The Silent Stars Go By
Relic sat with her legs crossed hiding in her bed as she expertly braided her hair and waited for the last few newsboys to leave the bunk room. Every morning was the same procedure, Relic hiding until the she could undress and redress in private. This morning, Relic was particularly impatient over the arrangement cursing Cap and Hank for getting up so late.
"If it keeps snowing its going to be the North Pole out there soon," Hank was complaining.
"Everyone wants a white Christmas," Cap laughed.
"Yeah, everyone who ain't got to be outside." Hank spat grumpily.
"Look on the bright side, Christmas charity means Hearst will throw us a Christmas party and some ladies group might give us gifts." Cap responded cheerfully.
Someone shouted something unintelligible from below and the last two boys scurried quickly out of the room. Just as Relic was about to jump out of her bed, a hand popped through her curtain holding a steaming hot roll.
"Thought this might help you hurry this morning," Ruin grinned as Relic pushed herself passed his hand.
"Is that fresh baked?" Relic asked her mouth watering at the smell.
"Just out of the oven," Ruin nodded. Relic pulled out her clumped up skirts and blouse from the end of her bed and started to get dressed.
"Where'd it come from?" Relic demanded.
"A Christmas Angel," Ruin winked handing her the roll as he started buttoning up the back of her shirt. Relic immediately took a bite out of the roll, giddy by the deliciously warm trinket.
"A girl?" Relic asked between bites.
"Usually," Ruin pushed Relic back to sit on the edge of the bed as he pushed her boots onto her feet.
"How long have you been awake?" Relic yawned. Ruin leaned over his friend's knees and pulled out the new scarf hiding underneath her pillow.
"Ages now, Bullseye and I went out to one of the work houses that we heard might have extra coats for the newsies." Ruin smiled. Relic frowned suddenly noticing the new coat her best friend was sporting, a gray tweed jacket that had probably belonged to some crooked politician last winter.
"That will help against the new snow," Relic tried to hide her disappointment. Ruin helped her stand back up and pushed her out of the room.
"Yeah, apparently the charity groups are worried that this winter is going to be harsher than usual and are starting to collect warm clothing." Ruin explained. The lodging house was quiet, as most of the boys were already out on their way to the selling docks.
"God bless those charity groups," Relic grumbled trying to appreciate that her friend would be warm, even though she might not be.
"Rel, try not to sound so sad. I got you a coat too," Ruin picked up a maroon coat sitting on the banister as they walked out of the bunk room. He ceremoniously placed the coat on her shoulders, moving her braid out from underneath it.
"I can always count on you," Relic giggled excitedly as she pushed her arms through the long sleeves. The coat was thick and reached down to the hems of her skirts and with her scarf, the cold of the winter in the city might be bearable.
"A lady of society you look like," Ruin laughed as he slide down the banister.
"Well like a thief of high society possibly," Relic shrugged, unable to keep from petting her own coat.
"Race me to the docks?" Ruin asked as he held open the door. Relic didn't even answer as she took off in a sprint. The two best friends ran through the new layer of snow, laughing as they were warmer than they had been in days while outside.
The selling gates were still closed as the two arrived into a snowstorm of snow balls. Ruin ducked down and patted together his ammunition while Relic held her head down and tried to stay out of the fight. Ice and dirt flew around and smashed into bits onto the ground and against other newsboys.
"Fist fights you start, harmless snowball fights you shy away from?" Spot's voice questioned with a hint of laughter. As Relic snapped her head up to find him in the snow, the distribution bell rang and the snow settled as the newsies trekked up the docks.
Relic was carried up the docks without much of her own decisive step as she shook the snow out of her hair and discreetly searched for Conlon's familiar gray cap. The familiar heavy arm of Ruin draped itself over Relic's shoulders.
"Sell near the Heights?" Ruin asked jovially. His hat had a thin layer of snow and his cheeks were bright red but even his eyes were twinkling with a smile.
"Um, actually..." Relic licked her lips nervously as she caught sight of Spot, near the front of the line whispering intensely with Bottle Cap and Bullseye.
"Oh, someone wants to get me a Christmas gift." Ruin laughed. Relic smiled and nodded.
