Queen of the Bronx

by Lotus Blossom

Ginger LaBlanc has been raised by the streets and has been doing well as a newsie in the Bronx. But her life will change when she crosses someone who used to love her and his gang.

Queen of the Bronx

By,

Amy Stilgenbauer

Note: This is my first Newsies FF…it takes place in 1898. As you probably already know I don't own the movie characters in this story, but I do own some of these characters…I'll put it this way; If you don't recognize them from the movie they belong to me. *Evil laugh*

           

Wisecrack returned to the Bronx late that night.  He had been out patrolling the city all day. Wisecrack was not a trusting person, he never really had been. During his occasional patrols he spied on suspicious people, which included just about everyone he saw.

            On this particular day he had trekked all the way out to the soon to be annexed city of Brooklyn. He heard that a new newsie had risen to power there. He tried to stay unnoticed as he watched every move this Spot Conlon made. Usually when power shifted a group was weak for a little while, but not this time. Spot ran Brooklyn perfectly, like he'd done it all of his life. He reminded Wisecrack of the one person he trusted

            When he first saw Ginger, he was on patrol in Queens. She was staring at a food vendor with a longing gaze. He was full of strange sympathy at the sight of her. It wasn't everyday that he thought of someone other than himself, but something about her reminded him of the home he missed so. Her reddish-brown hair made him think of the warm gingerbread his mother once made. He bought two apples and went straight to her.

            "I take food from stranga's," she said, "It could be poisoned."

            "You saw me buy it"

            "That don't me anyt'ing" Wisecrack was discouraged, so he decided approach.

            "Names Jeremy, but dey all calls me Wisecrack. What about youse?"

            "It says LaBlanc on me parents tombstone. Me name is Ginga'" Ginger? Wisecrack laughed to himself. That was what drew him to her in the first place. He looked Ginger in the eyes. There was a certain icy blankness to those pale blue eyes. That told him she didn't show her emotions, meaning that she was either from that strange city across the river or his hometown; The Bronx. He took the girl back to the Bronx, well he went back and she followed. Things were different there ever since.

            "'ey Wisecrack, where've ya been?" asked a girl newsie as he returned to the Lodging house.

            "None a yer business, Toe shoes." She cringed at his response.

            "I'se just askin'. Ya was in Brooklyn woin't ya?"

            "So, I'se was in Brooklyn, what's it to ya?"

            "I heard that deir new leada', what's 'is name?"

            "Spot Conlon?"

            "Dat's it! I hear 'e's pretty cute."

            "I wouldn't know."

            "Coise ya wouldn't." She tossed her golden blonde hair, "Ginga!" Ginger came into the main room.

            "Wisecrack!" she ran and hugged him. "Where'd ya go?"

            "On patrol, down ta Brooklyn. Dat Spot Conlon, you should see 'im. He runs Brooklyn poifectly."

            "Oh Wisecrack, don't worry 'bout dem."

            "Someone's gotta."

            "It's not dat Ginga' , ole Wisecrack's got anduda goil across da riva'," Toe shoes laughed.

            "Crystal, please, if 'e's got a goil it's not me problem."

            "Foist, I don't wanna me called by me real name just yet. Second, you two are poifect toget'er. Why don't ya see it goil?" Ginger ignored her, Toe shoes or Crystal, which was her real name, was one of Ginger's best friends. She had come to the Bronx after a tragic accident involving her parents. She took the nickname Toe shoes after about a week and refused to be called her real name. She could tolerate the occasional Crys from Ginger, but that was it, too painful. It was obvious that she sometimes stuck her nose where it didn't belong.

            Ginger looked beyond her to Wisecrack.  He was like a brother to her. He had stood beside her through everything, but she knew that any feelings she had for him would be like that of a sister for her older brother. Wisecrack on the other hand, sometimes hoped things weren't that way.

            The next day Wisecrack formulated his plan. After they got done selling he would take Ginger to a nice restaurant someplace or something along those lines. He hurried to sell all of his newspapers as quickly as possible. He wanted to beat Ginger back so he would be ready. Luckily he managed it, so he still had time left to figure out where he would take her. There were thousands of places they could go, but where could he look good on such a small income? Then it came to him!

