"Spades Fire! Hurry up! The planes are coming!" yelled a scrawny
black haired girl. Spades Fire, a small, brown headed girl sat in the
front of the old rust covered plane, and she yanked on the joystick,
sending a loud squeak into the air.
"Irish they are too close! We'll never make it!" she yelled, yanking it to the left. They forced their bodies to the left, making the decrepit plane wobble on the cement blocks that held it up.
"Ack! The Germans'!" screamed Irish as she made her body shake rapidly as if being shot. Then made herself lay dead in the back seat. Spades Fire laughed and poked her hard in the stomach. Irish sat up laughing. Two brown heads came running over laughing hysterically.
"You should of seen your faces! Ya were so into it!" laughed one of the boys, his hazel eyes flashing.
"Shut up Nightmare!" snickered Irish. He stuck his tongue out at her and she flicked it hard. He yelped and covered his mouth. Spades Fire was in deep conversation with the other boy.
"Awww, how cute! Spades Fire and Ransom sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage…" sang Irish and Nightmare together cackling. Ransom came after Nightmare and Spades Fire after Irish. Irish shrieked and dove out of the way, running from the barn with Nightmare on her heels.
"The German's will get us! Run Irish run!" laughed Nightmare, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. They pumped their legs as hard as they could, until they fell over laughing and breathless. They lay on their backs and awaited Spades Fire and Ransom. They came along shortly and plopped down beside them. All four heads together in the middle. They looked up into the California sky. A plane flew over head and they watched in awe as the American flag fluttered behind it.
*September 1941*
"Hurry up Luna!" yelled Firecracker, a girl with blazing red hair. Her green eyes dancing.
"Why? We won't get there any faster!" snickered Mix, a girl with jet-black hair and hazel eyes. Bitter rolled her eyes and waited impatiently for them to hurry up.
"Ya guys! Come on! Da boys have already gone ta da train! We were lucky ta get trained as nurses! We can't miss the it!" whined Bitter. Mix glanced at her, eyebrow quirked and shrugged while fidgeting with her dress uncomfortably.
"Damn these dresses!" she muttered quietly. Black hair streaming behind her and eyes dancing Luna bounded up to them.
"All right! I'm heah!" announced Luna brushing her bangs out of her face. A smile planted on it knowing that Spot awaited her at the last destination. The group of girls pushed their way to the back of the train, which they had claimed as their own on the way out from New York. To make themselves comfortable for the hour-long ride to the next train station in California.
"One more. Just one more. Then I get to see Mush!" grinned Firecracker. Mix couldn't help but smile as her mind drifted back to Jack. Bitter forced a smile. Skittery should be there. But what if he didn't pass the test? What if he got sick? Her mind couldn't help but ponder the sad thoughts as she awaited the train to leave.
*New Port California*
"I miss Ransom." Pouted Spades Fire. Irish nodded, her mind totally fixated on Nightmare.
"Who ever thought we'd miss them so much?" inquired Irish more to herself then to Spades Fire.
"I don't know. Do you think that maybe we are sweet on them?" she blushed slightly.
"Me?" asked Irish appalled, "Sweet on Nightmare?"
Spades Fire nodded slowly. She had noticed that they seemed to take a little bit more advantage of the last few days together, more than she thought they would. Then again, Ransom hadn't left her side either. She glanced at Irish quickly and could see the longing in Irish's eyes to see Nightmare again. In her hand a small picture, that Nightmare and her had gotten taken at a county fair, was planted firmly and didn't show any signs of moving. She sighed, then watched the train tracks impatiently awaiting the trains' arrival.
*New Port, California. Two hours later*
Train bustling and ready to go, Irish and Spades Fire boarded the train, scrambling for a seat. She heard laughter and cheerful talking towards the back. Irish stalked straight towards the last car, hating to miss excitement. She opened the door cautiously, and in return, four pairs of eyes bore into her. She nodded a smirk on her face.
"I'm Irish! Nice to meet ya! I take it you guys are nurses too?" she said, catching a glance at the white uniforms each girl modeled. Mix returned the smirk and stood up.
"The name is Mix. I was a newsie. Now a nurse who has ta wear dis damn dress!" she smiled spitting into her hand and holding it out. Irish hesitated a moment and with a quick glance at Spades Fire, who returned the gesture. Spades Fire had moved over towards the red headed girl, and both were already in deep conversation, without the spit swap. Irish beamed at each of them, her eyes straying towards the short blond who sat in the corner. As Spades Fire went on explaining how much she wanted to be on the war front, Irish elbowed Mix, who was busying herself with matches, and lit up a cigarette.
"Ya know…were not supposed to smoke. But since ya have one, can ya spare another?" asked Irish. Mix nodded and handed her one.
