Note: Heheh *scratches head guiltily* sorry for taking sooo long to update. I know this chapter is probably super confusing, so feel free to let me know what you think.
A Change of Time Chapter 8 - Learning
Sharron pushed the lodging house door open, inwardly cringing as it creaked. She climbed the stairs slowly, trying to avoid making more noises. As she stepped towards Melody's room, a shadow disengaged itself from the wall. A match flickered, and suddenly Sharron was face to face with Spot Conlon.
"Where were you'se?" he questioned, reminding Sharron of one of those cop movies with an interrogation room.
"Uh.." For some reason, the girl couldn't the image of him holding a gun out of her head.
Spot tapped his foot impatiently. Some people might have been intimidated, but to Sharron he just looked like a spoiled kid wanting ice cream. But Spot Conlon knew what he was doing; of this she was quite aware. The boy shook his head in disappointment.
"It's dangerous out dere," he proclaimed. "Don't do it again." His eyes were serious. He meant business.
X-X-X-X
Sharron awoke with a cold sweat on her forehead. She had been dreaming. In her dream, she was in a dark street, cluttered with the bodies of those she cared about. As a shudder took hold of her body, Sharron quickly dressed herself. Maddie lay on the bed, her dark hair spilling over her face as she clutched the bed sheets. Sharron smiled, braiding back her strawberry blond locks as she watched her sister.
"Oh, you're awake!" Melody said pleasantly from the doorway. She wore an apron, and wisps of her light hair curled around her face, while something that suspiciously resembled batter of some kind was splattered on her forehead and apron. Sharron surveyed her with astonished eyes.
"Melody… have you been cooking?" Melody's cheeks brightened.
"Attempting to," she admitted, plopping down unceremoniously on the bed Maddy did not occupy. Sharron raised an eyebrow, gingerly sitting beside her.
"So, what were you making?"
Melody blushed again. "Hotcakes. I picked up some ingredients yesterday, but something just isn't turning out right.."
"Show me." Melody led the other girl down the steps, and into a small kitchen behind the sign up desk, which was surprisingly empty. "Mr. Timmons doesn't come in till eight," Melody explained. "Okay, here we are."
Sharron surveyed the kitchen with wide eyes. It appeared as if a tornado had blown through the room. Pancake batter was spread on various surfaces, and flour coated the counter. Melody scratched her head, an embarrassed smile stretching her lips.
"I-uh made a bit of a mess as well."
Sharron smiled. "Well, we'll clean this up, but first, show me a pancake..er.. hotcake."
Melody picked up the flattest pancake Sharron had ever seen, and that was saying something.
"I just don't know what it's missing," Melody mused, thinking deeply.
"Well, name the ingredients that you used." Sharron made a mental check list of the things that goin pancakes, checking them off as her friend named them.
"And eggs," Melody finished.
"Is that it?" Sharron questioned, surprised.
"Um, yeah, that's it."
Sharron couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Well, apparently you've forgotten the baking soda."
Melody wrinkled her nose. "Oh. I think I saw something about that.. but I didn't think it was so important."
Sharron quickly began her explanation. "Melody, baking soda is the important ingredient that causes hotcakes to rise and be so fluffy and good."
"Oh," Melody said, then burst into laughter. "Silly me."
"No, you just didn't know any better. But remember to follow the recipe next time. But I suppose I should be starting off soon. I want to stop in to see my dad."
"Good idea," Melody said in agreement just as Spot walked in the door.
"Well let's go," he said impatiently. Sharron couldn't help raising an eyebrow. Melody watched curiously.
"I'll uh.. just clean this mess up," she said/
"Wait-" Sharron yelped as Spot dragged her from the room. Melody laughed merrily as her friend disappeared from sightl
"Okay, let me go, mister," Sharron huffed, tugging her arm from Spot's tight hold. He smirked, and she had the sudden urge to slap him. So she did. For just the shortest moment after her hand connected with his cheek, surprise flickered in his stormy eyes.
A moment later, it was replaced with sudden fury. He gripped her arms tightly, and leaned in so that his breath was hot on her face.
