Sitting across from my grandfather, I was still trying to put into
retrospective the fact that my Grandmother, Skyler "Dodger" Kelly used to
be exactly like my girlfriend Darlene. The only thing different is the fact
that Darlene doesn't use a knife; she uses her fist. But Darlene smokes,
fights and drinks a lot. She ended up being expelled from our high school 2
years ago for putting another girl in intensive care. I tuned back into
what the others were talking about.
"So she just walked out? Nothing said other than you're dead to me?"
"Ya. Once we made sure that Ice was okay, Kid and I walked around Brooklyn for awhile to see if we could either find Dodger or find one of Spot's Newsies."
I looked at Grandpa and then asked,
"So when did you guys actually see her again?"
All of them thought for a moment before Mr. Mush spoke.
"That would have been about a month later. Most of us had forgotten about her except for Ice and Jack. She gave us a surprise though, that's for sure."
~*~*A month later~*~*
Mush's POV
Our shift had ended and Kid Blink, Jack and I were slowly walking in the dark towards the Lodging House. All of us looked as though we would scare even the dead. If I hadn't been moving, I'm pretty sure that I would fall on the ground and fall asleep. My eyes started to drop and I stumbled.
"C'mon Mush. Keep awake. The LH is just down the street."
I just groaned as we trudged along. When we finally got to the LH, a lantern was glowing, showing us that Kloppman was awake and was waking the boys up. I looked to Jack and Kid.
"Better wait until they've cleared out. The noises they'll make will more likely give me a headache."
So the 3 of us waited outside. Soon the boys were filing out of the building and down the street to our old employment; the World's distribution centre. Weasel ended up being fired after the strike and a friend of Kloppman's ended up taking over. His own nephews gave out the newspapers but Alex and Mark weren't as nasty as Oscar and Morris.
As soon as the last kid was out, the three of us headed up the familiar stairs and soon found our beds. As my head hit my pillow, sleep came over me and I didn't wake until lunchtime.
When I woke, my stomach grumbled and I decided that I would go over to Melanie's for something to eat. Jack and Kid were already awake and slowly getting changed. I walked over to the sinks and as I washed, I asked them if they wanted to join me at Melanie's.
"Okay. I could really go for one of her club sandwiches."
Kid said. Well the three of us finished getting ready and slowly walked to Melanie's, just enjoying the sights and sounds of the busy city. Entering the building, I waved to Melanie and we took our seats. After ordering our food none of us were really in a talking mood so Jack went to writing, Kid read the paper he had bought from Les and I gazed at the other customers around us. There were a few guys from when I was younger eating with their families.
Just then the door opened up, a blur ran in and stopped at the counter.
"MELANIE! 3 of your specials please!"
Now if one of us had yelled like that at Melanie, she would have clobbered us over the head with a wooden spoon. But Melanie just came out with 3 paper bags and handed them to the person. The person then plopped money on the counter and bolted out the door. I leaned forward to the guys.
"Did you guys see that? Mel would kill one of us if we did that."
Jack nodded.
"Yeah. I'll ask her what that was about when she brings our food."
And speak of the devil, Melanie showed up with our food. We all smiled as she handed the plates to us. Jack then spoke up.
"So Mel, what was that little shouting bit about?"
"Oh, that's one of my newest client. Every day at this time she runs in here, asks for 3 specials, drops money and leaves. This has been going on for about a month."
"Do you know what her name is?"
"It's Dodger. She reminds me of myself when I was her age."
All of us looked at Mel in shock. Dodger was actually still here!
~*~*Jack's POV~*~*
I sat there in shock. All of us had thought that Dodger had fled the city. We never saw her but then it clicked. She could be living in one of the other boroughs. We thanked Mel for our meals and as soon as she left, we started to talk of getting Ice and her back together as friends. We ate our meals quickly and when Mel came with the check we asked her.
"Uh Mel, do you know where that Dodger girl lives?"
