************
Chapter 3-Results
"I'm tellin' ya Spot, I's bein' followed!" Jack paused to look across the table he was sharing with Spot inside Tibby's. Spot was doing his best not to smirk at jack's paranoia, "What?! Don' ya believe me?" Jack asked seeing a small smirk creep onto Spot's face.
"Wha'? Oh, yeah I believe ya Jack. Anyone ya know got a grudge against ya?" Spot asked off handedly trying his best to look like he had no idea what his friend was talking about.
"I dunno." Jack started, but before he could go further the door to Tibby's swung open and the rest of the Manhattan Newsies piled in for lunch. Blink and Race were the first ones in, flanked closely by Mush, Snitch, Itey, and Skittery. The latter three headed off to find a separate table, while Blink, Mush, and a black-eyed Race walked over to join Jack and Spot's table. "Uh.Race, where didja get da shiner?" Jack's train of thought dropped as soon as he saw the black-eye Race came in sporting.
Race didn't respond as he slid into the booth next to Jack. Blink and Mush slid in beside Spot. "We was in dis alley and we saw dis kid at the odder end. We thought it was you Jack. An' Race went ova an' put 'is hand on da kid's shoulder. It musta scared 'im real bad 'cause 'e whipped around wit a great right 'ook." Blink took it upon himself to explain, earning a glare from Race at his last sentence.
It was Spot who was most interested in Blink's explanation, "Ya said ya thought da kid looked like Jack? How so?"
Race was the first to speak up, "'e was tall, 'ad black pants an' a gray shirt. Da hair was a lil' long I guess but it was 'ard ta tell 'cause 'e had a black cowboy hat jus' like Cowboys' on. An' it was da weirdest thing, da kid 'ad silver eyes. I saw 'em as 'e whipped 'round an' gave me dis." He said, lightly touching his black eye. Blink just sat there nodding in agreement. "It looked like 'e was da one dat was scared, I don' think I's eva seen someone dat scared."
Spot's eyebrows were in his hair, he recognized the kid Race had described, how could he not? He had seen her only earlier that morning.
"What'sa matta Spot? Ya recognize da person dat slugged Race?" Jack asked seeing the raised eyebrows and surprised look on his friend's face. When Spot didn't answer, he shrugged and went on to tell the three other boys about being stalked, he was in the middle of telling the story when Spot suddenly got up, hopped on the table, walked to it's end, jumped off and headed out the door. The four of them sat there in slight shock for a moment before Jack continued.
*****
Slick had forced herself to get up and move out of the alley she had hidden herself in, thinking it would be best to get back to the Brooklyn Lodging House roof before the sun set. Every one of her limbs shook with the effort of getting up and walking, whether it was from the still present fear or the exhaustion she felt, she couldn't be sure. But the fear was still at the front of her mind. She had never been scared of anything until she had went to Chicago and gotten involved with some pretty heavy stuff. Yes, Chicago had definitely left an imprint of fear. She could still remember every sickening detail of that night, the screams piercing the darkness, the blood flowing every where; the feeling of total hopelessness, a feeling Slick had never experienced until that night.
Moving silently and discreetly Slick quickly made her way back to Brooklyn, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, to be sure she wasn't being followed. When she had finally reached the roof of the Lodging House, Slick just collapsed, lying on her back, she felt the sun's rays slowly calm her and relax her stiff and tight muscles.
*******
Spot was making his way back to Brooklyn at a leisurely pace, thinking about the day's events. He knew for a fact that Jack Kelly's stalker was Slick Rylan, she had told him that that was what she had been planning on doing that day, and he found Jack's paranoia slightly amusing considering he knew who was behind it. But the run-in with Race and Blink made him wonder what was up with her, he knew it was Slick that the two boys had met up with in the alley and gave Race a rather large black eye. Race had described her just the way he'd seen her earlier that morning. And he honestly couldn't think of anyone else having silver eyes, it was unique to say the least. But what really troubled him was when Race had said he'd seen fear in her eyes, that he'd 'neva seen anyone dat scared'. It was just a tap on the shoulder right? Or what was she hiding? He'd seen uneasiness in her eyes the night before, something had happened to her in the last eight years, something big, he had a feeling about it. But he also had a feeling she'd never tell, she wasn't a person to come out and share her feelings, come to think of it, not many orphans or runaways were, it was just something not many felt comfortable in sharing.
