't look for now, kid," Jack said.
"And in da 'future', we can put up a curtain or somethin'," Crutchie added.
Lizzie frowned. It really, really was a neat idea. Actually having some friends, and a roof over her head. But at the same time she felt she couldn't just abandon her old life! Could she?
"Please, little miss, you know ya want ta!" Crutchie said looking at her pleadingly. "We's never had a goil before!"
She smiled slightly, sighed, then nodded.
"I guess... You two seem trustworthy... enough..." Lizzie said quietly looking up at them. "I'll do it."