All wounds Heal
By: Stefanie Salazar
Hate is all that filled Brook as a child and on through the first of her teen years. When Brook's Mother died giving birth to her. Brook's father was always drunk and if Brook didn't do something right she'd be beaten. Finally on Brooks twelfth birthday her father went crazy. He dragged her to a down a alley beat her and left. Right after the man left a boy about 14 yrs old stepped out into the cold and noticed this girl lying on the ground. The boy picked her up and brought her inside a little house. A few days later when Brook woke up she was so frightened and lost that she couldn't speak. When she went to sit up a young boy came in the room. "Oh no lay back down your ribs are badly bruised." The boy said But it was to late Brook cried in pain and instantly laid back down.
"You just rest till youse are feelen better! So what's your name?" The Boy said as he sat on the bed. There was silence. "You do have a name right?" Brook shook her head no. "Wells Ise didn't have a name either until one day Ise just heard someone calls me Harts because whenever I'd play cards I'd always win with hearts. So the next thing Ise know everyone started calling me harts." Brook started to smile. "Youse got a pretty smile!" Harts handed Brook a glass of water. "So if you wants youse can choose your own name!" Brook was still silent. "Well I'll lets youse sleep now." Harts walk over to a small chair, "I'll sit here so youse gots nothing to fear."
After the first week Brook started walking and after a month she started talking. Every night before bed Harts would tell Brook about all the different places he went to, about all the people he met on the way and about newsies. One night Hart told about how he went to Brooklyn and how all the newsies there where great fighters. Brook then claimed her name. "I wants my name to be Brook for Brooklyn!"
"That's a fine name!" Harts said with a grin "Ise wants to go there some day!" Brook said while hopping into bed. "Well if youse ever going to go to Brooklyn youse better learn to fight." Harts said as he went over to his bed. "I'll teach you if youse wants?!" "Really?" Said Brook with a shocked "Sure! Now go to bed." Harts said as he blew out the light.
Over the next months Brook learned everything from street fighting to self-defense. Then the Months turned to years. After three years Harts and Brook had accepted three more kids into there home after they found a bigger place to live. The kids that lived with them were Rascal who was 11, Hope who was 9, and Mouse who was 7. Mouse was Brooks favorite! Mouse would rarely talk and when she did it was always in a very quiet voice. Hart would teach Rascal how to make money fight and how to take care of others just in case something happened to Hart or Brook.
Every night Brook and Hart would go up on the roof and talk. One night Hart had a confession to make. "Brook," he began, "Ise has something to tell you." "Ok what is it Hart?" Brook replied "Well about a year ago I ran into some trouble with some guys who where mad at me because I cheated them at a game and well they hurt me pretty bad. That why Ise had a black eye and a limp when I walked for about a week." Hart looked over at Brook and pushed her dark brown hair behind here ear. "Brook I'm not all that great of a person. I stole a lot from these guys cause they was easy to steal from. I hated going without food! Anyways Ise have a feeling they'll be back for me and it ain't going to be pretty." "What do you mean? Why don't you just pay them back with the money we saved up?" Brook questioned "Because Brook these guys don't work like that. They take what they want and do damage to the rest." Hart looked down at the street. "Ise don't want them to hurt you or the others." "Lets go to Brooklyn!" Brook said thinking it was a great idea. "No, I'm tired of running from everything." Hart said in a stern voice "If anything does happen to me you promise me you'll leave the others and go to Brooklyn ok?" "But ise gots to take care of them!" "Rascal can do that." "I'm going to bed I hate this talk!" Brook got up and went into the small house.
Weeks after that talk on a cold winter night Brook was awaken by a small voice. "What is it Mouse?" Brook said. "Can Ise sleep with you? Ise hear voices outside the window." Mouse said in her low voice. "Its probably just some drunks on the street. Here you get in bad and I'll go check." Brook said while tucking Mouse into her bed.
Brook walked over to the widow and heard the voices. It didn't sound like drunks. Brook listened harder and then looked over to where Hart slept. He wasn't there! Brook walked out the door and towards where she had heard the voices. She turned a corner to see Hart being held up by two men she did not recognize. Hart was beaten pretty bad, "Brook run!" He told her but it was to late Brook was hit on the back of the head with a board and knocked out.