He was still in thought as he reached his Lodging house when Lefty's twin, Righty, ran out to him, "Spot! Dere is some kid, sleepin' on our roof!" Spot had to smirk at the kid's enthusiasm, and his obvious pride at being the first to let the almighty Spot know there was an intruder asleep on their roof. "Me an' Lefty were up dere an' we's were playin' wit our swords, an' we saw dis kid, an' 'e was sleepin, jus' layin' on OUR roof! We's jus' tawt ya'd like ta know Spot."
"Thanks Righty, I'll go an' hava look, at da kid." Spot ruffled the kid's wavy hair as he passed him and made his way around the side of the building and to the fire escape. He already knew with out a doubt who would be laying there.
Spot's boots made a barely audible 'thud' as they hit the cement, but it was enough, "One woulda thought the great Spot Conlon woulda taught 'is kids ta be quieter when dere is a stranger on da roof."
"Yeah, well like ya said, dey're jus' kids. Kids wantin' ta have some fun, in a life where it's 'ard ta get by." Spot said walking over to where Slick lay stretched out still enjoying the late afternoon sun, and sitting down next to her. "'Ow's it goin' Slick?"
"Why da ya ask?" Slick asked, opening her eyes and looking up into the New York City sky.
"I dunno, but I saw some a yer handy work on Race dis aftanoon. An' Jack, was a lil' paranoid." Slick rolled over onto her side and gave Spot a confused look in response to his first sentence. "The guy ya so delicately rammed yer fist inta in the alley." He clarified sarcastically.
"Oh. Dat short Italian guy?"
"Yeah 'is name is Racetrack, Race fer short, da kid wid 'im was Kid Blink, or jus' Blink."
"Oh." Slick said once again, rolling back over onto her back.
"Wasa matta Slick? Why didja hit 'em in da first place? I's not sayin 'e don't desoive it once in awhile, but what 'appened?" Spot had a feeling he wasn't going to get a straight answer, and he was right.
"He surprised me, that's all."
Spot looked hard at Slick, for a moment her voice had lost it's New York accent, and adapted another, one that didn't use so many broken words, the words were spoken coldly, as if that was the end of the matter and that was it. He let his gaze wander to her physical appearance, and saw dirty cloths in need of a change, and dirty skin and hair in need of a good wash. "Hey Slick, you wanna get cleaned up? Maybe take a shower an' change those cloths a yers? I think Shiner's jus' yer size, if ya wanna wear some a his."
Slick turned and looked at him in surprise, but then smiled, a shower would feel good, she felt sooo dirty. "Yeah that would be nice Spot, thanks."
That other accent again. "Alright, ya can use the washroom in da otha bunkroom, sos ya wont be distoibed." He said while getting to his feet causing Slick to do the same, as he led the way back into the empty bunkroom on the other side of the building.
*********
Slick stepped out of the shower a few minutes later, a towel wrapped snuggly around her. Seeing a fresh pair of cloths on the floor, she grabbed them and retreated back into the stall to change.
Stepping out, Slick examined herself in the mirror, the shower had done wonders to her reflection. She actually looked somewhat like a girl now, not counting the black pants and gray shirt she had on again. Slick didn't notice the appearance of someone else in the room until his reflection was beside hers.
"Well, well, well, so Slick Rylan is actually still a girl. Sorry ta tell ya, but I had my doubts." Slick glared at Spot's cocky grinning reflection, which only caused him to laugh.
"Yeah, I am still a girl, what's it to ya?"
"Where didja get that accent Slick?"
Slick looked up sharply, and turned to face Spot himself, rather than the reflection. "What accent?" She asked casually slipping back into her New York one.
"Dat accent ya were jus' talkin' in. It ain't from 'round here, sos I wanted ta know where it was from. An' I wanna know where ya got dis." Spot said coolly holding up a silver dagger
A hard look suddenly clouded up Slick's face, "Where did you get that?" Her knowingly let her voice slip into her Chicago accent, it was the other accent she knew Spot was talking about, and to go with it she made her voice icy, showing not outward emotion.
Before Spot could answer the rest of the Brooklyn Newsie force was beginning to pile into the Lodging House, and Spot's name could be heard being yelled from down the hall. Looking from Slick to the door, he finally turned to the door to see to his other newsies.
"Spot."
That word stopped him in his tracks, turning half way around, he looked at Slick, she was holding her hand out expectantly. He looked down to the silver dagger he still had in his hand, and then without warning he threw it, straight at Slick. She caught it without the slightest trouble, flipped it and stuck it in the boot she'd just been tying. Spot just looked at her caught between shock and frustration.
"SPOT!!!" a voice called from the hallway.
"Yeah I's commin'!!" He yelled back, with a final backward glance at Slick, who was still standing there, cool, and emotionless, Spot turned and walked out of the washroom, leaving her to stare at his retreating back.