"Tell me Mix, who's the girl in the corner?" she asked, nodding in Bitter's direction.
"Oh, dats Bittah. She's a cool goil. But lately she's been keepin' ta 'er self. I dunno why. Maybe she misses her boy or somethin', " shrugged Mix, joining into Spades Fire's conversation. Irish nodded her mind streaking back towards Nightmare. She sighed then returned to the conversation. If Bitter wanted to talk, then she would talk.
*Pearl Harbor Hawaii, 2 days later*
Nightmare and Ransom scanned the hospital entrance expectantly. Another group of boys stood not to far away.
Spot waited impatiently, hands moving constantly into fists and out of fists he watched everyone else carefully, his leader like skills still strong as ever. Jack paced some, not really himself look anxious, but more calm and collected.
"How long does it take?" muttered Dutchy under his breath, as he cleaned his glasses for almost the tenth time. Mush grabbed the glasses from his hand and held them tightly.
"Stop cleaning them!" Mush said harshly handing them back. Anxious and excited he paced along the front steps. Bumlets and Skittery speckled the steps from a distance as they sat on a railing swinging their legs back and forth. Ransom exchanged a quick glance with Nightmare before nodding, and slowly making their way over to the group of boys.
"Are you guys the newsies that were rumored to have signed up?" asked Ransom sizing up Spot, just in case he took that statement as an insult. Jack turned on his heel and looked over the two tall handsome looking boys.
"We shoah are, me name is Kelly, Jack Kelly." He said holding out his hand. Nightmare shook it. His hand shake was strong, yet firm.
"My name is Josh, but people call me Nightmare." He smirked, his eyes flashing. Spot managed to stop clenching his fists for a minute to come over and introduce him.
"Name is Spot Conlon." He nodded to each of them. Ransom nodded back and Nightmare laughed, sending Spot's famous cold-hearted stare boring into him.
"First off, chill out. Second I'm laughing cause I heard how much trouble ya gave the commanding officer during training," snickered Nightmare. Spot smirked and nodded.
"Ya did, did ya?" he laughed. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Don't give him a reason to make his ego biggah," grinned Jack. Spot shot a quick piercing glare at Jack then looked back at Ransom and Nightmare.
"So why are ya guys hanging out at the hospital?" asked Bumlets, coming over. Ransom looked up at him.
"We got our self some girlfriends coming here." Ransom explained. Nightmare nodded then looked at him confused.
"Wait? Since when are we going out with them?" Nightmare asked, truly confused. Ransom rolled his eyes and looked back at Bumlets.
"How about you?"
"Dey got goils comin'. I'm heah ta cruse da merchandise." He laughed. Nightmare laughed.
"There's a girl I've seen already, really not hard on the eyes. Let me tell ya," he grinned.
"But she is going out with Empire, an officer here," added Ransom.
"What's her name?" asked Bumlets, arching an eyebrow.
"Scam, I think," guessed Nightmare. Bumlets nodded and waved over to the other guys who were watching from a distance.
"This here is Mush, Dutchy, Skittery," he said pointing to each of them, "I'm Bumlets."
"Nice to meet ya guys. The name is Nightmare, and my partner in crime is Ransom," pointed out Nightmare. Everyone started to discuss how the first night together was going to be done, when a bell rang out four times.
"Four o'clock!" cheered Skittery jumping up.
"Wow! Ya can count!" snickered Mush. Spot shut him up with a smack on the back of the head.
"Da goils get heah at four smartass." He rolled his eyes, then scanned the road for them.
A group of woman dressed up in white dresses slowly made their way up the street. Irish, walking in front with Bitter, saw the boys first. Her face lighting up she nudged Bitter.
"Look. Ya have some to choose from!" she grinned. Bitter glanced up and in that small glance saw Skittery; she squealed with delight and tore out in front running into Skittery's open arms. Irish saw Nightmare among the back, and Ransom at his side.
"Spades Fire! Its Ransom and Nightmare!" she screeched following Bitter's actions and running to Nightmare and jumping up into his arms and kissing him. The rest of the girls followed and loud shrieks of happiness could be heard. A girl, with dirty blonde hair lagged behind with another girl, who Nightmare recognized as Scam and the officer Empire. She was pretty, very pretty. He called over to Bumlets, who was kicking rocks in the street.
"Heya Bumlets!" he yelled. Bumlets glanced up to acknowledge that he had heard him.
"Look over there, a gi…" he was interrupted by a kiss from Irish. Bumlets looked up and around the group. Spotting the girl who Nightmare had been talking about, he felt his mouth drop. He made his way over to her.
"The name is Bumlets." He introduced himself. The girl looked up, a smile on her face.