"Maybe that girl Hannah." She responded sarcastically. Ruin playful pouted at the response.
"You aren't mad about the new girl?" Ruin demanded.
"No, just don't understand why you keep wasting your time with a new girl every week." Relic shrugged.
"I think I'm in love this time." Ruin stated seriously.
"You always think you're in love," Relic rolled her eyes.
"You appreciated the warm roll..." Ruin pointed out.
"Yes, yes..." Relic winked at him. "But I'll sell alone today?"
"Stay out of trouble?" Ruin held out his hand to shake on the promise. Relic crinkled her nose in disgust at the hand. Ruin was more about keeping their noses clean since they had settled in Brooklyn and it was starting to get on Relic's nerves.
"Trouble is in the eye of the beholder," Relic laughed as she skipped up to the window and bought her papers. Ruin shook his head but lazily leaned against the wall as he started a conversation with Jinx, a hyper young newsies that was excited to have a new coat.
Relic tucked her stack of papers under her arm as she pushed her hand into her coat pocket. She jogged out onto the main street trying to catch sight of Spot, noticing the golden tip of his cane flash in the distance as the leader turned the corner.
A pair of horses trotted along pulling a festive carriage with bows and garland, Relic smiled at the happy little girl in a furry hat. Relic started jogging again trying to keep up with Spot. She scoffed for never noticing how fast Spot Conlon walked. As she followed Spot, Relic became increasingly curious about everything involving the leader of Brooklyn. It struck her as strange that she had never paid any attention to him, never been filled with curiosity for everything about the boy. But the last few days the strange dark mood, the peculiar disengagement and the distracted harshness that was not only unbecoming but unfamiliar in the body of the most powerful boy in the city had made her curious.
After roaming around in the maze of buildings and bustling streets of Brooklyn, Spot finally stopped somewhere on Fulton street. Relic paused for a moment making sure that Spot had finally settled into a selling spot before she skipped down another block. The maroon coat would have made her more noticeable if the fashionable ladies of the season hadn't taken a fancy to red and golds.
Holiday shoppers were walking along, chatting and enjoying themselves in a way that made Relic almost envious. She sold papers easily enough, understanding immediately why Spot would stand on this street and why the leader was so successfully in his trade.
"He gets the bankers," Laces commented from behind Relic.
"Bankers?" Relic spun around to glare at her friend.
"That's the National City Bank, Chas Young is the president. The capital and surplus is 8 times that of Eighth Ward Bank on 39th where Bullseye often sells." Laces smiled.
"You know where everyone sells?" Relic asked.
"You don't usually sell here." Laces smiled as she grabbed a couple of papers from Relic's arm.
"Yeah, well..." Relic started.
"You sell out near the Heights with Ruin, or sometimes by the laundry district. But you never come over here." Laces winked as she scurried across the street. Relic stared after the misfit in the fancy black coat as she spun around and started spouting an elaborate headline about Christmas cheer and charity. Relic laughed at the absurdity of Laces glee and sensationalism, it was strange that the ghost like creature wasn't a newsie.
It was seconds before Laces had sold through her three papers and she outstretched her hands like a toddler begging for sweets. Relic waited for another carriage to cross her path before running across the street and passing Laces the rest of her papers. Handing off her only responsibility to the excited Laces left Relic free to fixate all her attention on Spot Conlon.
Spot noticed the intense green eyes starring at him from afar and not only because Laces had informed him of his audience blocks before but because he could feel her eyes blaze into him. As he took money from a agitated shopper and handed them a paper he stole a glance down the block.
The long coat hugged her figure nicely, amplifying her slender waist as her hands rested on her hips inside the pockets. He was happy to see her wearing a real coat that would actually keep her safe from the city's bitter cold. As he scanned his paper for another headline to hawk, he kept glancing up at the evergreen eyes that were watching his every movement. Spot had commanded Laces discover the reason for Relic's need to follow him. He didn't have time to worry about the girl following him, nor did he care to have anything distract him from his mood.
