"Family boined in fire! Nobody escapes! Many lives destroyed!" Grabs yelled out the headline, secretly laughing as people bought the papers. The real headline was, "Factory burns down! No one injured save that of a nest of rats!" Fairy stood on the other corner where Grabs could see her, yelling another false headline. He loved this. Poppa had told him that it wasn't the greatest trade a man could have, but it helped keep your stomach full. It was gospel to Grabs, and he believed that gospel and lived by it. Of all his brothers and sisters, he was the most passionate about this work. It didn't tire him as it did others. He was a natural. To him, there was nothing else in the world that he'd rather be doing.
The clock tower over Manhattan chimed six times, long and loud. Grabs sold one more paper then, shoved the rest, two papers, into a garbage can and went to fetch his sister. "So how'd ya do Fairy?" Fairy grinned and pointed to her empty bag. "Well geez, ya don't need ta brag about it!" Grabs fired at her indignantly. Immediately, Fairy's eyes softened and her elation disappeared. She grabbed Grabs' arm as he strode away from her. She pulled and pulled till he turned to face her. "What?!" He yelled. Grabs looked into the little girl's blue eyes which were now about to brim over with tears. "I'm sorry Grabs. Didn't mean ta. I'll try not ta sell 'em all next time. I jest had so many good ideas from da headlines dat I couldn't help it! Honest. Don't be mad fereva Grabs!"
Grabs grinned and patted the little girl's arm. "Sure an' I didn't mean it Fairy. I was jest playin' wit' ya. Ya do a good job sellin', an' maybe someday you'll be as good as Spot Conlon. Maybe betta." Fairy's eyes went wide at the praise, and her grin stretched from ear to ear. "Really Grabs? Ya tink so?" Grabs sighed and patted his sister on the back. "Of course I does. Ya tink I'd make it up? Not likely. C'mon! Lets go ta Tibby's an' I'll treat ya to a little sometin'. It is almost time fer grub! An' I am starvin' sometin' awful!" Grabs and Fairy walked gaily along the darkening roads to Tibbys, till Fairy stopped short and pulled on Grabs' arm quickly.
"What in da woild? Ya nearly pulled me ova!" Fairy motioned Grabs to be quiet and pointed to one of the alleys nearby. Grabs squinted in the dim light and made out two shady figures slinking into the darkness. "C'mon Fair, lets see what dey're up ta. Dey might be robbers an' we could be famous if'n we toin 'em in." Grabs took Fairy's hand and grasped it tightly, ignoring her pale, worried face. The two children hid in the shadows of the alley in order to listen in on the conversation. One of the figures was tall, the other short, but nothing else could the children make out in the dim light. They looked around them to make sure that they had not been followed, and then began to speak.
"I'm tellin' ya, dat was too close doin' the job out in public!" The taller figure insisted. "Easy nobody knows but Cowboy, an' he's still unconsious. An' plus I didn't finish the job. I only got him in the shoulder. The final business is gonna be done soon enough." The shorter figure whispered confidently. Grabs, upon hearing a small whimper, looked down at Fairy. Her face was even whiter than it had been and she was trembling. "Dey did sometin' ta Cowboy! My poor little brudda!" Grabs hissed at her and fiercly covered her trembling mouth, but the words still rang in his ears, and he wondered if the men meant his Cowboy.
"Look it'll be okay. Race an' Bright still have no clue. They just have to stay clueless right?" The shorter man whispered fiercely. The taller man nodded still looking around them suspiciously. "I still think that it isn't safe here. What if someone is listening in?" The shorter man smacked the taller man's arm. "Don't be stupid. Nobody has any reason to suspect us remember! So stop tryin' to wig me out!" Grabs scoffed. "A whole lot dey know, eh Fairy?" Grabs smiled encouragingly at his sister, who still rested in the crook of his arm, white and trembling. The two men then walked away, still argueing, though it became incoherant as they walked down the alley. "Kin we go now Grabs? I'm awfully afeard!" Fairy whispered. Grabs smiled at her. "Sure. We'll go, but I wanna follow 'em jest fer a little bit. I wanna see who dey was talkin' 'bout."
