Writer note: I have revamped this fic a bit. I know a lot of you have liked it, but for some reason, I have had many problems with it. Daniel just wasn't character I was fond of, but I semi-changed him...not much but some. I hope it's a little better. Enjoy, and I hope the Lord inspires you!!! You are loved!
Place in This World
by Coneflower Adams
"Looking for a reason
Roaming through the night to find my
Place in this world; my place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find my
Place in this world; my place in this world"
- "Place in This World" by Michael W. Smith
Part 1: The Coming
Rain poured from every direction around the tight walls of the city of New York. People were scattering everywhere into shops, apartment buildings, and under shelters. Dusk didn't help in the ability to move on the streets. A mesh of reddish-brown hair fled throughout the street wanting to get out the wet-filled air. He stopped suddenly in front of a flat, faded building that left nothing to the eye. The sign read "Newsboys Lodging House". I pray that this is the place you have sent me to Lord - thought the young man, shivering from the cold rain water on his shoulders. He shock of his conscious fear and stepped into the front door. It was warm in the room. A fire was going in the gray stove and a gleeful old man stood before the young man with a welcoming smile. The young man smiled back knowing this was the place.
"Good day, sir! My name is Daniel Sterling" Daniel had much enthusiasm in his voice. He had always been very energetic for some reason. He had told people his energy came from knowing that Jesus loves him and guides him throughout his days. Well, Daniel's energy was about to be put to the test when he made his first step into a certain newsboys lodging house. He stuck out his hand to shake the nice old man's.
"Hello son. I'm Eugene Kloppman. I run this lodging house. You need a place to sleep?" Kloppman greeted and asked at the same time. He sized the young man up. He looked trust worthy. But, by the large silver cross hanging from around his neck, Kloppman knew this boy was going to be trouble - not for a bad reason but a good one.
"Yes sir, I do" Daniel replied. He shivered again. Must be the coldness of my wet hair - he thought.
Kloppman sluggishly opened his ledger, and handed Daniel a pen. "Just sign in every night before going upstairs. It's six cents a night. Can you pay that?"
Daniel nodded his head unsurely, but knew where he could get money when he needed it.
"Are you going to work as a newsboy?" Kloppman asked, watching the young man sign his name in a very distinctive cursive hand writing. It was fine and unique with the curves on the 'S's' perfectly rounded.
When Daniel heard the word 'newsboy', he finished writing and stared up at the old man curiously. "I think I could."
Kloppman laughed at Daniel's reply. "Do you even know what a newsboy does?"
"They sell newspapers" Daniel answered, hesitantly.
Kloppman stared at this new boy suspiciously. I wonder what this boy has up his sleeve - he thought. "Why are you here, son?"
Daniel was caught off guard. "I'm here to work."
"You're a bad liar. I don't think you are." The old man had worked with boys for over two decades, he could tell when one was lying. "You're here for that, right?" He signaled to the silver cross around Daniel's neck.
All he could do was tell the truth. "Yes sir, I am, but I'm also here to work."
"I have to warn you, son. I can tell just by these few minutes you have been in here that you won't last out there in this world. Especially believing in a higher power that isn't there."
That did it. The nice, old man was rubbing Daniel the wrong way. He was never prone to become angry in front of people and wouldn't start now. "I assure you, Mr. Kloppman, that with the Holy Ghost inside me, I'll be just fine. He'll provide everything for me. I have faith in that."
The older man rolled his eyes. Just what I need, a religious fanatic in my house - he thought, shaking his head. "Yeah, I get it. And, I'm warning you again…" Kloppman leaned close into the young man. "…you're not going to make it on the tough streets of New York City. You won't last a day without having to do something that goes against whatever those laws of God or have faith in that spirit nonsense."
It was a little bitter and Daniel's mind was caught on why this old man was so bitter about 'laws of God'. Why was he bringing up God's laws anyway? He took a mental note to think about Kloppman's reaction and maybe counteract it. "I know where my faith lies and it's only in God. I'm sorry you have to disagree, but I'll be fine. Am I still welcome here?"
Kloppman waved him upstairs, not wanting to keep on about the subject at hand. "As long as I get my six cents every night, I don't care if you stay here or not. Just don't come crying to me when you fall flat on your face out there with your faith."
"Thank you, sir." Daniel throw his small satchel over his right shoulder and started up the stair. His thoughts were now going to consume him about his encounter with the first person he found on his mission. He seemed so nice when I came in, but the old man seemed hostile when he noticed my cross. I have to know why that is. Daniel reached the top of the stairs, saying a small pray for the older man down in the lobby.