"Never do that again," he growled, his eyes terrible with menace. Sharron tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Be glad no one saw that," the boy said, and finally released her arms.
"Sharron rubbed her limbs, surprised to find that she was slightly afraid. He had seemed so angry…
"Come on," Spot ordered, pushing open the front door. Sharron followed unhappily.
"So.. where were you last night?" Spot asked casually as they walked, almost as if the confrontation had never happened. Sharron eyed him, feeling confused. He turned to face her, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know if I should tell you," she responded stiffly. "You might give me a beating."
Out of the corner of her eye, Sharron saw Spot's body give a slight jerk, and for a second shock registered on his face, then he turned cold again.
"I ain't my father," she heard him mutter quietly. The two didn't speak again all the way to the doctor's house.
"Your father is awake. I fed him some soup," doctor Brown said as he led them to the sick room. Sharron was surprised that Spot had followed her in, but she didn't say a word.
Mr. Duncan tried to sit up as soon as he saw her enter the room, but doctor Brown rushed forward to stop him. "Now you just rest easy," Brown said, leaning Mr. Duncan back onto his pillow.
"Shar," her father breathed, reaching toward her weakly. She hurried to his side, kneeling next to the couch.
"Dad.." she said, her eyes wide. How could she tell him everything that had happened, and receive answers to her questions? She glanced behind her. Spot was still lurking in the doorway. In a low voice she began to explain to her father about the time machine. He stared at Spot when Sharron explained in a soft voice who he was. The leader of Brooklyn returned the stare, crossing his arms. Mr. Duncan returned his gaze to Sharron.
"Is he dangerous?" he whispered. Sharron's forehead wrinkled.
She thought of how Spot had gripped her arms that morning, and his many threats.. "I don't think he would hurt Maddy or me intentionally." Her father nodded. "I don't understand the machine," the girl blurted out. "I found a keyboard, like I told you, and typed in names, but I don't understand."
Mr. Duncan now wore his "teacher" expression. "You know the little gizmo with the year?" Sharron nodded slowly. "Well, if you just enter the year it will take you to a random place days, weeks, even months before the important task it has for you is to be completed. Now right next to this is a small screen that you can use to choose where to go. Now, when we left 2010, the year and area were unintentionally selected."
"But what about the keyboard?" Sharron asked a little louder then she intended. She felt foolish, looking back at Spot, wondering if he had heard her words. Spot, for his part looked perplexed.
Duh! He doesn't know what a keyboard is.. Sharron chided herself. Mr. Duncan looked at her proudly.
"A very good question. Now, the keyboard is special. You can type in a person's name, and if it already has the year entered, then anything important or out of the ordinary that might have happened to that person will come up on the computer and the machine will take you to that place and time."
Sharron nodded. All this tech stuff was so confusing.. "Why was I able to see myself?" she asked curiously.
"That one is easy. The computer is programmed to show you what happened. If you were in the event you will be able to see yourself, just as if you were watching a movie. Now, when you use the programmed method you can see everything, but no one else can see you."
"How come people could see us when we came?"
"Because you didn't use the keyboard the first times. I also have a switch under one of the metal panels next to the keyboard that has two buttons. Listen closely in case you ever need to use it. The red button will keep it how I programmed it- you can see yourself. The blue button underneath it will make you in the time. You wouldn't see yourself, you would actually be there experiencing it."
Sharron digested the information as her father coughed. "I don't know if I'll use it.." she said.
"I'm not sure if it would be wise if you did," Mr. Duncan said seriously, a hint of worry in his eyes. "This story you have told, it doesn't sit well with me. If I could leave this couch I'd try to figure things out. Be careful Sharron."
The girl decided against her better judgment not to tell her father about the man who followed her down the street, the man with the gun in his pocket.
Note: I know it's quite hard to find good stories in the Newsies fandom, some I'm going to start posting the names of stories I think are worth reading. First.. We Run The Papes by Kristin Erin. The classic strike story with a twist. Summary: "The papes run the town and we run the papes. Everyone needs the papes, we just remind 'em why." Al finished with a Cheshire grin. It isn't easy being Jack Kelly's sister, but things are about to get much harder for the newsies and Alison Kelly. David/OC