*******
Chapter 3-Results
"I'm tellin' ya Spot, I's bein' followed!" Jack paused to look across the table he was sharing with Spot inside Tibby's. Spot was doing his best not to smirk at jack's paranoia, "What?! Don' ya believe me?" Jack asked seeing a small smirk creep onto Spot's face.
"Wha'? Oh, yeah I believe ya Jack. Anyone ya know got a grudge against ya?" Spot asked off handedly trying his best to look like he had no idea what his friend was talking about.
"I dunno." Jack started, but before he could go further the door to Tibby's swung open and the rest of the Manhattan Newsies piled in for lunch. Blink and Race were the first ones in, flanked closely by Mush, Snitch, Itey, and Skittery. The latter three headed off to find a separate table, while Blink, Mush, and a black-eyed Race walked over to join Jack and Spot's table. "Uh.Race, where didja get da shiner?" Jack's train of thought dropped as soon as he saw the black-eye Race came in sporting.
Race didn't respond as he slid into the booth next to Jack. Blink and Mush slid in beside Spot. "We was in dis alley and we saw dis kid at the odder end. We thought it was you Jack. An' Race went ova an' put 'is hand on da kid's shoulder. It musta scared 'im real bad 'cause 'e whipped around wit a great right 'ook." Blink took it upon himself to explain, earning a glare from Race at his last sentence.
It was Spot who was most interested in Blink's explanation, "Ya said ya thought da kid looked like Jack? How so?"
Race was the first to speak up, "'e was tall, 'ad black pants an' a gray shirt. Da hair was a lil' long I guess but it was 'ard ta tell 'cause 'e had a black cowboy hat jus' like Cowboys' on. An' it was da weirdest thing, da kid 'ad silver eyes. I saw 'em as 'e whipped 'round an' gave me dis." He said, lightly touching his black eye. Blink just sat there nodding in agreement. "It looked like 'e was da one dat was scared, I don' think I's eva seen someone dat scared."
Spot's eyebrows were in his hair, he recognized the kid Race had described, how could he not? He had seen her only earlier that morning.
"What'sa matta Spot? Ya recognize da person dat slugged Race?" Jack asked seeing the raised eyebrows and surprised look on his friend's face. When Spot didn't answer, he shrugged and went on to tell the three other boys about being stalked, he was in the middle of telling the story when Spot suddenly got up, hopped on the table, walked to it's end, jumped off and headed out the door. The four of them sat there in slight shock for a moment before Jack continued.
*****
Slick had forced herself to get up and move out of the alley she had hidden herself in, thinking it would be best to get back to the Brooklyn Lodging House roof before the sun set. Every one of her limbs shook with the effort of getting up and walking, whether it was from the still present fear or the exhaustion she felt, she couldn't be sure. But the fear was still at the front of her mind. She had never been scared of anything until she had went to Chicago and gotten involved with some pretty heavy stuff. Yes, Chicago had definitely left an imprint of fear. She could still remember every sickening detail of that night, the screams piercing the darkness, the blood flowing every where; the feeling of total hopelessness, a feeling Slick had never experienced until that night.
Moving silently and discreetly Slick quickly made her way back to Brooklyn, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, to be sure she wasn't being followed. When she had finally reached the roof of the Lodging House, Slick just collapsed, lying on her back, she felt the sun's rays slowly calm her and relax her stiff and tight muscles.
*******
Spot was making his way back to Brooklyn at a leisurely pace, thinking about the day's events. He knew for a fact that Jack Kelly's stalker was Slick Rylan, she had told him that that was what she had been planning on doing that day, and he found Jack's paranoia slightly amusing considering he knew who was behind it. But the run-in with Race and Blink made him wonder what was up with her, he knew it was Slick that the two boys had met up with in the alley and gave Race a rather large black eye. Race had described her just the way he'd seen her earlier that morning. And he honestly couldn't think of anyone else having silver eyes, it was unique to say the least. But what really troubled him was when Race had said he'd seen fear in her eyes, that he'd 'neva seen anyone dat scared'. It was just a tap on the shoulder right? Or what was she hiding? He'd seen uneasiness in her eyes the night before, something had happened to her in the last eight years, something big, he had a feeling about it. But he also had a feeling she'd never tell, she wasn't a person to come out and share her feelings, come to think of it, not many orphans or runaways were, it was just something not many felt comfortable in sharing.
He was still in thought as he reached his Lodging house when Lefty's twin, Righty, ran out to him, "Spot! Dere is some kid, sleepin' on our roof!" Spot had to smirk at the kid's enthusiasm, and his obvious pride at being the first to let the almighty Spot know there was an intruder asleep on their roof. "Me an' Lefty were up dere an' we's were playin' wit our swords, an' we saw dis kid, an' 'e was sleepin, jus' layin' on OUR roof! We's jus' tawt ya'd like ta know Spot."
