Hey all, It's Sparks again. So here's chapter one, and it's a long one. Don't forget to review.
Disclaimer: I don't own "Newsies", no matter how much I wish I do. I do own Sparks and all the Manhattan girl and guy newsies you don't recognize, and also some Brooklyn ones.
Chapter One: Starting Over in the Middle"Sparks, wake up, pwease." It was the voice of a little girl. I blinked and the rest of her features came into view. She was young, no more than 6, with dark red hair and those bright blue eyes that I first saw. The little girl saw me open my eyes. "Fae, Shadow, she's awake! Sparks is awake!" Two other girls, around my age, ran up to the bed as I groggily tried to sit up. That was not such a good idea because the second I moved, every bone in my body started to ache.
"Owwww," I moaned as I collapsed back onto the bed. "What happened, where am I?"
"Oh Sparks, tank gawd youse ok. We's was so worried bout ya." One of the new girls enveloped me in a hug.
"Hey, watch it. I'm in pain here." I winced and she let go of me. They hadn't heard my questions, so I asked them again. "Where am I and what happened to me?"
"Ya don't remembah?" The girl asked me. She had red hair, a brighter red then the little girl. She also had blue eyes, but hers had some green in them. But other than that she looked a lot like the younger girl.
"Do ya tink she's got amnesia?" the other girl asked. This one had very dark hair and eyes with pale skin. She looked like she had some Asian in her.
"Yeah, prolly. 'ey Bolt, git ovah heah." The older red haired girl called out to someone. Another girl came into view. This one had short, straight, blond hair and dark green eyes.
"What ya want Fae?" She asked looking over at me. "Sparks, glad ta see ya awake."
"Bolt, run ovah to da boys LH and go tell 'em Sparks woke up. Dey wanted ta know." Fae, the older girl with red hair ordered. Bolt nodded and left the room. "Sparks, how are ya feelin'?"
"Well let's see, I'm in pain and rather confused, but other than that I'm just hunky-dory." I said sitting up, slower this time so there wouldn't be as much pain. This helped me get a better view of the room I was in. It was a normal size room with a bunch of bunk beds crammed in it. None of the beds were made and articles of clothing were all over the floor. Off to one side was a door, probably leading to some sort of bathroom, and an open door in front that led to some stairs going down. Everything just looked really old, but I couldn't tell when. There were about 8 girls in the room at the present moment, but I could tell more lived there. By this time I've also figured that my name must be Sparks. Brilliant deduction, huh?
Fae apparently noticed me looking around at everything. "Does any of it look familiah?"
"Not really. But there's probably a reason for that."
"What's da reason?"
"Uh…" Well, I really couldn't tell them the truth. I mean how many people would believe someone who said they were from the future and just happened to now live in someone else's body. It's like an episode of Quantum Leap. "Because of the amnesia, of course. Actually, I don't remember anything. So I guess you'll have to tell me all about myself." Ha! I beat the system! Not only did I not tell anyone the truth, I also found a way to learn everything about who I am. I rock! Uh….nevermind.
"Well da ting is youse only been heah fer 2 years. We can tell ya all we know, but youse nevah talked bout yer past. Hopefully dat'll retoin in time." Oh great. My past is non-existent. That can't be good.
"Maybe, but who really knows. Guess you guys will just have to teach me everything all over. This could end up all very interesting if you ask me." It really did seem interesting. I mean, how many people get to have two lives? But I was a little worried as well. Would I have to give up my memories from before. I have a lot of good, and bad, memories I really want to keep.
"Wat's wrong wit Sparks? She sounds funny." The little girl had come back, holding on to an old rag doll. "Why don't she 'membah us?"
"It's ok Pixie," Fae said, scooping the little one up and sitting down on my bed with her in her lap. "Sparks 'ad a little accident. Ya jus' gotta introduce yerself ta her again. Jus' like ya did when she foist came. You talk ta her, Pixie, I's goin ta wait fer da guys ta come."
"Okie dokie." Fae put her on the bed next to me and then went down the stairs. I turned my gaze to the little girl who was staring back at me. She had a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. To me she really did look like a pixie. "Ya look da same, so how come ya talk funny and don't 'membah nuttin?"
