Rounder had been selling for less than 20 minutes and was already worn out. The muscular Italian stopped to rest his voice. He had less then 10 papers to sell and if the day kept at this pace he would be done soon and have plenty of time to go take a dip in the river before the next edition was out. As he went back to selling Bait ran up to him. His last paper had just sold when Bait caught his breath enough to talk. "Spot needs help. Kit in trouble," was all Bait could get out between breaths.
Rounder was only able to ask "Where?" Bait pointed back the way he came, "Alley behind lodging house."
"Ise want youse to go find falcon and anyone else. Tell them to go to the roof of the lodgings got it?"
Rounder took off before Bait could reply, running for the lodging house. Bait stared after him then headed off to find anyone else. As he ran he would stop and pick up stones here and there. Just the right size to shoot. He quickly found Sticks and Shuffles and gave them the ammunition he had found before they headed off to help. Bait only go the larger, older newsies and the last one he found was Falcon.
"Falcon: Spot needs help: Kit trouble: Lodging house alley." Bait was red faced. Falcon didn't even pause, just ran for where Bait had said trouble was. Bait stood up catching his breath. "Kit needs me," he gathered up more stones and stretched the sling shot that Spot had helped him make the week before. He then ran back to the lodging house to fight for Kit.
Jolly had the hardest task of all. He was told because he was the faster runner, to go find Kit's brother and his best friend, along with the other Manhattan Newsies. He ran as fast as he could crossing the bridge without even stopping to throw his voice. Something told him to go to Irving Hall first as he began searching the newsies for faces he recognized from poker matches and such. He found it after searching up and down streets he barely knew, and ran for the door. A tall red head stopped him, "Hey you're a bit young to be here aren't you?"
"I have to find Kit's brudder." Jolly said gasping for air.
"I don't' know any Kit, so you'll just have to run along." The man began to push Jolly toward the door.
Jolly fought him, "You don't understand, Ise gots to get help and this is where he works Kit told me."
"Bryon what is going on? Who is this boy?" a lady with red curly hair came in where Jolly and the man had been fighting. Jolly took advantage of the man's divided attention and ran around the woman and into the main room. He looked around and say a poker game in progress. Jolly ran over to the game and tugged on the closest shirt. "Hey what's the big idea?" Race turned to look at him.
"Ise sorry but Ise got to find Kit's brudder. Youse knows where Ise could find him?
"Why do you need Kit's brother?" Swan looked at the boy. "Aren't you one of the boy's Kit takes car of in Brooklyn?"
Jolly gave an exasperated sigh. "Maybe but Ise got ta find Kit's brudder. She's in trouble and Spot said to get him."
Swan's face became serious as he put down his cards. "I know Kit's brother, what's wrong?"
"Ise ain't gonna say till Ise can talke to him. It's important."
"Hey Cray, youse got a visitor." Race yelled out.
"What you mean, oh hi Jolly, right, ain't you a bit far from home?"
"Youse Kit's brudder?" Cray nodded and looked surprised when Jolly grabbed his hand and began to tug. "Kit's in trouble. Spot sent me to get youse and anyone else. The guy has a knife to her throat." Jolly pulled urgently on Cray's hand.
"A knife to her throat. Where are they?" Cray stopped surprised then began to pose for action.
"In the alley behind our lodgings. Come on Spot said Ise had to bring youse right there." Jolly tugged again.
"Medda I have to go to Brooklyn, my sister has been hurt. I'll try to be back in time, but I have a feeling I won't be. Swan come on we better get there. Jolly get on my back okay, that way you can tell me where to go." Cray bent down so that Jolly could get on his back then straightened as Jack came over.
"Leave the kid here. I know where the Brooklyn lodgings are better than you, I'll go and the kid will be safe." Jolly protested and wouldn't let go, Cray not wanting to delay any longer left. Mills after hearing what had happened to Kit told Medda she was going and Medda decided she should send Bryon along and decided to close up the theater for the night, figuring that no one would be back in time for the show. Soon the group was walking quickly to Brooklyn to find out what exactly was going on.
In the alleyway Kit was beginning to feel faint. Her mind was screaming but she was barely able to whimper. She was in the middle of a nightmare all she had to do was wake up; but she couldn't. She began to have flashbacks to Baltimore and even Lincoln only this time the people being beat up were Cray, Swan and Spot. Not those who Kit knew were supposed to be there. Her vision began to tunnel as the darkness closed in.