As he began to stand, he was jerked back down hard. He looked down and saw Fairy holding fast to his coat. "Leggo Fairy! I gots ta do dis! Dey mentioned Momma an' Poppa, so I's gonna find out why dey did. Jest stay here an' wait fer me." Grabs whispered as he yanked his coat out of his sister's small hands. Fairy stood alone in the darkness after Grabs had pattered away into the darkness. She stood there and tear after tear began to slip down her cheek as she waited. Then she walked out of the dark alley, her head down, her dark curls bobbing gently about her face. Because her head was down she didn't see the figure that loomed before her and lifted her up in its arms. She gave a small, short, yell then did something she had never done in her entire life. She fainted.
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Grabs finally caught up with the two figures outside an old house. They were argueing again. He had no regrets about leaving Fairy. She was big, she could take care of herself. It was that thought that he consoled himself with, although small fears for her safety crept softly into his mind. Instead of focusing on Fairy, he focused entirely on the conversation. "Look, we are fine. We just hafta lay low for a bit, till we can strike again!" The smaller man yelled. "Yeah, but what do we do till then? Pick off little old ladies or something? No! I want to get this business done with as soon as possible!" The taller man yelled back at the other. "We will. We just need to be patient. Like I said, Race is clueless and as long as he is all we have to do is hit him with something he isn't ready for. But not yet. In the meantime, put the boys on full alert. Make sure they spread the word." The smaller man said confidently, patting the taller man on the shoulder. The two then walked away into the shadows.
Grabs crinkled his forehead in thought.
It don't make no sense. What do dey hafta do wit Poppa. If its Poppa dat dey's talkin' 'bout. I gotta git back ta Fairy. She's probably goin' nuts widout me.
With that Grabs took off back in the direction he came, till he arrived at the alley. "Fairy? Fairy where are ya? Okay I'm sorry I left ya alone. Ya can come out now! Hello? Hello? Fair," A hand from behind stifled the name and Grabs was pulled to the ground as he squirmed trying to free himself. "Hey Grabs cut it out will ya! Lessn yer jest purposely trying ta poke me eyes out! Now stop it or so help me I'll whack ya one wit' me cane!" Grabs stopped squirming and squinted at the face.
Spot's kind but fierce gray eyes came back at him in the dark. Grabs gave a sigh of relief and grabbed Spot's neck gratefully. "Easy kid. Don't cut off me coiculation alright?" Grabs let go of Spot and it was only then, that he lost his nerve and began to sniffle, then cry. "Oh Spot! Its awful! I done a terrible ting! I done wanted ta folla some strangas 'cause I taught dat dey was tawkin' 'bout Momma an' Poppa when it toins out dey wasn't! An' I left Fairy all alone in da dark an' dat was real mean 'cause I know dat she hates dark sometin' awful! An' now I cain't find her an' its all my fault!" Grabs finished with a rush of breath. Spot patted Grabs' shoulder sympathetically. "Now, dats all well an' good I guess. I's got a surprise fer ya." Spot motioned to Grabs who followed him over to the entrance of the alley.
Fairy was lying on the ground, her eyes closed tightly and her hands clasped together tightly. "Oh no. I killed her didn't I Spot? She's done been killed by one of dose guy's honcho's. Jest tell me da truth Spot." Grabs whispered gravely. Spot smiled gently. "She ain't dead she's jest fainted. She's fine. Now lets get you kids home okay?" Spot grasped Fairy's body in his strong arms and began to walk away slowly. "Here, hold me cane will ya? I cain't carry her an' da cane at da same time." Grabs gratefully took the cane and attempted to keep up with Spot's long strides.