"Blaze." She grinned. An akcward silence followed, and remembering what she did at home she stole Bumlets' hat and took off. Laughing, Bumlets took off after her. This place was definitely gonna be just like home.
"Irish they are too close! We'll never make it!" she yelled, yanking it to the left. They forced their bodies to the left, making the decrepit plane wobble on the cement blocks that held it up.
"Ack! The Germans'!" screamed Irish as she made her body shake rapidly as if being shot. Then made herself lay dead in the back seat. Spades Fire laughed and poked her hard in the stomach. Irish sat up laughing. Two brown heads came running over laughing hysterically.
"You should of seen your faces! Ya were so into it!" laughed one of the boys, his hazel eyes flashing.
"Shut up Nightmare!" snickered Irish. He stuck his tongue out at her and she flicked it hard. He yelped and covered his mouth. Spades Fire was in deep conversation with the other boy.
"Awww, how cute! Spades Fire and Ransom sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage…" sang Irish and Nightmare together cackling. Ransom came after Nightmare and Spades Fire after Irish. Irish shrieked and dove out of the way, running from the barn with Nightmare on her heels.
"The German's will get us! Run Irish run!" laughed Nightmare, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. They pumped their legs as hard as they could, until they fell over laughing and breathless. They lay on their backs and awaited Spades Fire and Ransom. They came along shortly and plopped down beside them. All four heads together in the middle. They looked up into the California sky. A plane flew over head and they watched in awe as the American flag fluttered behind it.
*September 1941*
"Hurry up Luna!" yelled Firecracker, a girl with blazing red hair. Her green eyes dancing.
"Why? We won't get there any faster!" snickered Mix, a girl with jet-black hair and hazel eyes. Bitter rolled her eyes and waited impatiently for them to hurry up.
"Ya guys! Come on! Da boys have already gone ta da train! We were lucky ta get trained as nurses! We can't miss the it!" whined Bitter. Mix glanced at her, eyebrow quirked and shrugged while fidgeting with her dress uncomfortably.
"Damn these dresses!" she muttered quietly. Black hair streaming behind her and eyes dancing Luna bounded up to them.
"All right! I'm heah!" announced Luna brushing her bangs out of her face. A smile planted on it knowing that Spot awaited her at the last destination. The group of girls pushed their way to the back of the train, which they had claimed as their own on the way out from New York. To make themselves comfortable for the hour-long ride to the next train station in California.
"One more. Just one more. Then I get to see Mush!" grinned Firecracker. Mix couldn't help but smile as her mind drifted back to Jack. Bitter forced a smile. Skittery should be there. But what if he didn't pass the test? What if he got sick? Her mind couldn't help but ponder the sad thoughts as she awaited the train to leave.
*New Port California*
"I miss Ransom." Pouted Spades Fire. Irish nodded, her mind totally fixated on Nightmare.
"Who ever thought we'd miss them so much?" inquired Irish more to herself then to Spades Fire.
"I don't know. Do you think that maybe we are sweet on them?" she blushed slightly.
"Me?" asked Irish appalled, "Sweet on Nightmare?"
Spades Fire nodded slowly. She had noticed that they seemed to take a little bit more advantage of the last few days together, more than she thought they would. Then again, Ransom hadn't left her side either. She glanced at Irish quickly and could see the longing in Irish's eyes to see Nightmare again. In her hand a small picture, that Nightmare and her had gotten taken at a county fair, was planted firmly and didn't show any signs of moving. She sighed, then watched the train tracks impatiently awaiting the trains' arrival.
*New Port, California. Two hours later*
Train bustling and ready to go, Irish and Spades Fire boarded the train, scrambling for a seat. She heard laughter and cheerful talking towards the back. Irish stalked straight towards the last car, hating to miss excitement. She opened the door cautiously, and in return, four pairs of eyes bore into her. She nodded a smirk on her face.
"I'm Irish! Nice to meet ya! I take it you guys are nurses too?" she said, catching a glance at the white uniforms each girl modeled. Mix returned the smirk and stood up.
"The name is Mix. I was a newsie. Now a nurse who has ta wear dis damn dress!" she smiled spitting into her hand and holding it out. Irish hesitated a moment and with a quick glance at Spades Fire, who returned the gesture. Spades Fire had moved over towards the red headed girl, and both were already in deep conversation, without the spit swap. Irish beamed at each of them, her eyes straying towards the short blond who sat in the corner. As Spades Fire went on explaining how much she wanted to be on the war front, Irish elbowed Mix, who was busying herself with matches, and lit up a cigarette.
"Ya know…were not supposed to smoke. But since ya have one, can ya spare another?" asked Irish. Mix nodded and handed her one.
"Tell me Mix, who's the girl in the corner?" she asked, nodding in Bitter's direction.