Brook soon woke up with a bad headache. She felt the back of her head where she was hit it was bleeding. Brook looked around and found Hart laying on the ground. She crawled over to him, "Hart?" Brook took him in her arms and started crying thinking Hart was dead. "Hey Brook." Hart said opening his eyes. "Oh Hart why they do this?" Brook said "Its ok Brook, it my turn to leave now and youse gots big things to do so Ise don't want youse to go cryen over me ok?" "But Hart your only 17 and Ise don't want youse to leave me." Hart lifted his hand and push Brooks hair from her face which revealed her tears. "Oh Ise ain't goin no where. I'll always be right here." Hart place his hand over Brooks heart. Brook started to sob. "Ise love you Brook don't you forget that!" And with that Hart was gone. Brook cried for about 10minutes. She couldn't believe Hart was gone. She soon remembered those people who Brook was talking about on the roof and thought maybe those people last night were the ones Hart was talking about. Brook's heart soon filed with hate and angry. She gently set Hart down and got up to go to the house. When she looked up she saw Mouse. "Is he gone?" Little Mouse asked "Yes." Said Brook as she walked over to Mouse and bent down to Mouse's level. "Listen Ise got to go. Rascal and Hope will take care of you. Tell them not to worry about me ok? Oh and tell them the money is under my bed and to use it wisely." Mouse nodded and walked over to where Hart was. Brook walked to the small house and quietly walk in to get some things before she left. She grabbed some bread and a blanket and then was out the door. As she started to walk in the direction of Brooklyn Mouse ran up to her and held opened her hand. In her hand was a locket Hart always wore. The locket could only be opened with one key that no one had. Brooks eyes began to water as she took the necklace and placed it around her neck. She knelt down and looked at Mouse "I'll be back for you Mouse and that's a promise!" Brook gave Mouse one last hug before walking off.
Walking down the road Brook thought of all the things leading up to this day. Brook made two promises to herself. One that she would get revenge and two that she would never cry again. Brook was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even relieve she had passed the turn to the Brooklyn bridge. When Brook finally came to her senses that she was lost. She didn't know what to do. She decided to go into a store and ask someone. She walked into a store called Henry Foods and walked up to a man who she thought worked there. "Excuse me mister but Ise seemed to have lost my way. Could you tell me how to get to the Brooklyn bridge from here?" The man turned and answered, "Why sure little miss, you go out to the road right outside and turn left. Go straight for about two blocks and once you get there turn left again. Then straight to the Brooklyn bride. You should reach there by nightfall." "Thank you." Brook said as she turned to leave. "Oh my does that hurt?" The man quickly asked "What? Oh my head? Um a little but I'll be ok." Brook answered "I'm a doctor why don't you come to my little place so I can fix you up. I won't take no for an answer." The man said as he walked to the door.
Brook fallowed the man across the street into a nice little place. "Sit here." The man said pointing to a chair. Brook sat down and the man began to look at her head. "Oh it's a good thing I saw you, your head needs to be stitched up." The man grabbed some tools and began to work. "Now first we should clean it." The man got up and went to the sink to get a wet rag. He began to clean the area where the cut was. "I need to cut a little hair so I can see what I am doing. Is that ok with you?" Brook nodded and the man began his work.
When the man was finished he fed Brook and then walked her to the door. "Now be careful with your head and the stitches can come out in a week. I don't know what happened to you and I won't ask just be careful." "I'm sorry I can't pay you but thank you very much!" Brook said as she shook the guys hand and turned to leave. "Um, there is one thing I would like to know though." The man said "What's that?" Said Brook as she turned back around. "What's your name?" "My name oh its Brook!" She said with a grin. "Well Brook I'm Charles and I hope you have a safe journey to the Brooklyn bridge!" "Thank you." Brook said then turned to the road. When Brook got to the place in the road to turn left the streetlights came on. As she headed down this street she felt like someone was following her. She looked back but nothing. Brook walked by a bar just when someone came out. Brook knew he was drunk. She heard a voice inside her "Don't show fear because you have nothing to fear." She turned down an alley which you'd think was dumb but Brook had it all figured out in her head. She stood there waiting to see if the guy was following her. Sure enough he turned down the alley, "Hey sweet thing!" He said after taking a drink of liquor. Brook remembered what Hart had taught her. "Let him make the first move and then strike" Brook whispered. The guy came up to her and then grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Brook kicked him were it counts then punched him in the face. Now the guy was mad. He went at Brook full blown and grabbed Brook once more. This time Brook could shake loss from his grip. "You gonna pay for that!!!" He yelled at her. He raised his hand to hit her when all the sudden something hit him in the leg and he eminently let go of Brook. Brook kicked him once again in the crotch and grabbed a board and knocked him out.
Brook looked up to see someone walking towards her. 'Oh no not another one' she thought to herself. "That was some fighten!" said a boy as he walked into the moonlight. Brook saw the slingshot and then realized that the boy had hit the man with a slingshot rock. Brook just stood there and then said, "Why'd ya do that? Ise had 'im. Ise didn't need some help from no boy!" Brook was too stubborn to admit that she was glad he did that.
"Hey Ise just walken and then Ise hear fighten and so I just thought Ise help. Sorry." The boy said in a kind of rude tone.
"Well Ise didn't need your help or anyone else. Now leave me alone!" Brook said while walking by him.