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Racetrack was sitting at his chair at the kitchen table with his food in front of him, tapping the table nervously. He and Bright Eyes were the only ones not eating the food, while the rest of his children ate hungrily. They were all there, with the exception of Grabs and Fairy, and he was getting worried. It was now seven o'clock, past time for when the two should have been home. He was just on the verge of deciding to go out when a loud knock on the door startled his thoughts. To his surprise, Bright Eyes was out of her chair before he was and she was dashing madly towards the door. She opened it quickly and gave a short gasp. "She ain't dead Spot? She's okay ain't she."
Racetrack turned the corner and his heart leapt in his throat as he saw his daughter's limp body in the capable hands of Spot Conlon. "She's okay Bright. Hey Race. Jest came by ta make a few deliveries." Racetrack looked down and saw his small son standing close to Spot, his face white. He looked up at Spot as he continued, after handin Fairy to Bright Eyes, who clutched her daughter to her closely. "Found 'em wandrin' around one of da alley's near Tibby's. I was goin' back ta Brooklyn afta droppin' off Angel an' Sunny, an' I saw her. I knew she had ta be one of yer's so I approached her. An' I swear she jest fainted dead away in me arms. Neva seen her do dat. Found Grabs aftawoids."
Spot glanced down at Grabs who looked at him gratefully. "How kin I eva tank ya enough Spot? Won't ya stay fer a little food?" Bright Eyes asked her childhood friend with a concerned tone to her voice. "Naw, I gots some stuff waitin' fer me back at home. But danks anyway Bright. I'll see ya Race. An' ah, keep an' eye on both of 'em, but 'specially Grabs. He had quite a scare back dere. See ya lata kids!" Spot yelled across the room. Several "good-bye's" were thrown back at Spot and he grinned. He patted Grabs on the shoulder and then walked out the door.
Racetrack looked down at Grabs who shuffled in the door and stood still in his father's presence, Bright Eyes having gone to put Fairy to bed. "Whassa matta kid? What happened?" The next thing Racetrack knew, he was sitting down in a near-by chair with his son on his lap, sobbing his heart out. "I was so scared Poppa! It was so dark an' I tought dat Fairy got stolen away somewhere an' I was gonna git in trouble an' it was all my fault! It was so scary!" Racetrack smiled and rubbed his son's head gently. "Its okay kid. Yer safe now. Its okay. We both had kinda've a scary day huh?" Grabs nodded with a shivery hiccup. "Its okay, its okay now. Yer safe." Racetrack whispered as he rocked his son gently.
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The next morning, Racetrack stirred and groaned. In his brain, he knew that he had to keep his children safe to the best of his ability. He knew that they wouldn't like it.
Heck, I woulda hated dat if dat had happened ta me! I mean, not sell papes? I woulda gone nuts. 'Course I didn't have any parents ta bring in some extra cash.
He sighed and opened his eyes, blinking in the morning sun. He looked up at the window, the dark peices of cloth that served as curtains, becoming illuminated with the sunlight. Racetrack looked at the girl who was still sleeping on the bed beside him.
My dream come true. The only one dat did.
Racetrack thought as he touched her cheek gently. Bright Eyes murmured in her sleep and shifted, then her eyes opened. The blue globes stared at Racetrack and she smiled.
"Whats da matta? Couldn't sleep or sometin'? Or am I jest keepin' ya up?" Bright Eyes asked with a smile. Racetrack grinned and stroked her face. "Sometin' like dat. Actually, I was jest wondrin' what I'm gonna say to da kids. I mean, I cain't let 'em all go out on dere own anymore! Not wit' dat peison dat shot Jack wandrin' da streets. I cain't do dat. I hafta protect 'em somehow. A few kin go out an' sell, but only on certain boundries, and da uddas kin stay an' help at da office. Am I overeactin'?" Racetrack asked as Bright Eyes smoothed his hair.
"No, you ain't. I undastand, 'cuz I feel da same way. I mean, I wanna keep most of 'em as safe as possible too. You ain't overeactin' Tony." Bright Eyes murmured with a smile, using her nickname for her husband. Racetrack rolled his eyes. "Tony. Why da heck would ya use dat?" Bright Eyes laughed. "I like it dats why. Racetrack is good, but it ain't yer given name. I like it. Fits ya." Racetrack smiled. "Of course it fits me. Its my given name! Alright Shay?" Racetrack said with a sly grin. Bright Eyes rolled her eyes and jumped out of bed, hitting him with a pillow as she went. "Lets git goin' so we kin break da bad news Race." Racetrack groaned and pulled a shirt over his head. "Yeah. Lets break hearts."