"I dunno. I guess I hit my head or something." It just occurred to me that I had no idea what happened to this body. Why did the person in here before me end up dying? "So Pixie, do you have any idea what happened to me?
"Nope. Fae wouldn't tell me nuttin. I jus sawed you carried in covered wit blood. It was scary so's I hid in da bathroom." She was hugging he doll tightly to her chest like she was scared of me or something.
"Hey kid, don't worry. I'm still the same person I was before. I just can't remember anything. So you're the one that gets to help me learn everything all over again. Starting with that doll of yours. Now what's her name?
Pixie smiled back at me and climbed into my lap. "Dis is Suzie. Fae made 'er fer me. Fae's me older sistah. She's da one dat takes care a me." She handed the doll to me and I started stroking its hair. It totally reminded me of a Cabbage Patch doll I had that I was forever carrying it around with me when I was little. Until my sister threw it in the toilet.
"What happened to you parents?"
"Dey died on da boat ride from Ireland." She told me, not even sounding that sad about it. "I don't remembah dem, though. I was jus' a baby. Fae said dat on da ship, Mom, Dad and our bruddah caught sum disease and dey died befoah we got ta New Yawk. So I guess dat Fae's like me muddah." She took the doll back from me and started brushing its hair with her fingers. Just looking at this little girl brought tears to my eyes. She had grown up not knowing the love of a mother or a father. She had no family, but she didn't seem unhappy about this at all. Maybe this place and all these people are family to her.
Just then I heard a bunch of footsteps coming up the stairs. Fae appeared first, followed by that girl Bolt, and three guys. The first guy had a cowboy hat hanging from his neck and a red bandana tied around his neck. The second guy had oatmeal colored skin and curly brown hair. He also had an interesting twinkle in his eyes. The last guy was the tallest. He had some Asian in him, only less than Shadow did, I could tell. He also looked liked he was wearing a blue pillowcase with holes cut for the arms. These people have the weirdest fashion sense.
"Sparks! Youse alive!" the Asian one ran over to me, encompassing me in a rather tight and painful hug. "I'se so glad ya didn't die. I was worried bout ya." Um, ok… what is up with these people? I don't even know them and they are squishing the air outta me. Oh wait. Maybe I do know them, I just don't know I know them, cause I'm not the me I know. I think I just confused myself.
"Hello to you too. Now would you please unhand me? You are turning my internal organs into jelly." I managed to gasp. He did let go of me, but stayed on the bed next to me. "Thank you. Now would you mind telling me who you are and why you felt the sudden urge to squeeze me like a tube of toothpaste?"
He looked at me strangely and then turned to Fae. "What 'appened to her, Fae? It's like she don't 'membah me."
"She don't, Swifty. She got's amnesia. She musta hit her head durin da fight." She sat down on the bed across from mine, next to the curly haired boy, while the one with the cowboy hat learned against the bedpost.
"I was in a fight? Who did I fight, and did I win?" I hadn't been in a fight ever. I wonder if I kicked the crap outta whoever it was I fought. Also, that would explain the pain I'm in. I finally looked down at my body that was covered by the blanket. I was wearing an undershirt and a pair of pants. I also noticed the bandages, cuts and bruises that adorned my body. The most prominent was the large bandage taped to the left side of my torso. There was a line of blood showing through the bandage, but I could tell that it had dried up by now.
"Yeah, youse won. But den a buncha Bronx newsies showed up an' beat ya unconscious an' left ya dere ta die. You was lucky dat Mush spotted ya in da alley." Fae tried to explain it, but I was still confused. Why would people from the Bronx beat me up? And what's a newsie? Man, where was Bill when I needed him. And who, or what, is Mush? I noticed the curly haired kid was smiling at me.
"Yeah Sparks, youse was pretty bad when I found ya. Yer lucky I was walking back to da LH at dat time." Ah, so he was Mush. And if I'm right, Swifty must be the guy who nearly squeezed my intestines out. But who was the kid with the cowboy hat? While pondering this new information, I heard more footsteps coming up the stairs. An older woman with graying hair appeared in the doorway.