"Ok fine." The boy turned the opposite direction on the road.
The bridge was now in view and as Brook walked toward it she saw the moon hit the water. It was so beautiful! When brook reach the middle of the bridge she lead over the railing to try and see under the bridge. She soon got tired so she pulled out the blanket and out flung a brush. It was her mother's old brush but how did it get in the blanket? Brook laid the blanket over her and started to brush her long brown hair.
In the morning Brook awoke to thinking she was back at home in her bed but when she realized she wasn't her heart sank. Brook stood up and looked at the water. She made it to Brooklyn but now what? She didn't know what else to do. To think more she put her hair up and went over the railing just to look at the water under the bridge. She looked at the water then closed her eyes. All the sudden someone grabbed her arm. Brook looked back to see the same boy that she saw last night. "Ise don't think youse want to jump." He said looking into her big brown eyes. "Let go of me!" Brook said "Ise can't let youse jump." "Jump ha youse think Ise gonna jump." "Your not gonna jump?" "No now go away!" "Wait is this a trick? How do Ise know that once Ise leave you ain't gonna jump?" "Because I said I ain't!" Brook was now getting mad. All she wanted was to think by herself! "Well Ise not believe you now come back on this side where its safe!" Brook got so mad she felt like going back over the railing to punch that boy. But then she looked into his blue eyes as he said, "Please come over the rail so we can talk." Brook now wanted to jump just so she didn't have to give in. So Brook climbed over the rail and then smacked the boy. "Ow! What was that for?" The boy said while rubbing his face. "That was for not believing me, and this is for helping me when I didn't ask for your help last night!" Said Brook as she went to smack the boy again but this time the boy caught her hand and held it there. "Let me go!" Brook said as she jerked back and fell down. "Now youse did that to yourself." The boy said trying to give her a hand to her feet. "Didn't Ise tell youse Ise don't need help from you or anyone for that matter!" She said getting up on her own. "Well yes youse did. But Ise don't listen to nobody so why shoud Ise listen to you?" The boy said leaning up against the rail. Brook just stood there not saying a word. "Well my names Spot, Spot Colon the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. What's your name?" "Oh so now you expect us to be friends just like that?" "No Ise just wants to know your name." "Oh well, um. its Brook." "Really? That's funny." "What's so funny." Brook said in a annoyed tone "Oh I just never met a goil who's name was Brook and is coming right on through 'ere that's all." "Well how ya know Ise just be passin through? Maybe Ise gonna stay or maybes Ise lived here all along!" "Ok then whats that docks name? Spot said pointing down to the water. "Everyone who lives in Brooklyn knows it name!" "Um..Well.That's um. Ok so Ise never been here before who cares!" "Well maybe no one cares. Ise sure don't care!" "Oh you're a stuck up full of yourself snob!" "Oh ok." Spot started walking towards the dock area." "Where youse goin?" "Well Ise seem to be done here and need to be headen back to sell papes." "Oh." "Hey youse wants to come along? I'll give ya some money to sell papes to so youse can have somethin to eat." "Oh no that's ok." "Ok suit yourself." Spot walked farther and farther away as Brook debated whether to go or not. "Hey Spot wait up!" Brook grabbed her stuff and ran up to him. "I am kinda hungry. That's the only reason why Ise comin!" "Ok ok calm down! Um, ya do know youse gotta work with me to get some food." Spot said with a smile. "That's ok I guess." Said Brook with a serious face
When they got across the bridge a lot of boys would say hi to Spot and give funny face to Brook. One boy they passed winked at Brook. Brook was so annoyed and began to wonder why she had left her cozy little home back in ___________. When they reach the newspaper stand Spot bought 100 papers and then handed one to Brook. "Why do Ise only get one pape?" Brook questioned as she looked at the paper "Because youse never sold papes right?" Spot said looking for a good headline in the paper then looked up at Brook to see her nod no. "Well then youse gets one for now and when its sold youse come back here to me to get more." "Ise don't like to be bossed by some boy who probably can't even count to 10 with his shoes on!" Brook snapped