Spot and Chair were in a stand off, neither had moved a muscle. Spot tried reasoning for one last time. "Just let her go and youse wont' get hurt." Spot warned Chair as he saw his newsies get into position on the roofs of the surrounding buildings.
"You think I am afraid of you? I have the girl and I ain't about to let her go."
"Is that youse final choice?" Spot looked over Chair's head.
"You gonna give up then? I see how much you really care about Kit and it ain't much." Chair sneered as he pulled Kit's limp body closer.
"Youse really think that? Well Ise guess that is where youse be wrong." Spot pulled out his slingshot, loaded it and took aim. Suddenly the air rained down marbles and stones onto Chair. His arms went up to protect his head and neck letting kit fall to the ground. Spot raced forward and picked her up, then moved her out of the way. He turned back to Chair and began to throw punches. Chair didn't have a chance to fight back, he was down in less than a minute. The Manhattan newsies had just arrived and Jack came and pulled Spot off the fallen man.
"He ain't gonna wake up anytime soon. Youse need to come check on Kit. Me and your guys will take care of him."
Jack's words registered with Spot and he went over to where Kit was laying. Mills had sat down and was pushing Kit's hair out of her face. "Kit come on wake up hun."
"She okay?" Spot stood scared to touch her.
"Ise don't know. Bryon and Cray went to get a doctor. Youse want to help me take her inside?"
Spot knelt down and picked Kit up, taking her into the lodging house. Kosei had dragged a cot out into the sitting room with Bait and Jolly's help and Spot laid Kit onto it. "Spot she's gonna be okay right?" Bait put his hand into Spot's for comfort.
"Yeah the doctor will be able to make her all better." Came his distracted answer.
As they waited for the doctor Kit began to wake up. She was thrashing about as if she were dreaming. Instinct took over for Spot and he sat on the bed pulling Kit into his arms. "He's gone, no one is gonna hurt youse." His voice was soothing. Kit's eyes opened in a snap and she struggled to get out of Spot's arms, but he wouldn't let her go. His voice continued to sooth as he attempted to calm her. "Kit calm down it it's okay he's gone. Ise got youse nothings gonna happen."
Kit began to mumble, "He's killed Spot I got another guy hurt. I need to get away. Spot's dead and it's my fault." She mumbled over and over.
"Kit it's me Spot Ise not dead Ise fine. Youse need to wake up. Come back to us." He held her close as she cried and mumbled. "Spot's dead I killed him," over and over between sobs.
This was the scene the doctor and the rest of the newsies came upon. Spot and Bait on the bed. Bait was stroking Kit's hand while Spot held her. The doctor took it all in before ordering everyone but "her husband" out. No one objected. Spot didn't even realize he had been mistaken for Kit's husband.
"Sir I need to see her can you put her back on the bed?"
"Ise try Doc but Ise don't think she's gonna let go."
"Lay her down and hold her hand, and keep talking. What is her name?"
"Kit. Kit Ise gonna put youse down but Ise still here. Let me go." Kit kept her hands on Spot's suspenders.
"Well I guess you can sit right here and I'll check her out. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Kit stayed here when me and the others went to got our papers. When Ise coming back Jolly, on of the younger newsies said Kit was scared and Ise needed to go to her. As Ise got here, this guy was pulling her up and when he saw me he pulls her around in front of him using her as a shield. Ise sent the boys off to get help and tried to reason with him. Somewhere along the line Kit passed out with is knife to her neck. Some newsies came and we saved her and brought her back her. She hit the ground when he let go to defend himself."
"Where's the guy?" the doctor looked kit over listening to her heart and breathing and looking over the bruises on her face and arms.
"Ise got no clue." Spot lied.
"I have to lift her shirt do you mind?"
"No if it helps you get her better. Kit wes got ta lift your shirt so the doctor can check youse out." Spot moved to the side peeling her hands off his suspenders. The doctor was quick, he found a large bruise across her stomach where the other person would have been holding her. "So doc is she gonna be okay?"
"Well physically there is nothing wrong outside of the bruises. Has anything like this happened before?" The doctor straightened her shirt as she stood up.
"Yes about 4 months ago the same guy attacked her. Ise think he raped her. Her brother's best friend saved her."
The doctor had a concerned look on his face as he considered this. "I have a feeling that she isn't going to be okay upstairs for a while. Keep her warm and keep talking to her. I assume you are the Spot she is mumbling about getting killed?"
"Yes sir, Ise make sure all this happens."
The doctor gathered up his supplies and went for the door, before he left he turned back. "She is going to need time, don't expect her to be normal for a long time." He then let himself out.