The Higgins children didn't like it much that they weren't allowed to go out as far as they used to, without a grownup that is. They all protested greatly. "But Momma! We kin take care of ourselves! We's been doin' dis since we was as old as Taps!" Grabs insisted. "Dats a bit of an exaggeration." Racetrack murmered, looking at the gurgling baby. "I don't neva wanna go back an sell papes." Fairy said softly as she gripped her mother's hand tightly. When she had woken up from her frightened stupor, she had remained frightened and scared. She couldn't and wouldn't be separated from Bright Eyes and if her mother had to go, she attached herself to Racetrack. Cowboy also remained in a similar condition. He wouldn't go out of the sight of his parents and refused to play with anyone, for fear that "the boy" would come back and his Poppa would shoot him like he had done to Jack.
Racetrack wished that he could help his children in some way. It made him feel helpless and helplessness wasn't a welcome feeling in his mind. It made him feel weak. He didn't like these feelings. It made him think that he wasn't worthy to be a husband or a father, if he couldn't protect those that he loved. His children did have the protection of all the Newsies in Manhattan, and Spot had offered himself and Brooklyn as well, but still, Racetrack knew that there would be a time when his children and wife would be unguarded.
Curiously enough, Grabs had seemingly not been effected by the previous night's excursion. Though he had fallen asleep from exhaustion after crying into his father's chest, he had awoken the next morning without even mentioning the previous night's events. In fact, to his parents, he seemed to not remember at all. But they were wrong. Grabs did remember. He refused to show it however. He would be brave like his father and Spot and not say a word about it. In his mind, to not be allowed to go to his usual haunts to sell, was an invasion on his being. He could take care of himself and his brothers and sisters, though he had failed Fairy the previous night. He still blamed himself for that and also blamed himself for her frightened hysteria now. He had to find the two men who were doing this to him and his family. And he wasn't going to stop until he did so, even if his parents didn't know.
And in Grabs' mind rose the cry that had echoed from his own father's lips and from the lips of hundreds of other boys everywhere. "I won't let no one keep me down! I's gonna protect what I love an' I's gonna do it wit' a little help if'n I hafta. But no low down scum ain't gonna hoit my family dis way! Not if I have anytin' ta say 'bout it!" Grabs sat unmoving, this thought of rebellion arising in his mind, while his parents patiently handled the rest of his siblings.
Then Grabs and a few of his other siblings, namely Picks and Pockets, the rest of his siblings having to stay and help at the distribution office, went out to sell, but staying inside the boundaries their parents had indicated. Grabs quickly sold his papes before the afternoon was begun and then he began his plan. Quickly, he ran to an alley that he and his friends called the Craps Alley. There he found exactly what he was looking for. A few boys and girls sat in the dirt, shooting craps and playing cards. One of the larger boys who sported a head of blonde hair, looked up, and when he saw Grabs, he grinned and jumped up to meet him. "How's it goin' Grabs? Wanna join da games?" Grabs spit-shook with the boy and then shook his head.
"Sorry Craps, I cain't. I came ta ask you guys a fava." A girl about the same size as Craps looked up, shaking the blonde hair out of her eyes and standing up to stand by the boys. "Name it Grabs. Mama an' Poppa won't let us go an' sell papes no more. Not till dis shootin' stuff settles down a bit. Dey don't want us out an' about, no matta what we said." The girl said with a sigh. "Yeah, I know what ya mean Joy. But it ain't yer fault ya know. Momma an' Poppa won't let us sell past da Manhattan lines, an' dat really stinks! I had a great sellin' spot, right at da corner of da Brooklyn Bridge. Da point is we gotta take dis on ourselves." The other five children stood up and joined the group. Grabs knew them all by sight.
