It had been about 2 months since the incident with Shiner, and thankfully he hasn't tried anything. He's still giving me weird looks though…….I don't like it. Now every time I see him I try to hide behind Spot. I still haven't told him who did this to me.

We were now sitting in the bunk room watching the boys play poker. Blackjack was winning at the moment. I was suddenly feeling very tired. "Hey Spot can we go to bed? I'm really tired." "Sure t'ing. G'night everybody".

Once we got into Spot's room I sat down. "Spot I'm going to tell you who did this to me, but you can't do anything or he said he would kill me." I was very scared now, but one look into Spot's caring eyes made me calm down a little. "Spot the man that did this to me was…was…it was Shiner." "Shinah!?!?" "Yes" I said practically sobbing. "There's something else I didn't tell you Spot. Shiner raped me that night." "I don't believe it…I don't believe ya. Shinah would neva do that…Never! Get out Now!" Spot was backing away from me as he said this. I was now fully sobbing and ran out of the Lodging House. I jus ran blindly through the streets not stopping once. When I finally did stop I didn't know where I was.

After I caught my breath I saw a newsie on the corner. I went up to him and asked him where I was. "You'se in Manhattan Miss." Manhattan! I couldn't believe it. I had run all the way to Manhattan. "Hey could you please let me talk to your leader?" "Ya mean Jack? Yea sure I'll take ya to him." On the way to meating this Jack person the newsie told me his name was Racetrack. Race for short.

When we arrived at the Manhattan lodging house Race asked me to stay in the lobby…or what he called the lobby. A few minutes later a guy with a cowboy hat and a red bandanna came down the stairs. "hey I'm Jack" "Hi Jack, I'm Karla." I then proceeded to tell Jack my whole story, and how I got into Manhattan. By the end of my story his face had softened. "Wow, you been through a lot these past few weeks. You can stay heah wit the Manhattan newsies. Spot can be very stubborn sometimes. He gets the image of people, and doesn't change it fer nobody. HE's very nieve in a way." "Thank you so much Jack. I really appreciate it." "Not a problem."

I was at the Manhattan lodging house for about 3 months now. I had met Kid Blink, Snipeshooter, Skittery, mush, Snaps, Itey, and Boots. I had figured out that Jack had been going somewhere recently. I had a feeling that he went to Brooklyn, but I wasn't sure. The boys wouldn't tell me anything.

I later found out that Jack had been takin trips over to Brooklyn to talk to Spot. After he heard my story he couldn't believe that Spot didn't believe me.

Jack was now in Brooklyn, and found Spot sitting on a pile of crate on the dock. When Spot saw Jack he sent all of his newsies away.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? How ya doin Jacky-boy?" "Hey Spot. I'm alright, but I dunno about a certain someone else." "Whadda ya mean? Why'd you come here Jack?" "Because SPot, you didn't give Karal a fair chance." At hearing Karla's name Spot looked up surprised. "What do you know about her? How do you know about her?" "Well ya see Spot it's like this. When you didn't believe her she was hoit. She ran away from here and we found her. We took her in and she told us da story." "Spot this aint something goils would lie about. I know you like Shinah, but look at da the situation fer what it is. She really likes you Spot, but when you said that you didn't believe her she felt betrayed." "She….She likes me?" Spot asked incredulously. "Yea Spot. She does. Now tell me why didn't you believe her? And why did you just kick her out?" "Sit down Jack we gotta talk."

"You see Jack when I'se foist saw Karla I thought she was da most beautiful thing that I'se ever saw….she still is. I'se wanted to protect her because she seemed so lost. I knew she would be safe among all of me boys. Then she told me that Shinah was giving her weird looks. I didn't t'ink anything of it because Shinah wouldn't hoit a fly. Then I came into our room that night and found her passed out on da floor. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. Finally I picked her up and put her on the bed. I just sat by her bed and waited for her to wake up. She finally did, but wouldn't tell me who had did this to her. Then one night she pulled me into our room and told me that Shinah did it. I just couldn't believe it. I was so shocked that I just told her to get out. I didn't mean to tell 'er dat. A few nights after she left I found Shinah beating up a few of da younga newsies for no good reason. So I'se pulled him into anudder ally and soaked da bum. When I was finished wit 'im he wasn't movin. When he came back in the lodging house the next morinin I told him to get his things and get out. He left with much protest, but he's gone. I just wish I could get Karla back. What should I do Jack?"

……..What's Jack gonna tell Spot? What will Spot do? Better yet what will Karla do???….hehe gotta wait and see!