"Why are you all crowding around the poor girl? Give her some air. And she needs her rest. Boys, back to your lodging house, you can see her in the morning. Out!" She must be the woman in charge of this place. My mother wasn't even this forceful. The boys scurried out of the room and down the stairs, but not before the one with the cowboy hat beckoned to Fae to follow him. She did. I then heard what I assumed was the front door open and slam shut.
The lady came over to my bed. "Sparks, how are you feeling? You weren't doing so good last night or this morning. That knife wound in your side was pretty bad. Let me see how it's healing." My eyes followed her as she reached over and undid one of the corners of the bandage. A knife wound? I was stabbed with a knife? Somebody would have to pay for that. "It looks much better than it did. What about the rest of you? Can you walk at all?"
"I dunno. I haven't actually tried yet. But before I do, could you tell me who you are?"
"She don't 'membah nuttin, Dotty. She musta hit her head pretty 'ard durin da fight." The dark haired girl said. She was sitting on the bed above mine.
"Oh you poor dear. Although I really don't understand why you girls fight just as much as those boys do." She smiled down at me and held out a hand. "Come now. Why don't you go wash up. I'll put new sheets on the bed and you can change into some new clothes and get a good night's sleep." I pushed myself out of the bed and onto the floor. I was still sore, but mostly just really stiff. I made my way into the bathroom and looked around for the shower. There wasn't one, which was kinda weird. So I walked over to the sink. There was a mirror above it and I realized that this was the first time I got to see what my new body looked like. I ad grown up my entire life with medium brow hair and dark brown eyes. The reflection staring back at me showed a girl of about 16 with straight, dark brown hair that hung down to the shoulders and amber eyes. I liked the look, especially the eyes, but it was going to tank some time to get used to it, especially the height. This body was about 5 foot. And I thought I was always short at 5' 3". I also noticed the cuts and scrapes on my face along with the two puffy black eyes.
"Now don't I look hot." That was sarcasm if you couldn't tell.
"Hot? Do you have a fever or something?" The woman, Dotty, was standing in the doorway, holding a bundle of clothes.
"No, it's just an expression." She looked at me funny, like she's never heard it before. "Hey Dotty, what day is it? And year?"
"Why it's April 13th, 1900." It was the same day I died on, only over one hundred years earlier. No wonder I've been so confused. I know nothing about 1900, except what I learned in history class, and I had a habit of not paying any attention to that. How could Bill do this to me? I'm going to have a talk with that boy when I see him again. "Sparks, are you ok?
I must have been staring at her or something. "Um, yeah, I'm fine." I turned the faucet on and splashed some water on my face. Gah, that's freezing! I officially miss hot water. I figure I'll end up missing a lot of stuff from the 21st century that ain't around now.
"Here you go," she handed me the bundle of clothing. It was a brown skirt, what looked like an undershirt, and a pair of off white shorts that I assumed must be the underwear of the period. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Also the girls will help you with anything you need." She turned to leave, but then must have thought of something cause she turned back around. "Oh, by the way, my name's Dorothy London, but the girls all call me Dotty. I'm the run who runs this place. And don't worry, I'm sure you'll get your memory back soon and you'll be just like you were." She then left. My memory, yeah right. I have my memories, but they aren't the ones I should have. I don't know how I'm going to do this. Bill better contact me soon.
I located a washcloth and some soap and began to scrub my body with the frigid water, being careful around the scrapes and bruises. I removed the bandage and carefully washed around the incision before sticking the bandage back in place. Then it was time to tackle the clothes. This underwear would take some getting used to. The shorts weren't tight like my old underwear I was used to. Just look at the little things you end up missing. But they weren't too bad. The undershirt was basically a tank top which I supposed was worn as a bra, considering there was no corset it site. I figured the richer people must wear them, and I sure didn't look that rich. The skirt was brown wool that hung down past my knees. All in all, it wasn't too bad. I actually kinda liked it. Guess there weren't any pajamas. I washed the clothes I had on and hung them up to dry. Then I ran a brush through my hair, and walked out of the bathroom towards my newly made bed. The dark haired girl was sitting on the top bed, staring at the ceiling. When I got closer to the bed she looked down at me.
"I'm Shadow." She said looking me over.
