Ugh, I said I would be updating often and look how long it's taken me! Also, I realize I'm starting this off very angsty, but I promise I'll get a happy chapter in after this one.
Enjoy!
Jack stormed into the deli at noon and went straight to the table where Davey was sitting. "You gotta make her stop!" he growled.
"Stop what?" Davey asked, sliding his chair away from the frustrated Jack. "Where's Mouse? What—"
"She's gotta stop ignoring us! She can't keep it up! It's one thing not to talk, but pretending she's gone deaf too? On top of that?"
"She's just having a bad day," Davey said nervously. "She'll get over it. But Jack…" He peered towards the door. "Where is she? You can't just leave her alone on the street! I thought you knew that!"
"Oh, I tried to get her to come," Jack said, giving a scornful laugh. "I told her it was time for lunch. I shouted at her I got in her face. Then I tried being nice, coaxing her. But she'd have none of it. Didn't even glance at me! You'se her brother, go make her knock it off!" Jack was nearly yelling.
"You're her brother, too," Davey said softly. "And I can't make her stop ignoring us any more than I can make her start talking again. She goes through moods, just let it blow over."
"Huh." Jack had been standing; now he lowered himself into a chair, frowning.
"Are you going to go get her or should I?" Davey inquired.
Jack stood up, his chair clattering to the floor. "You'se coming with me," he commanded, stalking towards the door.
Davey sighed, set Jack's chair upright and followed him. "Why is this such a big deal? Don't you sell on opposite ends of the block anyway?"
"If you call it selling," Jack scoffed. "Doubt she's sold more than five papes today."
"What?!"
"She's just standing there, staring at nothing, holdin' a pape in each hand. Every once in a while some lady has pity on her and takes one. I had to go over and pick up the coins, because she wouldn't hold them. She just let them fall to the ground after each lady left. Ugh, you'd better back me up," Jack warned as they turned a corner. "Maybe if she's got two of us yelling at her she'll snap out of it."
"I'm not gonna yell at her," Davey argued.
"Then what's your plan?" They could see Mouse, standing motionless on the street corner.
Davey didn't answer, but set his jaw and continued towards his sister.
Mouse didn't notice the approach of Davey and Jack until they were right in front of her. Jack was still fuming; Davey looked concerned. Wish they'd just leave me alone…
"Mouse, you gotta stop this," Davey coaxed. "This isn't good for you. You've barely sold any papes."
I don't gotta do anything.
"Is there something deeper going on that I don't know about? Can you just write it down?"
Just leave me—
"Haddie." Davey took her by the shoulders. "Enough. Take this…" He produced a pencil. "…and this…you're not gonna sell it anyway…" He pulled one of Mouse's newspapers out of her bag. "Now write."
Mouse's eyes moved for the first time. She slowly gazed at the newspaper and pencil, then reached out and took them. She pressed the paper against the building.
YOU WAS ALL TRYING TO MAKE ME TALK
She paused. Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Mouse frowned at him and continued writing.
THIS WHOLE TIME. THAT'S THE REASON I WAS HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. ISN'T IT?
"Mouse, you know we all want to hear your voice again. And that's not the only reason you were here," Davey said gently.
BUT THE MAIN REASON
Mouse gulped. Neither Jack nor Davey answered. She decided to at least try and explain.
I CAN'T TALK. IT USED TO BE I JUST WOULDN'T, BUT NOW I CAN'T. I'VE TRIED. I HATE IT. BUT YOU CAN'T HELP ME. IT'S USELESS.
She moved the paper so they could read her written words through the printed ink.
"Oh, Mouse, don't say that…" Davey slung an arm around her shoulder.
"Don't give up on it," Jack murmured.
Mouse shrugged Davey's arm off. She reached for the newspaper again and underlined USELESS, pressing so hard with the pencil that the tip broke.
"Mouse, you know what you forgot today?" Jack said suddenly. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small wooden sign reading CAN NOT TALK, which he had carved and threaded a string through to hang around Mouse's neck. She had been using the sign with success for a few weeks now. Mouse took it and put it around her neck. Jack gazed at her for a moment, then headed back towards the deli to get lunch.
Okay, good-bye, Davey. Go away now.
"Are you gonna be okay now?"
Just go away, Davey.
"Mouse. You gotta concentrate now. You gotta sell some papes. Weasel's gonna be mad if you bring back most of your papes."
Davey, please.
"Well, I'm gonna go back to the deli, okay? I'll send Jack back right away."
Go away.
Davey left.
Jack returned, sandwich in hand, and was keeping one eye on Mouse while he continued to sell. She had snapped out of her daze and was selling with more vigor now. He thought about what the young girl had written on that newspaper. Mouse was trapped inside her own head. Sure, he had been trying to wheedle her into talking again, but he hadn't thought it would make her so angry. He made a conscious decision to back off a little.
Jack had just reached this conclusion when he was startled by the sound of wood smashing against brick. He looked over just in time to see Mouse slamming the CAN NOT TALK sign against the building. It snapped in half and fell to the ground. She stared at it, bent over, with a strained look on her face. Something about her expression struck Jack—she was trying to speak. And no words would come. Her face flushed with the effort, but finally she gave it up and leaned, gasping, against the building.
Jack was tempted to rush over to her, but he had the feeling it would only make it worse. He forced himself to turn away and hawk another headline. He kept glancing at Mouse, who soon began selling again, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. However, without the sign, people avoided her silent pleads as if she wasn't even there. Jack could see her starting to get visibly frustrated. He was kind of glad—any emotion was better than the daze she had been in all morning.
Finally, Mouse gave in as yet another couple walked past her without even acknowledging her. She picked up the pieces of the sign and reluctantly approached Jack. She kept her eyes on the ground, swallowing hard. Jack smirked and pretended not to see her until she poked him.
Just fix my sign. I know you saw me break it. It was stupid, I know. But just don't make a big deal out of it. Just fix it, Jack, please.
Jack took the two halves of the wooden sign and examined them. There was no way he could piece it back together without supplies. "Can't fix it without glue or something."
Dang it. Well, what did I expect?
Mouse sighed and started to walk away, but Jack grabbed her shoulder. She turned around and looked him in the eyes for the first time that day.
Jack could have lectured her. He could have said "I told you so." But that wouldn't do anything but make Mouse angry at him. Instead, he kept a hand on her shoulder, and slowly took a pape out of her bag and handed it to her. "Extra! Extra!"
And they sold together. He hawked the headlines, she held up the papers.
Maybe it's okay, Mouse thought. Maybe.
Like I said, next chapter will be a little more lighthearted. Reviews make my day!
-Sis21K
(P.S. If you haven't already, please go check out the Newsies Pape Selling Competition Forum. We're just waiting for a few spots to be filled. If you like to write Newsies fanfiction, you should really look into it. It's going to be a lot of fun!)