A lot of boys stopped and looked at Spot to see what his reaction would be. Spot looked at her then stood up. Brook made eye contact; she wasn't about to soften up to Spot just yet. Spot jerked the paper from her hand and started to walk off. "Hey that's my pape!" Brook yelled at him "Exuse me", Spot said turning around, "who bought the pape? Ise did! So then who's pape is it? Mine!" Spot marched right back up to Brook and said "Ise ain't done nothen to hurt ya in anyway yet. So if ya want food then ya gotta sell papes and since youse have no money and Ise do then I suggest youse do what Ise say! Got it?!" "Oh ya Ise got it but se ain't worken with youse! Ise bet Ise can make ten since just by asken!" Brook said pushing by Spot, "And if Ise do then youse gotta let me have 10 of your papes! Deal?" "Ok but youse can only ask one person." "Ok then" "Wait just a second!" Spot said as Brook stopped in her tracks, "If the person says no and don't give ya nothing then your mine!" "What do you mean I'm yours?" Brook said turning around "Ise mean youse gotta be my slave for a day! Youse gotta sell all my papes and then rub my feet ect.!" Brook was so annoyed she said, "Fine!" and went to find someone to ask. By now all the newsies heard what was going on and just had to watch to see what would happen. 'Please please let me win!' Brook said in her head. Just then she saw a young lady who looked in her 20s. The lady had three men following her and carrying bags. 'She's perfect!' Brook thought as she looked back at Spot who was talking to a young man by him. Brook had the perfect acted in her head then limped walked up to the lady. "Excuse me miss but Ise real hungry and don't have no money to sell papes so that maybe Ise can get some food today. So could ya maybe spare me ten cents to buy 20 papes?" The lady looked at Brook with pity in her eyes. "Boys any of you have ten cents?" The lady said looking back at the men with the bags. The men set down the bags and searched their pockets. "Here you go Little miss." One man said giving her a dime. "Oh thank youse so much. You'll all be remembered in heaven for this! Thank you thank you!" Brook said limping away. When the lady was no longer in sight Brook looked at Spot who couldn't believe it. Brook kissed the dime and all the boy cheered and patted her on the shoulder. Brook walked right up to Spot with a big grin and said, "Now give me those papes!" "Not bad." Someone said from behind Spot. "Oh no." Spot said as she turned to she a girl who looked older then Spot. "Ah Smudge Ise thought youse was in Maddhatten visiting your boy!" "Ise just got back now give the girl her papes." Smudge said looking right at Spot like she was going to pound him if he didn't. "Ise was just gonna do that gee why don't ya just back off!" Spot said grabbing ten papes and handing them over to Brook. Brook was confused. Spot seemed like he wouldn't listen to no one and yet he obeys this girl? "My brother won't bother you when Ise around cause he knows I'll pop him if he's ever mean to a goil." Smudge said smiling at Spot while Spot just glared at her. "Oh youse Spot's sister? Well that explains a lot." Brook said smiling "Hey Smudge can ya leave now?" Spot said "Um ok but don't youse be mean to this goil no more." "Hey I'll do what Ise want cause I'M the leader of Brooklyn not you!" "Ok ok Ise goin." Smudge walk to Brook and whispered in her ear, "If he mean to you, youse just tell me ok?!" Brook nodded and Smudge left. "Ise hate haven older siblings!" Spot said grabbing his papes and walking down the street. Brook didn't know what to do. "Spot what do Ise do now?" Brook said running up to Spot "Youse sell the papes that's what! Don't ya rookies know anything?!" "Well it seems this rookie sure knows how to beat youse at beggen!" Spot turned and smiled, "Heya Tricks hows it goin?" "Ah not bad sold 59 papes today." "Oh really not bad!" "So who's your new goil?" "She ain't me new goil Ise just thought Ise help 'er get started that's all." "Well youse never helped me on my first day whys ya helping 'er?" "I don't know guess Ise felt bad for her until she went and did that beggin thing." "Hey youse do know Ise can hear!" Brook said "Oh ya forgot youse was back there. Tricks this is Brook." "Nice ta meet ya!" Tricks said was a big smile "Hey Tricks can Ise leave Brook with youse while Ise go sell my papes?" Spot said "Oh ya sure but ya know theres a poker game tonight down at Medda's sisters house." "Oh ya that's right well Ise better get moven then. Cya Tricks." Spot said just looking at Brook as he turned to leave yelling out headlines.
"So Brook youse know how ta sell papes?" Tricks asked as they started to walk down the road. "Nope Ise never has sold papes." Brook said looking back to see if maybe Spot was still in view. Tricks laughed, "So youse like Spot don't ya?" Tricks said as she sat on the side of the road looking at her last paper for a good headline. "No what makes youse say that?" Said Brook looking at Tricks "Ok heres what youse do, youse read a headline then find catchy words like in this one 'Man dies poor treatment from doctor' pick the words and add some of your own. Now watch." Tricks got up and yelled, "Man dies from crazy doctor with a knife!" Lots of people stopped to get a paper but she only had one left so she pointed to Brook and a bunch of people came to her buying lots of papers. Once people stopped buying Brook had 6 papers left. "Now you try." Tricks said "Um I don't really know how to read." Brook said looking down at the ground. "Oh well that's ok I'll read them to ya." Tricks walked over to Brook and read the front-page headline, "Trolley strike begins, is this the end of the trolley company? Here now go get 'em" "Oh um ok." Brook walked a little ways then looked back at Trick's who just motioned her on.