The holidays meant stress on the legendary leader of Brooklyn. The snow meant it was colder, a breeding ground for diseases, moods and restless trouble. The lack of resources to the newsies usually meant at least two of the boys got sick and sometimes some of them died, for reasons outside of Spot's control. The bitter cold put everyone into a bad mood, customers and newsboys alike disliked results of snow on clothing. And as if that wasn't enough, the cold meant that the boys spent more money on cigarettes. The cheapest way to stay warm but still an expense that was beyond the necessities, resulting in troubles. Finally, the snow often left the boys locked indoors when they weren't selling, and on occasion even when they were selling, which caused cabin fever leading him to lose boys to the newly constructed Disciplinary Training School for Boys. All in all the winter months were nothing but headaches for Spot.
Spot sold another paper and glanced down to make sure that Relic and Laces were still standing on the nearby corner. He looked up to the rooftops and caught sight of three fingers and a few whistles in the distance. Spot strolled down to the opposite corner and stared down to catch sight of Bottle Cap standing comfortably caressing a lovely looking girl. Spot smiled at the sight, proud of his boy for his charming skills.
No one understood just how many people that Spot's strong arm protected and his eyes tentatively watched. No one that is except for a handful of people that could be counted on one hand, one of them the shaggy haired man that jumped out from a tenant building.
"Don't you have things to do?" Spot demanded grumpily as the tall shadow cast over him.
"Finished up all my gift getting, would like to do some ice skating. You know that Manhattan ain't got a solid pond yet?"Critter O'Connell laughed.
"And you're telling me this because you know that Jack and some of his boys are heading out here to ice skate?" Spot asked impatiently.
"No but that's likely isn't it?" Critter nodded thoughtful. The two men strolled past Bottle Cap as he was stealing a kiss from the girl he had been charming only moments before. Critter snapped his fingers at the boy, reprimanding the young man's lack of manners to be kissing a girl on the street. Even though they were street kids, Brooklyn had a sense of propriety to it that didn't escape their rebellious citizens. Cap stepped back from the girl he had been kissing, a fair skinned beauty with blond hair. Bottle Cap pressed an ink stained finger up to the girl's lips and winked to ask for her silence.
Spot ignored the transaction but Critter kept his eyes steady on the situation, glaring at Cap to mind his manners around the young lady.
"So you just decided to join me on a jaunt through Brooklyn then?" Spot spat annoyed.
"I don't like Laces being friends with that girl newsie that you let stay in the lodging house. For that matter, I still don't approve that girl staying in the lodging house at all." Critter criticized.
"And I don't actually have to listen to you at all," Spot retorted back. Critter jabbed at the boy with his elbow angrily but didn't pursue the subject anymore.
"Quill was picked up by one of the people of the Disciplinary Training School just about twenty minutes ago, I thought you might want my help in getting him out but if you don't..." Critter started to walk up a set of steps up into a different building, but Spot pulled him back immediately.
"Why can't they just stay out of trouble?" Spot grumbled.
Back on Fulton Street, Relic had bent down to tie her shoe for only seconds but that's all it took to lose sight of the mighty Spot.
"He's long gone by now," Laces popped her teeth together as she started chewing on a piece of candy.
"But to where?" Relic asked.
"The question is never to where but to what," Laces shrugged holding out a fist full of coins and another piece of candy.
"What did you mean about his mood?" Relic asked quickly worrying that Laces would disappear.
"That its dangerous and short tempered." Laces frowned.
"But why?" Relic insisted.
"What are you going to get Ruin?" Laces skipped down onto the road, dancing along next to the stationary sleigh.
"Get Ruin?" Relic frowned confused again.
"Might I suggest some ice skates?" Laces clapped excitedly.
"Ice skating..." Relic thought about the articles in the paper from the day. The ponds in Brooklyn were prime for skating but Manhattan's were still too thin.
"Jack will be here later." Relic nodded sure of her statement. Laces jumped up into the empty sleigh and stared down at her friend with her head tilted to one side.
"Yes, but... how did you know that?" Laces squinted her eyes up at the rooftops of the buildings around them. Relic studied the curious behavior and caught her own gaze glancing up and searching the unfamiliar rooftops. She noticed a strange slip of a hand, a dainty female hand.
"The paper, said something about the ponds. We all like to skate." Relic stated slowly, still watching the now empty rooftops.
"Right, well if we're going to skate than we should find that gift for Ruin." Laces pushed Relic down the street and into the nearest store.