            "Ginga'!" Wisecrack shouted when she came in.

            "What is it?"

            "Well do ya have any plans fer tonight?"

            "No," She looked puzzled and was wondering what he was up to.

            "I wanna take you'se somewheres"

            "Where?"

            "It's a surprise. Come on." Wisecrack took her to Manhattan. A fellow newsie there owed him some money.

           

            "'Ey boys. How's it rollin'," Wisecrack called to the newsies in Tibby's.

            "Look boys, it's Wisecrack," Mush pointed out. No one noticed Racetrack, attempting to hide under the table.

            "Who's da goil?" Blink asked with a charming smile.

            "Dis is me Ginga'"

            "Hello Ginga'!" a bunch of the boys said at the same time and Ginger blushed.

"Now boys, is Race 'ere?" Wisecrack asked.

"Yeah he's 'ere," Blink pointed to him under the table.

"Hi Wisecrack," he said nervously

"Hi-dere Racetrack, can I have a talk wit' you'se?" Wisecrack told Ginger

to stay there while he and Race went outside.

            "So," Blink asked, "how long have ya two been toget'er?"

            "We ain't," Ginger defiantly.

            "He called ya 'is Ginga."

            "I'se no one's but me own."

            "So da goil's fair game?" Mush asked and Ginger looked petrified. She didn't know any of these people and Wisecrack dared to leave her alone with them. Then she had a strange thought, 'Dis is all part a me training, a test to see if I can 'andle meself.'  She sat back at put on that queenly look that came so naturally.

            "I suppose dat I am" She her auburn hair over her shoulder and looked them over. They were all kinda cute. Before she could decide which one she liked best, Wisecrack and Race came back; one dollar richer and poorer respectively.

            "So, Ginga' whata ya wanna eat?" Wisecrack asked motioning to the menu.

            "Well, what do you recommend?" Her voice seemed so much more innocent when Wisecrack was around.

            "Let's see," he smiled and turned to the waiter, "Give me two knockwursts and two glasses a sarsaparilla." The water nodded and went back to the kitchen. There was a tense silence after that and Ginger couldn't stand it.

            "Wisecrack," she said, "are dese people yer friends?"

            "Ya could say dat, but I call 'em business partna's." Ginger looked around at Wisecrack's 'business partners'. She only knew he name of one; Racetrack.

            "Ain't  ya gonna introduce me to yer friends?"

            "Probably not, they'll have ta intraduce demselves, if dey wanna."  The boys looked over upon hearing that and raced to be the first to the table. Ginger blushed a little but smiled instead.

            "One at a time please," Ginger laughed and Wisecrack looked angry extremely angry. The first boy was the one she already knew. "Hi Race, I already know yer name."

            "I'se ain't really dat bad."

            "I didn't t'ink so." The next one she had been talking to earlier, he had patch over one eye.

            "Dey call me Kid Blink." Ginger smiled, but Wisecrack glared at them all, and no one else spoke. Ginger looked at them and they were intimidated. She got a little perturbed at Wisecrack. She planned to yell at him later, and she would have done it right then and there, but she saw him. Over at the other end of the restaurant talking with Race was a blonde boy with glasses. She didn't understand why, but something strange had come over her.

            Wisecrack saw how she was staring and grabbed her hand, "Come on, let's go"

            "What about our food?" The waiter was just coming out. Wisecrack gave him some money and took the food.

            "We'll eat on the way back." He drug her out of the restaurant.

            "Who do you think you are?" Ginger screamed outside Tibby's, "I'se not yer possession."

            "I jist wanted ta ask you'se ta be me goil tonight."

            "I might a said yes, but now I don't t'ink so." She stomped off toward home. Wisecrack went off in a different direction. He didn't want to go back to the Bronx tonight.

            When Ginger returned she was very distressed. The incident at Tibby's had frightened her. "Ginga'" Toe shoes cried when she saw her, "Where's Wisecrack?" She sounded very worried.

            "I don't know, I don't even know if he's coming back."