By: Stefanie Salazar
Hate is all that filled Brook as a child and on through the first of her teen years. When Brook's Mother died giving birth to her. Brook's father was always drunk and if Brook didn't do something right she'd be beaten. Finally on Brooks twelfth birthday her father went crazy. He dragged her to a down a alley beat her and left. Right after the man left a boy about 14 yrs old stepped out into the cold and noticed this girl lying on the ground. The boy picked her up and brought her inside a little house. A few days later when Brook woke up she was so frightened and lost that she couldn't speak. When she went to sit up a young boy came in the room. "Oh no lay back down your ribs are badly bruised." The boy said But it was to late Brook cried in pain and instantly laid back down.
"You just rest till youse are feelen better! So what's your name?" The Boy said as he sat on the bed. There was silence. "You do have a name right?" Brook shook her head no. "Wells Ise didn't have a name either until one day Ise just heard someone calls me Harts because whenever I'd play cards I'd always win with hearts. So the next thing Ise know everyone started calling me harts." Brook started to smile. "Youse got a pretty smile!" Harts handed Brook a glass of water. "So if you wants youse can choose your own name!" Brook was still silent. "Well I'll lets youse sleep now." Harts walk over to a small chair, "I'll sit here so youse gots nothing to fear."
After the first week Brook started walking and after a month she started talking. Every night before bed Harts would tell Brook about all the different places he went to, about all the people he met on the way and about newsies. One night Hart told about how he went to Brooklyn and how all the newsies there where great fighters. Brook then claimed her name. "I wants my name to be Brook for Brooklyn!"
"That's a fine name!" Harts said with a grin "Ise wants to go there some day!" Brook said while hopping into bed. "Well if youse ever going to go to Brooklyn youse better learn to fight." Harts said as he went over to his bed. "I'll teach you if youse wants?!" "Really?" Said Brook with a shocked "Sure! Now go to bed." Harts said as he blew out the light.
Over the next months Brook learned everything from street fighting to self-defense. Then the Months turned to years. After three years Harts and Brook had accepted three more kids into there home after they found a bigger place to live. The kids that lived with them were Rascal who was 11, Hope who was 9, and Mouse who was 7. Mouse was Brooks favorite! Mouse would rarely talk and when she did it was always in a very quiet voice. Hart would teach Rascal how to make money fight and how to take care of others just in case something happened to Hart or Brook.
Every night Brook and Hart would go up on the roof and talk. One night Hart had a confession to make. "Brook," he began, "Ise has something to tell you." "Ok what is it Hart?" Brook replied "Well about a year ago I ran into some trouble with some guys who where mad at me because I cheated them at a game and well they hurt me pretty bad. That why Ise had a black eye and a limp when I walked for about a week." Hart looked over at Brook and pushed her dark brown hair behind here ear. "Brook I'm not all that great of a person. I stole a lot from these guys cause they was easy to steal from. I hated going without food! Anyways Ise have a feeling they'll be back for me and it ain't going to be pretty." "What do you mean? Why don't you just pay them back with the money we saved up?" Brook questioned "Because Brook these guys don't work like that. They take what they want and do damage to the rest." Hart looked down at the street. "Ise don't want them to hurt you or the others." "Lets go to Brooklyn!" Brook said thinking it was a great idea. "No, I'm tired of running from everything." Hart said in a stern voice "If anything does happen to me you promise me you'll leave the others and go to Brooklyn ok?" "But ise gots to take care of them!" "Rascal can do that." "I'm going to bed I hate this talk!" Brook got up and went into the small house.
Weeks after that talk on a cold winter night Brook was awaken by a small voice. "What is it Mouse?" Brook said. "Can Ise sleep with you? Ise hear voices outside the window." Mouse said in her low voice. "Its probably just some drunks on the street. Here you get in bad and I'll go check." Brook said while tucking Mouse into her bed.
Brook walked over to the widow and heard the voices. It didn't sound like drunks. Brook listened harder and then looked over to where Hart slept. He wasn't there! Brook walked out the door and towards where she had heard the voices. She turned a corner to see Hart being held up by two men she did not recognize. Hart was beaten pretty bad, "Brook run!" He told her but it was to late Brook was hit on the back of the head with a board and knocked out.