"Thanks Righty, I'll go an' hava look, at da kid." Spot ruffled the kid's wavy hair as he passed him and made his way around the side of the building and to the fire escape. He already knew with out a doubt who would be laying there.
Spot's boots made a barely audible 'thud' as they hit the cement, but it was enough, "One woulda thought the great Spot Conlon woulda taught 'is kids ta be quieter when dere is a stranger on da roof."
"Yeah, well like ya said, dey're jus' kids. Kids wantin' ta have some fun, in a life where it's 'ard ta get by." Spot said walking over to where Slick lay stretched out still enjoying the late afternoon sun, and sitting down next to her. "'Ow's it goin' Slick?"
"Why da ya ask?" Slick asked, opening her eyes and looking up into the New York City sky.
"I dunno, but I saw some a yer handy work on Race dis aftanoon. An' Jack, was a lil' paranoid." Slick rolled over onto her side and gave Spot a confused look in response to his first sentence. "The guy ya so delicately rammed yer fist inta in the alley." He clarified sarcastically.
"Oh. Dat short Italian guy?"
"Yeah 'is name is Racetrack, Race fer short, da kid wid 'im was Kid Blink, or jus' Blink."
"Oh." Slick said once again, rolling back over onto her back.
"Wasa matta Slick? Why didja hit 'em in da first place? I's not sayin 'e don't desoive it once in awhile, but what 'appened?" Spot had a feeling he wasn't going to get a straight answer, and he was right.
"He surprised me, that's all."
Spot looked hard at Slick, for a moment her voice had lost it's New York accent, and adapted another, one that didn't use so many broken words, the words were spoken coldly, as if that was the end of the matter and that was it. He let his gaze wander to her physical appearance, and saw dirty cloths in need of a change, and dirty skin and hair in need of a good wash. "Hey Slick, you wanna get cleaned up? Maybe take a shower an' change those cloths a yers? I think Shiner's jus' yer size, if ya wanna wear some a his."
Slick turned and looked at him in surprise, but then smiled, a shower would feel good, she felt sooo dirty. "Yeah that would be nice Spot, thanks."
That other accent again. "Alright, ya can use the washroom in da otha bunkroom, sos ya wont be distoibed." He said while getting to his feet causing Slick to do the same, as he led the way back into the empty bunkroom on the other side of the building.
*********
Slick stepped out of the shower a few minutes later, a towel wrapped snuggly around her. Seeing a fresh pair of cloths on the floor, she grabbed them and retreated back into the stall to change.
Stepping out, Slick examined herself in the mirror, the shower had done wonders to her reflection. She actually looked somewhat like a girl now, not counting the black pants and gray shirt she had on again. Slick didn't notice the appearance of someone else in the room until his reflection was beside hers.
"Well, well, well, so Slick Rylan is actually still a girl. Sorry ta tell ya, but I had my doubts." Slick glared at Spot's cocky grinning reflection, which only caused him to laugh.
"Yeah, I am still a girl, what's it to ya?"
"Where didja get that accent Slick?"
Slick looked up sharply, and turned to face Spot himself, rather than the reflection. "What accent?" She asked casually slipping back into her New York one.
"Dat accent ya were jus' talkin' in. It ain't from 'round here, sos I wanted ta know where it was from. An' I wanna know where ya got dis." Spot said coolly holding up a silver dagger
A hard look suddenly clouded up Slick's face, "Where did you get that?" Her knowingly let her voice slip into her Chicago accent, it was the other accent she knew Spot was talking about, and to go with it she made her voice icy, showing not outward emotion.
Before Spot could answer the rest of the Brooklyn Newsie force was beginning to pile into the Lodging House, and Spot's name could be heard being yelled from down the hall. Looking from Slick to the door, he finally turned to the door to see to his other newsies.
"Spot."
That word stopped him in his tracks, turning half way around, he looked at Slick, she was holding her hand out expectantly. He looked down to the silver dagger he still had in his hand, and then without warning he threw it, straight at Slick. She caught it without the slightest trouble, flipped it and stuck it in the boot she'd just been tying. Spot just looked at her caught between shock and frustration.
"SPOT!!!" a voice called from the hallway.
"Yeah I's commin'!!" He yelled back, with a final backward glance at Slick, who was still standing there, cool, and emotionless, Spot turned and walked out of the washroom, leaving her to stare at his retreating back.
*******