            "Well maybe youse can handle dis. We'se got a problem on our hands."

            "I'll try. What is it?"

            "One a da boys got inta a fight." Toe shoes showed her to the boys' bunkroom. A small crowd was gathered around.

            "'Ey!" Ginger yelled, the group of newsies looked up with surprise at who had done the yelling. "What happened?" Everyone milled around and didn't say anything. "Crys?"

            "Well, 'e was almost killed, we don't know why or how." A crowd parted and Ginger got a good look at her battered friend. His name was Keys because he was the best at picking locks, but his once slender hands were completely crushed and his face swollen. She looked from him to the others.

            "Git me some ice and something to wrap 'is hands!" She commanded. Toe shoes ran off to locate such things. "Da rest a youse, who did dis?" No one spoke. "Fine." Toe shoes returned with some supplies. Ginger wrapped his hands in linen. She also wrapped some ice in it too and held it to his face. He tried to speak, but Ginger stopped him. "Tell me lata'"

            Ginger went outside the Lodging House and lingered about for a while, passing as she tried to keep fragile control. She walked over to her alcove hideaway and pulled a black piece of paper from behind a loose brick.

Give me strength,

Give me courage,

Spirit,

Hope

I beg you please,

If you are out there

Like they say you are

Bless these poor people

Give them a chance, to live

Then she put it back in. Just then Toe shoes peeked her head out the door. "'Ey Ginga'. It's almost curfew."

            "Okay I'se comin'"

            "Is somet'in wrong?"

            "It ain't not'in." Toe shoes looked doubtful, but didn't say anymore. The two walked inside and to the girls' bunkroom. When she say the others, her face froze. She showed them no emotion. That was the way it always was.

            Several weeks past and Wisecrack still didn't come back. The place had really changed, more than likely for the better. Without Wisecrack the position of leadership had shifted to Ginger. How it happened was a mystery to her, but not to the others. They needed a leader, and Ginger had great leadership skills. She handled situation very well under pressure and commanded respect. Not only that, but it seemed that she was born to lead the newsies of the Bronx, just as Spot had been made for Brooklyn.

            "I fold," Toe shoes said glaring at the card on the table.

            "Pair a fives," Keys said with a frown, he looked at Ginger, she was stone faced as usual.

            "Small straight." She put the cards down for the other two players to see. It was the first time she'd won all night. They groaned, and Toe shoes started to reshuffle.

            "No more poka'!" Keys demanded

            "Yeah," said Ginger "I'se getting sick a it."

            "Den whata we gonna do?" Toe shoes asked. Ginger rolled her eyes at Toe shoes and stood up.

            "Git some sleep an' be ready to sell papes tamorrow." It was a command well received, everyone was tired. Before she went to sleep Ginger looked around the room.  She allowed her subconscious thoughts to surface, 'I want to be loved by someone' she thought 'Not someone like Wisecrack, but someone gentle, and kind, and sweet…I wish I could find someone like that.' Then she tucked the thought away and drifted off to sleep.

            The next morning Ginger got up early. She had a strange dream that night and wasn't very well rested. In her dream Wisecrack had returned and he wasn't  very happy to say the least. She washed up and waited for the others to wake up. Eventually they did and the strange crew walked to the distribution center.

            "'Ey Ginga'," Toe shoes yelled as she ran after Ginger, "What's wrong?"

            "Not'in'!" She glared at Toe shoes, who back away slowly. Toe shoes knew this was not the time to cross her boss.

            Ginger got her papers and wondered about a little. Her mind was pre-occupied, if  Wisecrack came back there's no telling what he might do. Then an idea came to her. She had to get back to the place they separated at, back to Manhattan.

            It had to be Adrenaline that got her there, because she couldn't remember the trip. All she knew is that somehow she ran the entire way. She would have probably kept going straight off the island, if someone hadn't gotten in the way. She collided with a Manhattan newsie, who probably wasn't watching where he was going either. Picture papers flying everywhere, it was not a pretty site.

            "Are youse okay the other newsie asked.