"If I can remember right, she's always hanging around with Gambles and Ox from the Bronx."
Those two guys are the toughest guys we knew. They were always getting in fights with scabs and gangs from out of state. Why would Dodger pick to hang with them? Well we paid Mel and soon headed for the Bronx to see if we could convince Dodger to come back.
We walked down to the Bronx and the first Newsie we saw, we asked where we could find Gambles and Ox.
"Oh they're with the Newby. They're always with her. Go check at the train yards. They're normally there bout now."
We thanked the kid and walked to the train yards. At first we didn't see anyone, but soon we could hear people laughing from one of the train houses. Walking over, we saw three people sitting on crates eating, drinking and laughing.
"You should have seen The Don's face when he lost last week. It was hilarious!"
Dodger said as she took a swig of her drink. We walked closer and I ended up kicking some stones. In a flash, the three of them were up from where they sat. I saw in Dodger's hand the all too familiar glint of her knife. Gambles ended up with a cane and Ox a chain. When the guys realized who it was that had invaded their space, they dropped their weapons and walked up to us.
"Well if it isn't Cowboy, The Kid and Mush. How are you guys?"
Gambles asked. I spat in my hand and he did the same then led us to the crates.
"We're pretty good Gambles."
I looked towards Dodger who still had her knife out, but now she passing it back and forth in her hands. Ox realized that I was staring.
"Where are our manners Gambles? (Both boys laugh since they both knew that they didn't have much in the way of manners.) Kelly, I'd like ya to meet our newest Newsie. Dodger. Dodger c'mon over to meet the infamous Kelly."
She didn't move from her spot but she did speak.
"We've met; unfortunately."
Ox and Gambles looked at her in confusion.
"Listen. We were in Melanie's when you came in earlier. We thought you had left the state."
Dodger slid her knife into its respective holster and jumped down from her crate.
"Well as you can see I didn't. If you're here to get me to talk to Ice or Renegade or whatever her name is, you can forget it. She's been out of my life for 3 years, so I don't need her now. Gambles, I'm going to get back to work. I'll see you later."
With that she turned around and walked right back into the train warehouse. Ox looked at us.
"She knows Ice? (I nodded) How?"
I relayed what we had either heard or been told.
"All she told us was that she moved here after family left her one day and was looking for a job. So we got her one here at the train yards."
"Well it makes sense that family left her. Ice had faked her death 3 years ago and ended up finding she wasn't dead last month. So in retrospect, her only family did leave her."
We stood around talking to Ox and Gambles for a few more minutes and we all decided that things needed to be patched up between Ice and Dodger. Spot, Ice, Mush, Kid Blink and I would come to the Bronx later that night for poker and also to rekindle a friendship that was thought to be dead.
~*~*Later that night~*~*
Dodger's POV
I leaned back in my chair and lifted the bottle to my mouth. Whiskey sure tasted good after a days work. I gazed around the room and saw the different card games going on. Black Jack, Poker, heck even Go Fish was being played. I decided not to bother with the cards and stick with my bottle. Most of the kids here weren't that bad. Ox and Gambles were great to hang out with and they didn't really care about why I showed up on the doorstep last month.
I took another swig of my whiskey, hoping for the memories of earlier to disappear. Seeing those bratty friends of Renegade's, oh, hold on Ice now. Well seeing them just put me in a bad mood. I put the bottle to my lips again and just as I did, I noticed a group of people enter the room.
"Oh great. Just what I need."
I finished off the bottle and set it down on the table by me. I then stood up and headed for my place of solitude, the basement. Most of the kids here are petrified of the dark so going down there brings me great peace. I slipped around the tables, so far being unnoticed. Just as I get to the stair leading down, my fortune leaves me and gives me crap.
"Dodger! C'mon over here. I've got some people I'd like you to meet."