"Hey Shadow. So I guess I sleep on the bed under you? Is that how it always is? So are you like my best friend or something?" I sat down on my bed. There was a pair of dusty boots near the foot of the bed, and under it I noticed a bag that must hold my clothes. I went through it as Shadow told me stuff.
"I guess I'se yer best friend, goil anyway. Dere is Swifty, but ya always said he was like an oldah bruddah to ya." So that would explain why he hugged me. The bag, I noticed, held an extra skirt, two button down shirts, a wool jacket, some socks and extra underwear. I put the bag back under the bed and looked at the table by the end of the bed. "Ya know, dis accent a yers is goin ta take sum gettin' used ta." Accent? What accent. Oh, how I actually speak clearly. Guess I had a New York accent like the rest of the girls.
"Yeah, guess I gotta work on it. So tell me Shadow, what is it that we do? And why do we live here?" I picked up the little bag that laid on the table and looked in it. It held a bunch of change and some marbles.
"We's newsies, we sell papes. An' we live heah cause we got no place else ta go." Papes? Guess I'll figure all this out tomorrow. I put the bag back on the table.
"Ok, I think I'm starting to get things. Thanks for the help, but I'm going to get some sleep now." I crawled underneath the sheet and pulled it over my head to block out the light.
"Night." Shadow said and went back doing whatever it was she was doing. Fae had come back into the room now and called my name. I pulled the sheet back down and turned to her.
"You'll sell papes wit me or someone else tomorrah, if ya feelin up ta it. We'll help ya git yer memory back." I smiled at her and turned back to face the wall with the sheet over my head. This place was going to take a lot of getting used to, I could tell.
I must have fallen asleep eventually because the next thing I knew I was sitting back in Bill's office.
"Ok, what am I doing here? Was it like a trial period or something? One day and if it don't work your money back, guaranteed?"
"No, no Claire. Or should I call you Sparks now." He was trying to be funny, I could tell by his face. But I wasn't amused.
"So what am I doing here?"
"I told you I would be in touch and I am. See, it turns out that when you sleep, you get transported back here. That way I can talk to you. And I know you have a few questions for me." Few? A few barely began to describe it.
"Well, first off you can tell me why I got stuck back in 1900. I'd also like some info on this girl's life. I know nothing and it's kinda getting to me. And what is a newsie?"
"A newsie is someone who sells papers to make money. You'll get it tomorrow. As for the 1900 thing, well I thought it would be interesting for you."
"Interesting? You have got to be kidding me. So I'm some kind of experiment? And this girl dies a hundred years before me. How is it possible to send me back through time?"
"Claire, we needed someone to take her place and you were a good candidate. Besides, time doesn't matter up here, so it wasn't a problem. And as for this girl's life, well, I don't know anything. But I'm working on it." He added after seeing the look on my face. "I'm searching for the spirit of the girl and if I can contact her maybe you can talk to her. But for now just try and fit in."
"Oh, ok." I sighed. At least I didn't have to go to school, that was a plus. "I guess I can deal. But I'm expecting more information, and soon. Got it Billy-boy? Now how do I get back?"
"Just close your eyes and you'll be back in the bed. Then you can go to sleep normally. Oh and Claire? Don't ever call me Billy-boy."
"Fine, I won't. Later Bill." I closed my eyes, and when I opened them I was back in the girls dorm thing. There were more girls occupying the beds now, and they were all sleeping. I wonder who they all are. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. That was my last thought before I was swept off to dreamland.
And now to say hi to my reviewers. Don't expect this every chapter because you won't be getting it.
SmartassLeprechaun- are those movies or something cause I haven't seen 'em. The idea just came to me, but I know it's been done before. I'm glad you like it though.
Snooza- I'm glad you like it. It's a bit different than most time travel fics. I hope ya keep reading it.
Linandgourry- Yes, Race'll be in it. I have a feeling that if I don't put him in, you'll soak me. So wait for the next chapter, he's coming.
Firecracker- Thanks. I was getting kinda bored of time travel fics cause thy always seem the same, so I wanted to try something new.
Crunch- What movie was it? And I'm glad you think my story's better than the movie.
That's all for now. I'll see you people next chapter. And don't forget about my review!.