            "I'se fine," Ginger stood up and blushed herself off. She turned to face him and she recognized him, he was that boy from Tibby's.

            "Dat's good, names Dutchy," he said and his face broke into a irresistible grin.

            "Ginga' LaBlanc"

            "As in Ginga' LaBlanc, Queen a da Bronx?" This question startled Ginger, she had never been referred to in that way before.

            "I guess you could say dat."

            "Well, den I didn't greet you propa'ly," He grabbed her hand and kissed it quickly. She was even more startled at this, she had expected a spit-shake at the most. He looked at how  startled she was and smiled to himself. "Well, dis looks like half our incomes jist went down the drain," he said as he surveyed the muddy mess of papers.

            "I'd say I'd pay youse back, but ya know I won't. I don't got dat kinda money."

            "Didn't t'ink so, whadda ya say we salvage what we can, sell 'em toget'er, an' go fer a late lunch?" Ginger considered the idea for a moment.

            "Shoir," she shrugged. They managed to salvage a few papers, which they got rid off rather quickly, and then they went to lunch. "The last time I was 'ere…" Ginger said as they entered Tibby's.

            "You was wit' dat Wisecrack. He doesn't dersoive someone like you."

            "I was never wit' 'im. 'E was more like me brudda."

            "I can unda'stand what ya mean," The two of them sat and ate lunch together. Ginger looked at him; she still couldn't keep herself from melting. She knew she had to try, but she couldn't, she just couldn't. He didn't feel much differently about her. He tried to look her in the eyes, but he thought it was even more mysterious that he couldn't see her emotions. She was a mystery to him, her found her beautiful and intriguing. They both carried a secret wish. Although it wasn't easy to tell, it hardly ever is.

            "Ginga' where were ya?" Toe shoes asked when Ginger got back to the Bronx.

            "Manhattan," Ginger sighed.

            "Don't tell me you've taken to patrollin' too!"

            "No, don't worry."

            "You sound like ya jist met a guy…did ya jist meet a guy?"

            "Whada you t'ink?"

            "I t'ink ya did! And I'se right!"

            "Yep, yer right." Ginger sat down on a crate and looked up to the sky.

            "Who was 'e"

            "Wouldn't you like ta know?" Toe shoes looked at her with a pout on her face, but Ginger wouldn't tell her. Keys walked into what had been dubbed 'The Bronx Courtyard' where Toe shoes, Ginger, and some others had gathered.           

            "Toe shoes," he laughed, "It's obvious dat any guy a Ginga's will be a leada'. We jist have ta narrow it down." Ginger smiled because they'd never figure it out that way. She got up and walked away and she could hear them discussing it from her alcove hiding place.

            "Dat guy from Queens?" Toe shoes suggested.

            "Nah." Ginger laughed to herself, this was gonna take forever. She pulled pulled out a loose brick in the alcove. Behind were some papers that she had scribbled some attempts at poetry on. She pulled out a blank one and wrote a name in her fanciest handwriting; Dutchy.

           

            Meanwhile; a dark figure was figure was walking away from the Midtown lodging house he had just gotten kicked out of. He had gotten into a fight  with some of the boys because he had a hard time adjusting to being to being the new guy. "'Ey, Jeremy," the leader called, "You stay away ya 'ear."

            "Yeah, Yeah," Jeremy ((a.k.a. Wisecrack)) muttered under his breath. He had no idea where to go now. They surely wouldn't accept him no matter where he went. All the newsies knew him as the washed-up leader of the Bronx.

            He wandered around until it got late, and realized that no place to go meant no shelter, no food, no anything. That was when he saw an old run down building. There were two boys outside smoking. Wisecrack knew they weren't newsies, but they looked like his kind of people.

            A little boy ran past and Wisecrack growled at him. The petrified child ran to one of the boys, who looked angrily toward Wisecrack. "Who are ya?" a tall brown haired boy asked.

            "Jeremy."

            "Well then Jeremy, I like yer name so I won't kill ya. So why are ya 'ere?"

            "I'se got no place else ta be."