Oh boy, just what I need, another encounter of the moron kind (took that from Encounters of the 3rd kind!) I straightened up and turned to face my doom. Walking over, I saw that it was all the guys from before. Standing before them, I just crossed my arms and waited for someone to speak since I didn't want to be there.
"Dodger, this is my pal Jack, Spot, Mush and Kid Blink. They came by the train yards earlier, but you left before I could introduce myself."
"Yeah, well I had to get back to work. Sorry I wasn't able to stay around for your tea party."
The looks on Gambles and Ox's faces were priceless. Since I had come here, I hadn't any real need to mouth off to them but they have set themselves up so nice that I had to take a crack at them.
"Well now that I've met these people, I'm getting another drink."
I start for the bar only to be stopped by a voice I didn't think I'd ever hear again.
"What? Can't go on living without a drink?"
That phrase had been too familiar in my life; both from my time and my mother's. I slowly turn around and as I do, the boys separate to show my dead best friend. She had a smirk on her face, telling me that she was ready for anything.
"At least I am living and not traipsing around under a false name."
I was going to stand my ground. She was NOT going to get the better of me now or ever again.
"Sure I have a different name, but at least my attitude's the same."
"Oh, I haven't changed on my own account though, YOU put me in this predicament so in all retrospect's, this is YOUR fault."
That last remark caused the entire room to silence and focus on us. Ice's face was crestfallen. She just stood there completely silenced. Silence normally helped me, but for once, I didn't like it.
"I'm leaving."
I stalked for the door only to be stopped by my new friends.
"Dodger that was harsh."
"Yeah well at least it's the truth. Now move it."
"No, you've got to settle this with her. Let bygones be bygones."
Ice spoke up.
"No. If she wants to go, then let her. I came here to try to get my best friend back but I guess that's not going to happen. I guess the Dodger I knew is dead."
"Yeah, well that Dodger died when you did."
Tears started to form in the corners of my eyes. For 3 years I haven't cried and I wasn't about to start now. I tried to move again but the boys were still blocking the way.
'Time for re-enforcements.' From it's holder, I pulled out my knife and in two quick strokes, cut both boy's arms.
"I told you to move."
I quickly move down the stairs only thing is the tears are starting to come so fast that I do realize that someone is laying in the stairwell. By the time I realize, it's too late. I take to the stairs like a bag of potatoes being dropped. The last thing I remember is hearing a crack as I hit the lobby floor.
A/N: I don't own Newsies or Ice. Only Dodger and the idea. Well I've got to be getting to bed. More to come later. Austa!
"So she just walked out? Nothing said other than you're dead to me?"
"Ya. Once we made sure that Ice was okay, Kid and I walked around Brooklyn for awhile to see if we could either find Dodger or find one of Spot's Newsies."
I looked at Grandpa and then asked,
"So when did you guys actually see her again?"
All of them thought for a moment before Mr. Mush spoke.
"That would have been about a month later. Most of us had forgotten about her except for Ice and Jack. She gave us a surprise though, that's for sure."
~*~*A month later~*~*
Mush's POV
Our shift had ended and Kid Blink, Jack and I were slowly walking in the dark towards the Lodging House. All of us looked as though we would scare even the dead. If I hadn't been moving, I'm pretty sure that I would fall on the ground and fall asleep. My eyes started to drop and I stumbled.
"C'mon Mush. Keep awake. The LH is just down the street."
I just groaned as we trudged along. When we finally got to the LH, a lantern was glowing, showing us that Kloppman was awake and was waking the boys up. I looked to Jack and Kid.
"Better wait until they've cleared out. The noises they'll make will more likely give me a headache."
So the 3 of us waited outside. Soon the boys were filing out of the building and down the street to our old employment; the World's distribution centre. Weasel ended up being fired after the strike and a friend of Kloppman's ended up taking over. His own nephews gave out the newspapers but Alex and Mark weren't as nasty as Oscar and Morris.