Brook soon woke up with a bad headache. She felt the back of her head where she was hit it was bleeding. Brook looked around and found Hart laying on the ground. She crawled over to him, "Hart?" Brook took him in her arms and started crying thinking Hart was dead. "Hey Brook." Hart said opening his eyes. "Oh Hart why they do this?" Brook said "Its ok Brook, it my turn to leave now and youse gots big things to do so Ise don't want youse to go cryen over me ok?" "But Hart your only 17 and Ise don't want youse to leave me." Hart lifted his hand and push Brooks hair from her face which revealed her tears. "Oh Ise ain't goin no where. I'll always be right here." Hart place his hand over Brooks heart. Brook started to sob. "Ise love you Brook don't you forget that!" And with that Hart was gone. Brook cried for about 10minutes. She couldn't believe Hart was gone. She soon remembered those people who Brook was talking about on the roof and thought maybe those people last night were the ones Hart was talking about. Brook's heart soon filed with hate and angry. She gently set Hart down and got up to go to the house. When she looked up she saw Mouse. "Is he gone?" Little Mouse asked "Yes." Said Brook as she walked over to Mouse and bent down to Mouse's level. "Listen Ise got to go. Rascal and Hope will take care of you. Tell them not to worry about me ok? Oh and tell them the money is under my bed and to use it wisely." Mouse nodded and walked over to where Hart was. Brook walked to the small house and quietly walk in to get some things before she left. She grabbed some bread and a blanket and then was out the door. As she started to walk in the direction of Brooklyn Mouse ran up to her and held opened her hand. In her hand was a locket Hart always wore. The locket could only be opened with one key that no one had. Brooks eyes began to water as she took the necklace and placed it around her neck. She knelt down and looked at Mouse "I'll be back for you Mouse and that's a promise!" Brook gave Mouse one last hug before walking off.
Walking down the road Brook thought of all the things leading up to this day. Brook made two promises to herself. One that she would get revenge and two that she would never cry again. Brook was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even relieve she had passed the turn to the Brooklyn bridge. When Brook finally came to her senses that she was lost. She didn't know what to do. She decided to go into a store and ask someone. She walked into a store called Henry Foods and walked up to a man who she thought worked there. "Excuse me mister but Ise seemed to have lost my way. Could you tell me how to get to the Brooklyn bridge from here?" The man turned and answered, "Why sure little miss, you go out to the road right outside and turn left. Go straight for about two blocks and once you get there turn left again. Then straight to the Brooklyn bride. You should reach there by nightfall." "Thank you." Brook said as she turned to leave. "Oh my does that hurt?" The man quickly asked "What? Oh my head? Um a little but I'll be ok." Brook answered "I'm a doctor why don't you come to my little place so I can fix you up. I won't take no for an answer." The man said as he walked to the door.
Brook fallowed the man across the street into a nice little place. "Sit here." The man said pointing to a chair. Brook sat down and the man began to look at her head. "Oh it's a good thing I saw you, your head needs to be stitched up." The man grabbed some tools and began to work. "Now first we should clean it." The man got up and went to the sink to get a wet rag. He began to clean the area where the cut was. "I need to cut a little hair so I can see what I am doing. Is that ok with you?" Brook nodded and the man began his work.
When the man was finished he fed Brook and then walked her to the door. "Now be careful with your head and the stitches can come out in a week. I don't know what happened to you and I won't ask just be careful." "I'm sorry I can't pay you but thank you very much!" Brook said as she shook the guys hand and turned to leave. "Um, there is one thing I would like to know though." The man said "What's that?" Said Brook as she turned back around. "What's your name?" "My name oh its Brook!" She said with a grin. "Well Brook I'm Charles and I hope you have a safe journey to the Brooklyn bridge!" "Thank you." Brook said then turned to the road. When Brook got to the place in the road to turn left the streetlights came on. As she headed down this street she felt like someone was following her. She looked back but nothing. Brook walked by a bar just when someone came out. Brook knew he was drunk. She heard a voice inside her "Don't show fear because you have nothing to fear." She turned down an alley which you'd think was dumb but Brook had it all figured out in her head. She stood there waiting to see if the guy was following her. Sure enough he turned down the alley, "Hey sweet thing!" He said after taking a drink of liquor. Brook remembered what Hart had taught her. "Let him make the first move and then strike" Brook whispered. The guy came up to her and then grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Brook kicked him were it counts then punched him in the face. Now the guy was mad. He went at Brook full blown and grabbed Brook once more. This time Brook could shake loss from his grip. "You gonna pay for that!!!" He yelled at her. He raised his hand to hit her when all the sudden something hit him in the leg and he eminently let go of Brook. Brook kicked him once again in the crotch and grabbed a board and knocked him out.
Brook looked up to see someone walking towards her. 'Oh no not another one' she thought to herself. "That was some fighten!" said a boy as he walked into the moonlight. Brook saw the slingshot and then realized that the boy had hit the man with a slingshot rock. Brook just stood there and then said, "Why'd ya do that? Ise had 'im. Ise didn't need some help from no boy!" Brook was too stubborn to admit that she was glad he did that.
"Hey Ise just walken and then Ise hear fighten and so I just thought Ise help. Sorry." The boy said in a kind of rude tone.
"Well Ise didn't need your help or anyone else. Now leave me alone!" Brook said while walking by him.