Place in This World
by Coneflower Adams
"Looking for a reason
Roaming through the night to find my
Place in this world; my place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find my
Place in this world; my place in this world"
- "Place in This World" by Michael W. Smith
Part 1: The Coming
Rain poured from every direction around the tight walls of the city of New York. People were scattering everywhere into shops, apartment buildings, and under shelters. Dusk didn't help in the ability to move on the streets. A mesh of reddish-brown hair fled throughout the street wanting to get out the wet-filled air. He stopped suddenly in front of a flat, faded building that left nothing to the eye. The sign read "Newsboys Lodging House". I pray that this is the place you have sent me to Lord - thought the young man, shivering from the cold rain water on his shoulders. He shock of his conscious fear and stepped into the front door. It was warm in the room. A fire was going in the gray stove and a gleeful old man stood before the young man with a welcoming smile. The young man smiled back knowing this was the place.
"Good day, sir! My name is Daniel Sterling" Daniel had much enthusiasm in his voice. He had always been very energetic for some reason. He had told people his energy came from knowing that Jesus loves him and guides him throughout his days. Well, Daniel's energy was about to be put to the test when he made his first step into a certain newsboys lodging house. He stuck out his hand to shake the nice old man's.
"Hello son. I'm Eugene Kloppman. I run this lodging house. You need a place to sleep?" Kloppman greeted and asked at the same time. He sized the young man up. He looked trust worthy. But, by the large silver cross hanging from around his neck, Kloppman knew this boy was going to be trouble - not for a bad reason but a good one.
"Yes sir, I do" Daniel replied. He shivered again. Must be the coldness of my wet hair - he thought.
Kloppman sluggishly opened his ledger, and handed Daniel a pen. "Just sign in every night before going upstairs. It's six cents a night. Can you pay that?"
Daniel nodded his head unsurely, but knew where he could get money when he needed it.
"Are you going to work as a newsboy?" Kloppman asked, watching the young man sign his name in a very distinctive cursive hand writing. It was fine and unique with the curves on the 'S's' perfectly rounded.
When Daniel heard the word 'newsboy', he finished writing and stared up at the old man curiously. "I think I could."
Kloppman laughed at Daniel's reply. "Do you even know what a newsboy does?"
"They sell newspapers" Daniel answered, hesitantly.
Kloppman stared at this new boy suspiciously. I wonder what this boy has up his sleeve - he thought. "Why are you here, son?"
Daniel was caught off guard. "I'm here to work."
"You're a bad liar. I don't think you are." The old man had worked with boys for over two decades, he could tell when one was lying. "You're here for that, right?" He signaled to the silver cross around Daniel's neck.
All he could do was tell the truth. "Yes sir, I am, but I'm also here to work."
"I have to warn you, son. I can tell just by these few minutes you have been in here that you won't last out there in this world. Especially believing in a higher power that isn't there."
That did it. The nice, old man was rubbing Daniel the wrong way. He was never prone to become angry in front of people and wouldn't start now. "I assure you, Mr. Kloppman, that with the Holy Ghost inside me, I'll be just fine. He'll provide everything for me. I have faith in that."
The older man rolled his eyes. Just what I need, a religious fanatic in my house - he thought, shaking his head. "Yeah, I get it. And, I'm warning you again…" Kloppman leaned close into the young man. "…you're not going to make it on the tough streets of New York City. You won't last a day without having to do something that goes against whatever those laws of God or have faith in that spirit nonsense."
It was a little bitter and Daniel's mind was caught on why this old man was so bitter about 'laws of God'. Why was he bringing up God's laws anyway? He took a mental note to think about Kloppman's reaction and maybe counteract it. "I know where my faith lies and it's only in God. I'm sorry you have to disagree, but I'll be fine. Am I still welcome here?"
Kloppman waved him upstairs, not wanting to keep on about the subject at hand. "As long as I get my six cents every night, I don't care if you stay here or not. Just don't come crying to me when you fall flat on your face out there with your faith."
"Thank you, sir." Daniel throw his small satchel over his right shoulder and started up the stair. His thoughts were now going to consume him about his encounter with the first person he found on his mission. He seemed so nice when I came in, but the old man seemed hostile when he noticed my cross. I have to know why that is. Daniel reached the top of the stairs, saying a small pray for the older man down in the lobby.