Newsies walked in and out all day. And after a while most of the Manhattan guys went home. Mills elected to stay in hopes she could help get Kit back. She sent a note to Medda with Bryon and then settled in for the long wait for Kit to wake up.
Rounder was only able to ask "Where?" Bait pointed back the way he came, "Alley behind lodging house."
"Ise want youse to go find falcon and anyone else. Tell them to go to the roof of the lodgings got it?"
Rounder took off before Bait could reply, running for the lodging house. Bait stared after him then headed off to find anyone else. As he ran he would stop and pick up stones here and there. Just the right size to shoot. He quickly found Sticks and Shuffles and gave them the ammunition he had found before they headed off to help. Bait only go the larger, older newsies and the last one he found was Falcon.
"Falcon: Spot needs help: Kit trouble: Lodging house alley." Bait was red faced. Falcon didn't even pause, just ran for where Bait had said trouble was. Bait stood up catching his breath. "Kit needs me," he gathered up more stones and stretched the sling shot that Spot had helped him make the week before. He then ran back to the lodging house to fight for Kit.
Jolly had the hardest task of all. He was told because he was the faster runner, to go find Kit's brother and his best friend, along with the other Manhattan Newsies. He ran as fast as he could crossing the bridge without even stopping to throw his voice. Something told him to go to Irving Hall first as he began searching the newsies for faces he recognized from poker matches and such. He found it after searching up and down streets he barely knew, and ran for the door. A tall red head stopped him, "Hey you're a bit young to be here aren't you?"
"I have to find Kit's brudder." Jolly said gasping for air.
"I don't' know any Kit, so you'll just have to run along." The man began to push Jolly toward the door.
Jolly fought him, "You don't understand, Ise gots to get help and this is where he works Kit told me."
"Bryon what is going on? Who is this boy?" a lady with red curly hair came in where Jolly and the man had been fighting. Jolly took advantage of the man's divided attention and ran around the woman and into the main room. He looked around and say a poker game in progress. Jolly ran over to the game and tugged on the closest shirt. "Hey what's the big idea?" Race turned to look at him.
"Ise sorry but Ise got to find Kit's brudder. Youse knows where Ise could find him?
"Why do you need Kit's brother?" Swan looked at the boy. "Aren't you one of the boy's Kit takes car of in Brooklyn?"
Jolly gave an exasperated sigh. "Maybe but Ise got ta find Kit's brudder. She's in trouble and Spot said to get him."
Swan's face became serious as he put down his cards. "I know Kit's brother, what's wrong?"
"Ise ain't gonna say till Ise can talke to him. It's important."
"Hey Cray, youse got a visitor." Race yelled out.
"What you mean, oh hi Jolly, right, ain't you a bit far from home?"
"Youse Kit's brudder?" Cray nodded and looked surprised when Jolly grabbed his hand and began to tug. "Kit's in trouble. Spot sent me to get youse and anyone else. The guy has a knife to her throat." Jolly pulled urgently on Cray's hand.
"A knife to her throat. Where are they?" Cray stopped surprised then began to pose for action.
"In the alley behind our lodgings. Come on Spot said Ise had to bring youse right there." Jolly tugged again.
"Medda I have to go to Brooklyn, my sister has been hurt. I'll try to be back in time, but I have a feeling I won't be. Swan come on we better get there. Jolly get on my back okay, that way you can tell me where to go." Cray bent down so that Jolly could get on his back then straightened as Jack came over.
"Leave the kid here. I know where the Brooklyn lodgings are better than you, I'll go and the kid will be safe." Jolly protested and wouldn't let go, Cray not wanting to delay any longer left. Mills after hearing what had happened to Kit told Medda she was going and Medda decided she should send Bryon along and decided to close up the theater for the night, figuring that no one would be back in time for the show. Soon the group was walking quickly to Brooklyn to find out what exactly was going on.
In the alleyway Kit was beginning to feel faint. Her mind was screaming but she was barely able to whimper. She was in the middle of a nightmare all she had to do was wake up; but she couldn't. She began to have flashbacks to Baltimore and even Lincoln only this time the people being beat up were Cray, Swan and Spot. Not those who Kit knew were supposed to be there. Her vision began to tunnel as the darkness closed in.
Spot and Chair were in a stand off, neither had moved a muscle. Spot tried reasoning for one last time. "Just let her go and youse wont' get hurt." Spot warned Chair as he saw his newsies get into position on the roofs of the surrounding buildings.
"You think I am afraid of you? I have the girl and I ain't about to let her go."
