Over the next two weeks, Jack's plan went off without a hitch. There had
been some minor politics cleared up with Midtown, and then Ice had been
blocked there too. Jack had assigned a different newsie each day to tail
her and sell on whatever route she'd taken so wherever she tried to work,
he'd know about. Finally, she returned to Manhattan, sporting a bruised
cheek from a small scuffle she'd been in with Harlem over their refusal to
let her unload boxes for a local warehouse. Jack finished selling the
morning edition, snagged Les and David from the schoolyard, and headed out
to meet her. Warily, she'd begun working that day for a laundress who
needed someone to make deliveries. On her way back to the woman, Jack sent
Les to intercept her in the street.
Running up to her, Les yelled out, "Ice!"
She stiffened immediately, slowly turning around, expecting to be run out of yet another borough. When she saw Les running towards her, Jack could have sworn she looked pained, but it was so quick, he couldn't be sure. He and David sped up their pace and caught up to them just as Les threw his arms around her waist and began babbling. This time Jack was positive Ice looked as if she'd just been punched, instead of hugged. David was just getting ready to hold out his hand when she ripped herself away from Les' arms and began running down the street.
Furious, Jack told David and Les he'd see them at the Lodging House and gave chase. Because she was so small she flowed quickly through the crowd, habit dampening her urge to just shove everyone out of her way and run. While Jack had a harder time maneuvering, his height let him keep her in his sights the whole time.
After close to an hour of dodging crowds and slipping through narrow alleyways, she finally collapsed on the fire escape of a tenement building. Seeing Jack follow her into the alley, she struggled up the stairs to the roof, where a loose tile tripped her and she fell face first onto the rooftop. Jack leapt onto the roof in time to see her ungraceful descent and he took the opportunity to sit on the ledge and breathe.
Eventually, wondering why she hadn't gotten up yet, he moved to her side. Rolling her onto her back, he saw tears streaming down her face, but when he moved to embrace her, she shoved him away. "Bastard!" she hissed through clenched teeth.
"Why?" exclaimed Jack, "Why are you running so hard from everything!?"
"None of your goddamn business, Cowboy, I'm not one of your guys."
"Doesn't mean I can't worry you're gonna wind up dead somewhere!"
"Yes it does." She hissed back, struggling to her feet. "It's my life, Jack, just take care of your own."
"I'm a leader, call it a fault, but if I decide to worry that some loner is gonna get himself killed, I'm gonna find out why."
"Well its none of your business, so just leave it alone!" lashing out, Ice kicked Jack in the kneecap, sending fireworks of pain shooting through the backs of his eyes. As she started to run towards the side of the building, Jack was able to call one last thing to her back.
"Why the hell are you afraid to be safe?!"
Tears still streaming down her face, Ice began to leap from rooftop to rooftop, never seeing the loose stone until her foot slipped and she began to fall into the black abyss below.
**************************************************************************** *
Running up to her, Les yelled out, "Ice!"
She stiffened immediately, slowly turning around, expecting to be run out of yet another borough. When she saw Les running towards her, Jack could have sworn she looked pained, but it was so quick, he couldn't be sure. He and David sped up their pace and caught up to them just as Les threw his arms around her waist and began babbling. This time Jack was positive Ice looked as if she'd just been punched, instead of hugged. David was just getting ready to hold out his hand when she ripped herself away from Les' arms and began running down the street.
Furious, Jack told David and Les he'd see them at the Lodging House and gave chase. Because she was so small she flowed quickly through the crowd, habit dampening her urge to just shove everyone out of her way and run. While Jack had a harder time maneuvering, his height let him keep her in his sights the whole time.
After close to an hour of dodging crowds and slipping through narrow alleyways, she finally collapsed on the fire escape of a tenement building. Seeing Jack follow her into the alley, she struggled up the stairs to the roof, where a loose tile tripped her and she fell face first onto the rooftop. Jack leapt onto the roof in time to see her ungraceful descent and he took the opportunity to sit on the ledge and breathe.
Eventually, wondering why she hadn't gotten up yet, he moved to her side. Rolling her onto her back, he saw tears streaming down her face, but when he moved to embrace her, she shoved him away. "Bastard!" she hissed through clenched teeth.
"Why?" exclaimed Jack, "Why are you running so hard from everything!?"
"None of your goddamn business, Cowboy, I'm not one of your guys."
"Doesn't mean I can't worry you're gonna wind up dead somewhere!"
"Yes it does." She hissed back, struggling to her feet. "It's my life, Jack, just take care of your own."
"I'm a leader, call it a fault, but if I decide to worry that some loner is gonna get himself killed, I'm gonna find out why."
"Well its none of your business, so just leave it alone!" lashing out, Ice kicked Jack in the kneecap, sending fireworks of pain shooting through the backs of his eyes. As she started to run towards the side of the building, Jack was able to call one last thing to her back.
"Why the hell are you afraid to be safe?!"
Tears still streaming down her face, Ice began to leap from rooftop to rooftop, never seeing the loose stone until her foot slipped and she began to fall into the black abyss below.
**************************************************************************** *