Cass, a small girl, eight years of age, with ruddy hair and a small face, was Skittery's daughter. Her two brothers Pete and Crawler were thirteen and fifteen, tough boys in their own right. Pete had a full head of brown wavy hair like his father, while Crawler had inherited his mother's black hair and green eyes. The other two children were not related. Curls was everything her name implied. She was thirteen years old, her hair curly but blonde, her gray-green eyes being a striking contrast, made her a known figure in the streets. Though she was Mush's daughter, there was very little of her father's black features that anyone could see. She resembled her mother, obviously. The other child, a boy named Art, or Arthur, was a well known figure. Though he was the son of Red who lived in Brooklyn, Art generally went where he pleased. He resembled his father to the fullest, his red hair and green eyes mirroring his father's. He was the oldest of the bunch being sixteen last month, but he was still willing to hang out with the littler kids and Grabs knew that he would be willing to help out.
Craps and Joy were Kid Blink's kids, another reason why they were Grabs' best friends. He and the twins had been born in the same year, though he had been born a few days before the twins, making them a tight knit pair. Craps took another breath out of his cigarette and eyed Grabs. "So whaddya got in mind Grabs?" Grabs grinned and motioned the others closer. "Ya know how dere was all dat shootin'? An' how Jack Kelly got shot?" All the children nodded. "Well I know who done it! I found 'em and den followed 'em. Deys gonna do sometin' terrible to me family, I heaid 'em! An' maybe when dey're done, dey'll do sometin' to da rest of our famlies! We's gotta stand up an' take dis inta our own hands." Grabs said insistantly.
He looked around at his friends. Each one looked thoughtful as they pondered the words. "How do ya know dat dese are da guys?" Art spoke out suddenly. "I know. Dey was talkin' 'bout how dey almost picked off Jack, but not quite. Den dey said dat dey was gonna hit me Pop wit' sometin' he wasn't ready for. I mean, who knows, dey could even attack yer Pop too Art! Or maybe dey'd get da guts ta try an' git Spot!" Art's face darkened. "Ain't no one gonna mess wit' my dad or Spot. Dey'll hafta git by me foist."
Grabs grinned. "Dats da spirit! We's jest gotta do dis ourselves!" The other children joined in the enthusiasm and began making plans to protect their families. "Look we's gotta get dis out everywhere! To all da Newsies an' all da pals you know. Tell 'em dat if'n dey want a part of dis, dey come ta me." Grabs said enthusiastically. "Well Grabs, where should we have 'em meet ya? Why don't we jest have all da people we git meet at one specific time and a place?" Joy asked reasonably. Grabs grinned and patted her on the back. "I knew dere was a reason I asked ya ta do dis! Have 'em meet me an' you all here at eight o'clock next Sataday. Undastand? Afta dat, we'll spread out an' look fer dose no good louses!" The children yelled their affirmative and then sped off to complete their task. "I jest want ya ta know Grabs, dat I'm gonna be gittin' bigger boys dan you. Jest so ya know. Is dat alright?" Art asked the small boy. Grabs smiled and nodded. "Sure. We need all da help we kin get!" Art laughed and tousled the boy's hair affectionately then walked off towards Brooklyn to spread the news.
From behind Grabs, there came a small cough. When he turned around, Grabs grinned at the sight before him. In front of him stood a boy and a girl of the same height, blonde hair falling into their faces, a pair of blue-gray eyes and a pair of blue-green eyes staring up at him eagerly. Grabs knew who they were. They were two years his junior and known everywhere. Francis and Fiona Conlon were Spot's children and his pride and joy. Of course they weren't known by those names. To the outside world they were known as Sketch and Jade. The reason for the choices were that Sketch had remarkable drawing skills for a child of five. He was always doodling everywhere on anything, no matter what. Spot's old room, now the twin's room, was papered with drawings that he had done.