            "Come 'ere," the boy motioned for Wisecrack/Jeremy to come forward, and he did. "Jeremy, have ya eva' hoid a da New Yawk unda'ground?" Jeremy shook his head. "Me name's Adam, I'se deir leada', and I'd ta like ta extend me poisonal invitation ta join."

            "You got it boss." Adam smiled and looked at the other boy.

            "Trevor, take Jeremy 'ear inside. 'E's our newest teammate!" Trevor looked at Jeremy with his piercing steel eyes.

            "Ya t'ink ya got what it takes?" he growled.

            "There's no doubt."

            "Good, confidence is half the game, but we'll see." He led Jeremy into a crowded bunkroom, "Welcome to da family." Trevor laughed and went back. Jeremy didn't know it yet, but this decision would change, not only his life, but also the lives of people he didn't even know existed.

Back in the Bronx…

            "Ya gotta wonda', " Toe shoes laughed, "If Wisecrack's doing well." She was playing Blackjack with Keys and some others.

            "I hope 'e's in hell," Keys said with anger in his voice.

            "Well," Toe shoes said surprised. Keys was normally a laid back guy, that kind of comment was rare from him. "He's da one who soaked ya wasn't he Keys?" Keys nodded grimly.

            "I've also got this suspicion dat he's gonna hoit someone." Things got rather quiet until Ginger walked in.

            "What?" Ginger asked sternly.

            "Jist speculation Ginga'," Keys said.

            "Maybe I don't wanna know."

            "Where've ya been?" Toe shoes asked trying to change the subject.

            "Manhattan."

            "I'se goin' wit ya next time. I wanna met dese boys. Alt'ough I don't t'ink dats it. I've gots a theory."

            "I don't wanna 'ear it Crys."

            "Manhattan is halfway between da two great boroughs…"

            "Crys!"

            "the two B's…"

            "Crystal!"

            "Bronx and Brooklyn, I'd neva' have thought of you an' da great Sp…"

            "Crystal Violli!" Ginger screamed in desperation. Toe shoes stopped talking at the mention of her last name, she could tolerate Ginger calling her Crys and even Crystal, but the mention of her family name made her made her burst into tears. "Oh Crys, I'se sorry" Ginger held her sobbing friend to her shoulder, "I'se real sorry."

            "Jeremy," Adam asked of the gangs newest member, "I'm goin' on an important mission tonight, an' I wanna take ya wit me."

            "You got it boss, what's da plan?"

            "You eva' killed someone?"

            "No."

            "Well, I'll tell ya, Sid Olivera is gonna pay."

            "Are you gonna kill him?"

            "No, there are t'ing far woise den death, me friend." Adam's eyes dark and viscous.

            That night Adam took Jeremy and Trevor to Union City. He made sure that they were all armed before they entered the tenement building. 'Olivera – number 195'  read a name list. Adam looked at the other boys and smiled viscously as he lead them up the stairs to '195'.

            An older man answered the door, "Who is it?"

            "Da New York Unda'ground," Adam said and motioned at Trevor, who shot the man.

            " What was that?" Asked a women stepping out of a small kitchen, a girl, who looked about the same age as Ginger, followed her.

            "Adam!" exclaimed a boy coming in from the fire escape.

            "Sid, long time no see, how's da family?"

            "I didn't think even you were this low."

            "No one tries to pull me gang out from unda me an' then leaves…Shoot the mother Trevor." Trevor followed orders and shot the woman, and the girl screamed. Adam pointed his gun at the girl.

            "Touch her and I'll kill ya in da most painful way possible," Sid snapped at Adam. Adam laughed and whispered something to Jeremy –

            "Make like yer gonna shoot her, but don't." Jeremy followed orders, glad that he didn't really have to kill anyone. Jeremy put his finger on the trigger and saw the fear in the girl's eyes. She was terrified and Jeremy felt awful. Time stopped for a minute as he mouthed "I'm sorry" and then Adam shot Sid right in the heart. As he fell to the ground the gang ran from the room.

            Jeremy heard the girl screaming "Someone help me!" Adam peered back into he apartment and stated calmly, "Have fun knowin' dat your brudda died because of ya kid."