"Oh, dats Bittah. She's a cool goil. But lately she's been keepin' ta 'er self. I dunno why. Maybe she misses her boy or somethin', " shrugged Mix, joining into Spades Fire's conversation. Irish nodded her mind streaking back towards Nightmare. She sighed then returned to the conversation. If Bitter wanted to talk, then she would talk.
*Pearl Harbor Hawaii, 2 days later*
Nightmare and Ransom scanned the hospital entrance expectantly. Another group of boys stood not to far away.
Spot waited impatiently, hands moving constantly into fists and out of fists he watched everyone else carefully, his leader like skills still strong as ever. Jack paced some, not really himself look anxious, but more calm and collected.
"How long does it take?" muttered Dutchy under his breath, as he cleaned his glasses for almost the tenth time. Mush grabbed the glasses from his hand and held them tightly.
"Stop cleaning them!" Mush said harshly handing them back. Anxious and excited he paced along the front steps. Bumlets and Skittery speckled the steps from a distance as they sat on a railing swinging their legs back and forth. Ransom exchanged a quick glance with Nightmare before nodding, and slowly making their way over to the group of boys.
"Are you guys the newsies that were rumored to have signed up?" asked Ransom sizing up Spot, just in case he took that statement as an insult. Jack turned on his heel and looked over the two tall handsome looking boys.
"We shoah are, me name is Kelly, Jack Kelly." He said holding out his hand. Nightmare shook it. His hand shake was strong, yet firm.
"My name is Josh, but people call me Nightmare." He smirked, his eyes flashing. Spot managed to stop clenching his fists for a minute to come over and introduce him.
"Name is Spot Conlon." He nodded to each of them. Ransom nodded back and Nightmare laughed, sending Spot's famous cold-hearted stare boring into him.
"First off, chill out. Second I'm laughing cause I heard how much trouble ya gave the commanding officer during training," snickered Nightmare. Spot smirked and nodded.
"Ya did, did ya?" he laughed. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Don't give him a reason to make his ego biggah," grinned Jack. Spot shot a quick piercing glare at Jack then looked back at Ransom and Nightmare.
"So why are ya guys hanging out at the hospital?" asked Bumlets, coming over. Ransom looked up at him.
"We got our self some girlfriends coming here." Ransom explained. Nightmare nodded then looked at him confused.
"Wait? Since when are we going out with them?" Nightmare asked, truly confused. Ransom rolled his eyes and looked back at Bumlets.
"How about you?"
"Dey got goils comin'. I'm heah ta cruse da merchandise." He laughed. Nightmare laughed.
"There's a girl I've seen already, really not hard on the eyes. Let me tell ya," he grinned.
"But she is going out with Empire, an officer here," added Ransom.
"What's her name?" asked Bumlets, arching an eyebrow.
"Scam, I think," guessed Nightmare. Bumlets nodded and waved over to the other guys who were watching from a distance.
"This here is Mush, Dutchy, Skittery," he said pointing to each of them, "I'm Bumlets."
"Nice to meet ya guys. The name is Nightmare, and my partner in crime is Ransom," pointed out Nightmare. Everyone started to discuss how the first night together was going to be done, when a bell rang out four times.
"Four o'clock!" cheered Skittery jumping up.
"Wow! Ya can count!" snickered Mush. Spot shut him up with a smack on the back of the head.
"Da goils get heah at four smartass." He rolled his eyes, then scanned the road for them.
A group of woman dressed up in white dresses slowly made their way up the street. Irish, walking in front with Bitter, saw the boys first. Her face lighting up she nudged Bitter.
"Look. Ya have some to choose from!" she grinned. Bitter glanced up and in that small glance saw Skittery; she squealed with delight and tore out in front running into Skittery's open arms. Irish saw Nightmare among the back, and Ransom at his side.
"Spades Fire! Its Ransom and Nightmare!" she screeched following Bitter's actions and running to Nightmare and jumping up into his arms and kissing him. The rest of the girls followed and loud shrieks of happiness could be heard. A girl, with dirty blonde hair lagged behind with another girl, who Nightmare recognized as Scam and the officer Empire. She was pretty, very pretty. He called over to Bumlets, who was kicking rocks in the street.
"Heya Bumlets!" he yelled. Bumlets glanced up to acknowledge that he had heard him.
"Look over there, a gi…" he was interrupted by a kiss from Irish. Bumlets looked up and around the group. Spotting the girl who Nightmare had been talking about, he felt his mouth drop. He made his way over to her.
"The name is Bumlets." He introduced himself. The girl looked up, a smile on her face.
"Blaze." She grinned. An akcward silence followed, and remembering what she did at home she stole Bumlets' hat and took off. Laughing, Bumlets took off after her. This place was definitely gonna be just like home.