Jade was a different matter. After she was born and placed in her father's arms, the shock of the matter had overwhelmed Spot and had muddled his thinking. "Dang, she's got eyes like dat one stone. Jade, dats what its called." Racetrack, having come to Brooklyn to keep Spot from being too nervous during Blue's delivery, had laughed hysterically. "Her eyes ain't jade Spot! Dey're only a light blue-green!" Spot had blushed at his mistake, but had turned upon Racetrack quite suddenly. "Her eyes are jade, if I says dey are. An' I says dat dey are! She's got jade eyes, an' dats what I kin call her." Spot remarked as an afterthought, christening his child then and there.
"We heaid yer speech Higgins. An' we wanna join ya." Sketch said energetically, the more natural leader and the most like Spot of the two children. "Yeah. We think dat its a good cause an' all. An' plus since our Papa's are friends, we kin trust ya Grabs. We wanna help." Jade interjected. Grabs put his fingers to his face thoughtfully.
It would be good ta have some help from dem, since dey're wit' Brooklyn an' all. An' bein' Spot's kids would make more kids come, if dey knew dat Spot was in on it, sorta.
"What kin ya do ta help me?" Grabs asked the twins. "We kin give ya support an' we kin convince people ta come to ya." Sketch said instantly. "We kin also round up lotsa people fer ya." Jade insisted. "Well, I dunno. Kin ya fight?" Grabs asked.
Sketch put up his fists, while Jade rolled her eyes. "Of course we kin fight! We kin fight most anybody!" Sketch yelled. "But sometimes we do need a little help." Jade said sensibly. "All we kin promise ya is dat we'll fight an' help ya to da best of our abilities. Dats all we kin promise ya Grabs." Jade said, folding her arms across her chest. "Dats all I'm askin' fer. Okay Sketch, Jade. You kin join us." Grabs said proudly. Sketch began to jump up and down, Jade joining her hands with him. Then Sketch and Jade spit on their hands and stuck them out for Grabs. Grabs did the same and shook their hands, a wide grin on his face. "Danks Higgins! We appreciate it! Dis is gonna be fun!" Sketch yelled. "An' dangerous. But dats all part of da job. See ya Grabs!" Jade said, smiling sweetly as she pulled Sketch along with her. Grabs smiled and shook his head. "Well, we've got Brooklyn. An' dats one of da most important things ta have. Tank God." He muttered as he walked casually out of the alley.
"Grabs! Grabs wait up! Where's ya goin'?" Joy called from behind him. He turned and smiled at her as she caught up. "I'se going ta tell some of da udda kids, an' maybe git some of Medda's helpas." Joy's face was a mask of confusion. "But why Grabs?" Grabs grinned widely and stuck his hands in his pockets. " 'Cause. Do ya 'memba yer dad tellin' ya 'bout da strike he an' da udda's had when dey was kids?" Joy nodded. "Well, dey had a big part of it at Medda's. If I kin convince Medda's guys who helped wit' da udda's rally, we'd be set!" Grabs said excitedly. "Yeah but, do we wanna attract dat much attention? I mean, ya don't know if dey'll spill or not." Grab's frowned. "I kin trust Toby. An' plus he kin knock out anybody who wants ta take him. He'll convince da uddas udawise. So it's all okay. "
Joy sighed. "I guess so Grabs. I jest don't know what Mama an' Papa's gonna say dough." Grabs nodded in agreement. "I know. But ya cain't tell 'em at all! Okay? Neva. We gotta keep dis to ourselves, uddawise, dey'll try and make us stop doing it!" Grabs said firmly. Joy nodded. "I jest feel bad, lyin' ta Momma an' Poppa dat way." Grabs put his arm around her shoulder. "I know Joy. But it's fer da best. My Momma an' Papa did what dey taught was right didn't dey? We jest gotta follow in dey're footsteps. An' if dey protest, tell 'em dat dey set da example. We gotta protect our families." Grabs said. Joy nodded and smiled. "I'm goin' ta da Bronx an' I'm gonna spread da woid. Hope ya talk some sense inta Toby an' da uddas!" She yelled as she ran off. Grabs smiled and began to walk uneasily to Medda's.