            Back at headquarters Jeremy desperately tried to shake the image of the Olivera girl's eyes. "Adam," he said to his boss, "you're gonna see her again and if I'm right you'll have a lot to answer to."

            "Maybe yer right, if I ever change sides I'll take yer name, but Jeremy I'm not doin' dat jist yet, maybe neva'. I like what I'm doin' here in the Underground. I don't know why I am da way I am, but I like who I am." Adam walked away from Jeremy trying to convince himself that what he said was true.

            A moment or so later, he turned back to Jeremy, "I know you've got ghosts a some kind, every unda'ground memba' does. Maybe we could make yours our next project."

            "Adam, I'se ashamed a me ghosts."

            "All da more reason ta git rid a dem."

            "I dunno"

            "Jist tell me." Jeremy relented and explained about how he had been the newsie leader of the Bronx, the whole ordeal with Ginger. Adam and Trevor, who was evesdropping, were enthralled, and made a mental decision to fix that problem for their friend.

A little over a week later…

            A boy with honey blonde hair and glasses over his sky blue eyes approached the Bronx courtyard and was instantly noticed by Keys.

            "Who are you?" Keys asked suspiciously.

            "Names Dutchy, I'm here ta see Ginga' ," he said softly. Keys looked him over and was about to speak again when Ginger and Toe shoes walked out of the lodging house.

             "Wow!" Toe shoes said nudging Ginger, "whose da cutie?" Ginger stopped slowly and smiled with  pleasure that he came to visit her.

            "Dutchy, what are ya doin' 'ere?" Ginger asked as she walked slowly toward him.

            "I don't know. I felt like I should be 'ere." They shared a smiled before Keys broke in –

            "Who is dis Ginga' ?"

            "Dutchy," she said matter-of-factly

            "I t'ink he's 'er boyfriend Keys," Toe shoes explained.

            "I guess you could say dat," Ginger said and turned to Dutchy, "Me best friends, Keys and Crystal."

            "Hey," Keys said with a distracted nod.

            "Call me Toe shoes," Toe shoes said with a sly grin on her face. Everyone seemed to laugh at that except Toe shoes, who wasn't quite sure what was so funny. Suddenly the smile faded from Ginger's face, she felt as if her breath had stopped.

            "Hello darlin', Miss me?" These words were from the voice of Wisecrack. Ginger swallowed hard and met his icy gaze straight on.

            "Get out!" she ordered in a voice of authority.

            "What do ya t'ink you are? Da leada'?" Ginger laughed at him and smiled coolly. -

            "Why yes Wisecrack, have you come to beg for forgiveness?" Triumph flooded through her when he winced at her words. Wisecrack started to back away, Ginger was much more confident and powerful than he remembered. Then Adam and Trevor stepped behind him.

            "He's in da unda'ground now, an' we'se all 'ere ta end dis," Adam said with a viscous glint in his eyes, but still Ginger continued the stare down. Toe shoes and Keys trembled; neither of them were very good at fighting. Keys was decent, but Wisecrack had always been better, and besides they had guns.

            Trevor went around back and grabbed Toe shoe's arm. "Hey sweetheart," he whispered before throwing her into a large pile of crates to the left.

            Adam whipped out his gun and challenged Ginger who suddenly felt ill equipped to undertake this task. She couldn't back down, leading the Bronx was her job and she had to lead. Dutchy lightly touched her shoulder to say that he was behind her. So was Keys, but he was busy fighting off Trevor.

            Ginger tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder and glared at Adam and Wisecrack with burning eyes. She knocked the guns from their hands in one fluid motion. The two boys looked at her shocked for a moment and then she punched Adam in the gut so hard that he doubled over in pain. Wisecrack ran towards Ginger, but something caused him to fall flat on his face and sprawl all over the ground. "Who are you?" he grumbled at the person who had tripped him.

            Ginger motioned for the blonde boy not to speak his name and pecked him one the cheek before twisting Wisecrack's Arm behind his back. "I want you ta go away and neva' come back!"