"Ok fine." The boy turned the opposite direction on the road.
The bridge was now in view and as Brook walked toward it she saw the moon hit the water. It was so beautiful! When brook reach the middle of the bridge she lead over the railing to try and see under the bridge. She soon got tired so she pulled out the blanket and out flung a brush. It was her mother's old brush but how did it get in the blanket? Brook laid the blanket over her and started to brush her long brown hair.
In the morning Brook awoke to thinking she was back at home in her bed but when she realized she wasn't her heart sank. Brook stood up and looked at the water. She made it to Brooklyn but now what? She didn't know what else to do. To think more she put her hair up and went over the railing just to look at the water under the bridge. She looked at the water then closed her eyes. All the sudden someone grabbed her arm. Brook looked back to see the same boy that she saw last night. "Ise don't think youse want to jump." He said looking into her big brown eyes. "Let go of me!" Brook said "Ise can't let youse jump." "Jump ha youse think Ise gonna jump." "Your not gonna jump?" "No now go away!" "Wait is this a trick? How do Ise know that once Ise leave you ain't gonna jump?" "Because I said I ain't!" Brook was now getting mad. All she wanted was to think by herself! "Well Ise not believe you now come back on this side where its safe!" Brook got so mad she felt like going back over the railing to punch that boy. But then she looked into his blue eyes as he said, "Please come over the rail so we can talk." Brook now wanted to jump just so she didn't have to give in. So Brook climbed over the rail and then smacked the boy. "Ow! What was that for?" The boy said while rubbing his face. "That was for not believing me, and this is for helping me when I didn't ask for your help last night!" Said Brook as she went to smack the boy again but this time the boy caught her hand and held it there. "Let me go!" Brook said as she jerked back and fell down. "Now youse did that to yourself." The boy said trying to give her a hand to her feet. "Didn't Ise tell youse Ise don't need help from you or anyone for that matter!" She said getting up on her own. "Well yes youse did. But Ise don't listen to nobody so why shoud Ise listen to you?" The boy said leaning up against the rail. Brook just stood there not saying a word. "Well my names Spot, Spot Colon the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. What's your name?" "Oh so now you expect us to be friends just like that?" "No Ise just wants to know your name." "Oh well, um. its Brook." "Really? That's funny." "What's so funny." Brook said in a annoyed tone "Oh I just never met a goil who's name was Brook and is coming right on through 'ere that's all." "Well how ya know Ise just be passin through? Maybe Ise gonna stay or maybes Ise lived here all along!" "Ok then whats that docks name? Spot said pointing down to the water. "Everyone who lives in Brooklyn knows it name!" "Um..Well.That's um. Ok so Ise never been here before who cares!" "Well maybe no one cares. Ise sure don't care!" "Oh you're a stuck up full of yourself snob!" "Oh ok." Spot started walking towards the dock area." "Where youse goin?" "Well Ise seem to be done here and need to be headen back to sell papes." "Oh." "Hey youse wants to come along? I'll give ya some money to sell papes to so youse can have somethin to eat." "Oh no that's ok." "Ok suit yourself." Spot walked farther and farther away as Brook debated whether to go or not. "Hey Spot wait up!" Brook grabbed her stuff and ran up to him. "I am kinda hungry. That's the only reason why Ise comin!" "Ok ok calm down! Um, ya do know youse gotta work with me to get some food." Spot said with a smile. "That's ok I guess." Said Brook with a serious face
When they got across the bridge a lot of boys would say hi to Spot and give funny face to Brook. One boy they passed winked at Brook. Brook was so annoyed and began to wonder why she had left her cozy little home back in ___________. When they reach the newspaper stand Spot bought 100 papers and then handed one to Brook. "Why do Ise only get one pape?" Brook questioned as she looked at the paper "Because youse never sold papes right?" Spot said looking for a good headline in the paper then looked up at Brook to see her nod no. "Well then youse gets one for now and when its sold youse come back here to me to get more." "Ise don't like to be bossed by some boy who probably can't even count to 10 with his shoes on!" Brook snapped
