Chapter 2
"So what's up wit Mush?" Jack asked Kid Blink as the Manhattan newsies walked back towards Manhattan.
"I'm not really shore. But 'e's been actin' weird all week!" Blink exclaimed. "I mean, 'e 'asn't eaten in like two days! 'e neveh smiles, and 'e neveh talks ta anyone even me!"
"Yeah, I noticed dat too!" Racetrack said joining the conversation.
"Plus every night when 'e gets back ta da lodgin' house all 'e does is sleep. He don't wanna play cards, go out wit da goils or even go ta Med…" Blink started.
"Hiya Mush!" Jack said cutting Blink off. Mush glared at the three of them.
'What right do they have to talk about me!? Especially when I'm two steps behind them and can hear every word they're saying?' Mush thought to himself. "Hey Blink, I tink I'se gonna sell by meself tanight." Mush told him. Kid Blink's eyes widened. He'd never ever sold with out Mush before.
"O…O…Ok…" Kid Blink stuttered. All of the guys looked as shocked as Kid Blink did.
"You'se can sell wit me if ya want." Boots told Blink.
"Ok tanks." Blink said quietly.
So that night Kid Blink sold with Boots and Mush sold by himself.
It went on that way for the next month. Mush hardly ever talked to any of the other newsies, even Kid Blink. He never ate, or atleast not when anyone else was eating. All of the newsies were worried about Mush, but they all figured he'd come out of it. He started to isolate himself completely, until one day Kid Blink tried to talk to him.
"Hi Mush… how ya been?" Blink asked.
"Whadya want?" Mush asked angrily.
"I wanted ta know if ya wanted ta sell wit me taday…" Blink asked.
"No tanks, I'se gonna sell by meself." Mush said and started to walk away.
"How 'bout lunch? Do ya wanna go ta lunch wit me?" Blink questioned.
"No, now if you'll excuse me I'se got papes ta sell." Mush said pushing past Kid Blink. Blink followed behind him.
"So where are ya sellin' taday?" Blink asked.
"Brooklyn Bridge." Mush muttered, walking faster and faster in hopes of losing Kid Blink.
"What a coincidence! I'se sellin oveh dere too!" Blink lied. Mush didn't say anything, but kept walking. Kid Blink followed behind him and as he said sold a few feet away from Mush on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Blink followed Mush again to the Brooklyn Bridge for the evening edition too. Blink finished selling his before Mush and stood there and waited for him to get done. By that time it was dark.
"Why are you following me?" Mush yelled.
"Cuz I'se concerned about ya!" Blink yelled back.
"No! It's cuz you'se tryin' ta be me! You always has wanted ta be me! Face it!" Mush exclaimed. This caught Blink off guard and he stared at Mush like he had gone nuts.
"What? I don't want to be you! Why would I want to be ya?" Blink asked.
"I'se dunno! But ya do! If I do something, ya always had ta do it too! When I learned ta do a backflip you'se had ta learn too and den ya had ta do it betteh den me! Everyting! My whole life ya wanted ta be me! Even when we were kids! You decided dat ya wanted ta leave home and become a newsie because I was leavin'! Get you'se own life!" Mush screamed. Blink, offended by what Mush had said, pushed him. So Mush punched him. They went on and on for about an hour. Finally Mush had Kid Blink pinned at the edge of the bridge. Mush came towards Blink. He then pushed Blink back over the edge of the bridge. A look of terror filled Kid Blinks eyes as he fell, screaming until he hit below. Mush's face suddenly softened as he realized what he'd done.
"Oh my God!" a lady cried from down at the other end of the bridge. "You killed him!" She shouted pointing to Mush.
"No… no it was an accident." Mush said softly. He then turned and ran away and was never seen again.
The Next Day
"How could Mush do that?" Racetrack sniffled as the funeral ended.
"Well we all know 'e was a little out of it lately…" Jack pointed out.
"Something musta just made 'im snap… ya know pushed 'im oveh da edge…" Spot said softly.
The End