"Is that youse final choice?" Spot looked over Chair's head.
"You gonna give up then? I see how much you really care about Kit and it ain't much." Chair sneered as he pulled Kit's limp body closer.
"Youse really think that? Well Ise guess that is where youse be wrong." Spot pulled out his slingshot, loaded it and took aim. Suddenly the air rained down marbles and stones onto Chair. His arms went up to protect his head and neck letting kit fall to the ground. Spot raced forward and picked her up, then moved her out of the way. He turned back to Chair and began to throw punches. Chair didn't have a chance to fight back, he was down in less than a minute. The Manhattan newsies had just arrived and Jack came and pulled Spot off the fallen man.
"He ain't gonna wake up anytime soon. Youse need to come check on Kit. Me and your guys will take care of him."
Jack's words registered with Spot and he went over to where Kit was laying. Mills had sat down and was pushing Kit's hair out of her face. "Kit come on wake up hun."
"She okay?" Spot stood scared to touch her.
"Ise don't know. Bryon and Cray went to get a doctor. Youse want to help me take her inside?"
Spot knelt down and picked Kit up, taking her into the lodging house. Kosei had dragged a cot out into the sitting room with Bait and Jolly's help and Spot laid Kit onto it. "Spot she's gonna be okay right?" Bait put his hand into Spot's for comfort.
"Yeah the doctor will be able to make her all better." Came his distracted answer.
As they waited for the doctor Kit began to wake up. She was thrashing about as if she were dreaming. Instinct took over for Spot and he sat on the bed pulling Kit into his arms. "He's gone, no one is gonna hurt youse." His voice was soothing. Kit's eyes opened in a snap and she struggled to get out of Spot's arms, but he wouldn't let her go. His voice continued to sooth as he attempted to calm her. "Kit calm down it it's okay he's gone. Ise got youse nothings gonna happen."
Kit began to mumble, "He's killed Spot I got another guy hurt. I need to get away. Spot's dead and it's my fault." She mumbled over and over.
"Kit it's me Spot Ise not dead Ise fine. Youse need to wake up. Come back to us." He held her close as she cried and mumbled. "Spot's dead I killed him," over and over between sobs.
This was the scene the doctor and the rest of the newsies came upon. Spot and Bait on the bed. Bait was stroking Kit's hand while Spot held her. The doctor took it all in before ordering everyone but "her husband" out. No one objected. Spot didn't even realize he had been mistaken for Kit's husband.
"Sir I need to see her can you put her back on the bed?"
"Ise try Doc but Ise don't think she's gonna let go."
"Lay her down and hold her hand, and keep talking. What is her name?"
"Kit. Kit Ise gonna put youse down but Ise still here. Let me go." Kit kept her hands on Spot's suspenders.
"Well I guess you can sit right here and I'll check her out. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Kit stayed here when me and the others went to got our papers. When Ise coming back Jolly, on of the younger newsies said Kit was scared and Ise needed to go to her. As Ise got here, this guy was pulling her up and when he saw me he pulls her around in front of him using her as a shield. Ise sent the boys off to get help and tried to reason with him. Somewhere along the line Kit passed out with is knife to her neck. Some newsies came and we saved her and brought her back her. She hit the ground when he let go to defend himself."
"Where's the guy?" the doctor looked kit over listening to her heart and breathing and looking over the bruises on her face and arms.
"Ise got no clue." Spot lied.
"I have to lift her shirt do you mind?"
"No if it helps you get her better. Kit wes got ta lift your shirt so the doctor can check youse out." Spot moved to the side peeling her hands off his suspenders. The doctor was quick, he found a large bruise across her stomach where the other person would have been holding her. "So doc is she gonna be okay?"
"Well physically there is nothing wrong outside of the bruises. Has anything like this happened before?" The doctor straightened her shirt as she stood up.
"Yes about 4 months ago the same guy attacked her. Ise think he raped her. Her brother's best friend saved her."
The doctor had a concerned look on his face as he considered this. "I have a feeling that she isn't going to be okay upstairs for a while. Keep her warm and keep talking to her. I assume you are the Spot she is mumbling about getting killed?"
"Yes sir, Ise make sure all this happens."
The doctor gathered up his supplies and went for the door, before he left he turned back. "She is going to need time, don't expect her to be normal for a long time." He then let himself out.
Newsies walked in and out all day. And after a while most of the Manhattan guys went home. Mills elected to stay in hopes she could help get Kit back. She sent a note to Medda with Bryon and then settled in for the long wait for Kit to wake up.