A lot of boys stopped and looked at Spot to see what his reaction would be. Spot looked at her then stood up. Brook made eye contact; she wasn't about to soften up to Spot just yet. Spot jerked the paper from her hand and started to walk off. "Hey that's my pape!" Brook yelled at him "Exuse me", Spot said turning around, "who bought the pape? Ise did! So then who's pape is it? Mine!" Spot marched right back up to Brook and said "Ise ain't done nothen to hurt ya in anyway yet. So if ya want food then ya gotta sell papes and since youse have no money and Ise do then I suggest youse do what Ise say! Got it?!" "Oh ya Ise got it but se ain't worken with youse! Ise bet Ise can make ten since just by asken!" Brook said pushing by Spot, "And if Ise do then youse gotta let me have 10 of your papes! Deal?" "Ok but youse can only ask one person." "Ok then" "Wait just a second!" Spot said as Brook stopped in her tracks, "If the person says no and don't give ya nothing then your mine!" "What do you mean I'm yours?" Brook said turning around "Ise mean youse gotta be my slave for a day! Youse gotta sell all my papes and then rub my feet ect.!" Brook was so annoyed she said, "Fine!" and went to find someone to ask. By now all the newsies heard what was going on and just had to watch to see what would happen. 'Please please let me win!' Brook said in her head. Just then she saw a young lady who looked in her 20s. The lady had three men following her and carrying bags. 'She's perfect!' Brook thought as she looked back at Spot who was talking to a young man by him. Brook had the perfect acted in her head then limped walked up to the lady. "Excuse me miss but Ise real hungry and don't have no money to sell papes so that maybe Ise can get some food today. So could ya maybe spare me ten cents to buy 20 papes?" The lady looked at Brook with pity in her eyes. "Boys any of you have ten cents?" The lady said looking back at the men with the bags. The men set down the bags and searched their pockets. "Here you go Little miss." One man said giving her a dime. "Oh thank youse so much. You'll all be remembered in heaven for this! Thank you thank you!" Brook said limping away. When the lady was no longer in sight Brook looked at Spot who couldn't believe it. Brook kissed the dime and all the boy cheered and patted her on the shoulder. Brook walked right up to Spot with a big grin and said, "Now give me those papes!" "Not bad." Someone said from behind Spot. "Oh no." Spot said as she turned to she a girl who looked older then Spot. "Ah Smudge Ise thought youse was in Maddhatten visiting your boy!" "Ise just got back now give the girl her papes." Smudge said looking right at Spot like she was going to pound him if he didn't. "Ise was just gonna do that gee why don't ya just back off!" Spot said grabbing ten papes and handing them over to Brook. Brook was confused. Spot seemed like he wouldn't listen to no one and yet he obeys this girl? "My brother won't bother you when Ise around cause he knows I'll pop him if he's ever mean to a goil." Smudge said smiling at Spot while Spot just glared at her. "Oh youse Spot's sister? Well that explains a lot." Brook said smiling "Hey Smudge can ya leave now?" Spot said "Um ok but don't youse be mean to this goil no more." "Hey I'll do what Ise want cause I'M the leader of Brooklyn not you!" "Ok ok Ise goin." Smudge walk to Brook and whispered in her ear, "If he mean to you, youse just tell me ok?!" Brook nodded and Smudge left. "Ise hate haven older siblings!" Spot said grabbing his papes and walking down the street. Brook didn't know what to do. "Spot what do Ise do now?" Brook said running up to Spot "Youse sell the papes that's what! Don't ya rookies know anything?!" "Well it seems this rookie sure knows how to beat youse at beggen!" Spot turned and smiled, "Heya Tricks hows it goin?" "Ah not bad sold 59 papes today." "Oh really not bad!" "So who's your new goil?" "She ain't me new goil Ise just thought Ise help 'er get started that's all." "Well youse never helped me on my first day whys ya helping 'er?" "I don't know guess Ise felt bad for her until she went and did that beggin thing." "Hey youse do know Ise can hear!" Brook said "Oh ya forgot youse was back there. Tricks this is Brook." "Nice ta meet ya!" Tricks said was a big smile "Hey Tricks can Ise leave Brook with youse while Ise go sell my papes?" Spot said "Oh ya sure but ya know theres a poker game tonight down at Medda's sisters house." "Oh ya that's right well Ise better get moven then. Cya Tricks." Spot said just looking at Brook as he turned to leave yelling out headlines.
"So Brook youse know how ta sell papes?" Tricks asked as they started to walk down the road. "Nope Ise never has sold papes." Brook said looking back to see if maybe Spot was still in view. Tricks laughed, "So youse like Spot don't ya?" Tricks said as she sat on the side of the road looking at her last paper for a good headline. "No what makes youse say that?" Said Brook looking at Tricks "Ok heres what youse do, youse read a headline then find catchy words like in this one 'Man dies poor treatment from doctor' pick the words and add some of your own. Now watch." Tricks got up and yelled, "Man dies from crazy doctor with a knife!" Lots of people stopped to get a paper but she only had one left so she pointed to Brook and a bunch of people came to her buying lots of papers. Once people stopped buying Brook had 6 papers left. "Now you try." Tricks said "Um I don't really know how to read." Brook said looking down at the ground. "Oh well that's ok I'll read them to ya." Tricks walked over to Brook and read the front-page headline, "Trolley strike begins, is this the end of the trolley company? Here now go get 'em" "Oh um ok." Brook walked a little ways then looked back at Trick's who just motioned her on.