"Ginga'," Wisecrack said in a voice that sounded miles away, "You know I'll always love you." Ginger tried not to look terrified as he continued. "And if I can't have you, no one can." Wisecrack reached for his fallen gun, but someone else grabbed it instead.

"I'll tell ya what," Trevor said, "If you git outta here, I'll leave your precious Bronx alone. If not, I'll execute all da dang newsies here one-by-one; finishing with you."

"How can I be sure yer telling the truth," Ginger said hoping he wouldn't notice the tremble in her voice.

            "Da only way you'll know is if you stay." Ginger looked at the unconscious Toe shoes and then at Keys who had a black eye and a strange limp. She waked over to Keys and whispered something to him-

"I don't wanna cause any of youse harm, I leave you in charge 'til I come back. I will come back and unlike him I will come back in peace." Keys nodded, and then she and Dutchy walked away. As they turned the corner, they heard a shot. Ginger started to run back, but Dutchy grabbed her arm and pulled her onward. She wrenched her hand away and looked at him startled. Her mind was having a hard time discerning the images of Dutchy and Wisecrack. Her temper and emotions seemed to be out of control under the stress.

"Ginga' calm down…Ginga! It's da bulls!" Ginger spun around and a uniformed policeman grabbed her wrist. She tried to get away, but the policeman didn't let go.

"Dutchy, I love you," she whispered as the policeman drug her off.

About 2 years later…

Ginger found herself at a local Bronx orphanage. She had awaken from a dream about the previously mentioned night and hugged her knees to her chest as she rocked back and forth. Deep sobs racked her insides as tears blinded her eyes. "Are you okay?" asked a girl with short blonde hair.

"I don't think she's okay Mick, as if that isn't obvious," said an auburn haired girl climbing up to her bunk.

"I know that Olivia," Mick held Ginger to her and whispered, "It's okay, it's okay." Olivia came down and put her arm around Ginger.

"Okay, Canda McTosh and Olivia Olivera," asked a young woman with a clipboard. Mick and Olivia looked directly at her. "You girl are going on a special trip tomorrow, each of you are going to be maids for different families. I'll come back to get you in the morning." Then she left and Canda and Olivia shared knowing glances.

That night Ginger heard rustling in the room, she saw Olivia and Canda leave; her curiosity had been peeked, so she decided to follow them. She watched as they disappeared into the night and felt a twinge of disappointment; she had almost made some friends. She turned and walked back in, for the next couple of days she would wonder why she didn't leave with them.

"Ginger," one of the orphanage girls asked with an eager look on her face.

"Yeah," Ginger said with slight impatience, she had become kind of a celebrity because some of the people still knew her as Ginger LaBlanc Queen of the Bronx, especially a few ex-newsies.

"Blade brought Olivia back today."

"Blade? Brooklyn newsies Blade?"

"Yes."

"What was Olivia doin' in Brooklyn?"

"I don't know."

"I guess we'll see. Dey got 'er locked up I bet?"

"No doubt." Ginger nodded and went up to the girl's bunkroom on the second floor. She started to compose yet another mental poem, when some rocks hit the window. She went over and opened it. She looked down to see the great Spot Conlon himself.

"What do you want?" Ginger called down to him.

"There's a goil that just got brought back to this joint. She's got auburn hair, bright blue eyes, and real light freckles on her face, have ya seen her?" he asked.

"Hang on fer a minute," she order and walked to the solitary room thinking 'Livvy's done alright fer herself' "Hey Liv," Ginger whispered into the keyhole, "Yer boyfriend's here ta bust ya out."

"What?" a surprised voice answered back.

"Spot Conlon, anyway I gots a plan. Tamorrow when yer out doin' yer chores come to da goil's bunkroom. 'E'll get ya outta 'ere." Ginger left and went back to the window. "Yea, she's hear, but ya ain't gonna be able ta see her."

"What? Is she locked up in a room or something?" Spot questioned. Ginger nodded and then heard one of the girls coming up the steps.

"Hey, I gots to go, but come back tamorrow and ask fer Ginger." She shut the window and looked directly at the girl in the doorway. "Who knows what tamorrow brings?"