As soon as the last kid was out, the three of us headed up the familiar stairs and soon found our beds. As my head hit my pillow, sleep came over me and I didn't wake until lunchtime.
When I woke, my stomach grumbled and I decided that I would go over to Melanie's for something to eat. Jack and Kid were already awake and slowly getting changed. I walked over to the sinks and as I washed, I asked them if they wanted to join me at Melanie's.
"Okay. I could really go for one of her club sandwiches."
Kid said. Well the three of us finished getting ready and slowly walked to Melanie's, just enjoying the sights and sounds of the busy city. Entering the building, I waved to Melanie and we took our seats. After ordering our food none of us were really in a talking mood so Jack went to writing, Kid read the paper he had bought from Les and I gazed at the other customers around us. There were a few guys from when I was younger eating with their families.
Just then the door opened up, a blur ran in and stopped at the counter.
"MELANIE! 3 of your specials please!"
Now if one of us had yelled like that at Melanie, she would have clobbered us over the head with a wooden spoon. But Melanie just came out with 3 paper bags and handed them to the person. The person then plopped money on the counter and bolted out the door. I leaned forward to the guys.
"Did you guys see that? Mel would kill one of us if we did that."
Jack nodded.
"Yeah. I'll ask her what that was about when she brings our food."
And speak of the devil, Melanie showed up with our food. We all smiled as she handed the plates to us. Jack then spoke up.
"So Mel, what was that little shouting bit about?"
"Oh, that's one of my newest client. Every day at this time she runs in here, asks for 3 specials, drops money and leaves. This has been going on for about a month."
"Do you know what her name is?"
"It's Dodger. She reminds me of myself when I was her age."
All of us looked at Mel in shock. Dodger was actually still here!
~*~*Jack's POV~*~*
I sat there in shock. All of us had thought that Dodger had fled the city. We never saw her but then it clicked. She could be living in one of the other boroughs. We thanked Mel for our meals and as soon as she left, we started to talk of getting Ice and her back together as friends. We ate our meals quickly and when Mel came with the check we asked her.
"Uh Mel, do you know where that Dodger girl lives?"
"If I can remember right, she's always hanging around with Gambles and Ox from the Bronx."
Those two guys are the toughest guys we knew. They were always getting in fights with scabs and gangs from out of state. Why would Dodger pick to hang with them? Well we paid Mel and soon headed for the Bronx to see if we could convince Dodger to come back.
We walked down to the Bronx and the first Newsie we saw, we asked where we could find Gambles and Ox.
"Oh they're with the Newby. They're always with her. Go check at the train yards. They're normally there bout now."
We thanked the kid and walked to the train yards. At first we didn't see anyone, but soon we could hear people laughing from one of the train houses. Walking over, we saw three people sitting on crates eating, drinking and laughing.
"You should have seen The Don's face when he lost last week. It was hilarious!"
Dodger said as she took a swig of her drink. We walked closer and I ended up kicking some stones. In a flash, the three of them were up from where they sat. I saw in Dodger's hand the all too familiar glint of her knife. Gambles ended up with a cane and Ox a chain. When the guys realized who it was that had invaded their space, they dropped their weapons and walked up to us.
"Well if it isn't Cowboy, The Kid and Mush. How are you guys?"
Gambles asked. I spat in my hand and he did the same then led us to the crates.
"We're pretty good Gambles."
I looked towards Dodger who still had her knife out, but now she passing it back and forth in her hands. Ox realized that I was staring.
"Where are our manners Gambles? (Both boys laugh since they both knew that they didn't have much in the way of manners.) Kelly, I'd like ya to meet our newest Newsie. Dodger. Dodger c'mon over to meet the infamous Kelly."
She didn't move from her spot but she did speak.
"We've met; unfortunately."
Ox and Gambles looked at her in confusion.
"Listen. We were in Melanie's when you came in earlier. We thought you had left the state."
Dodger slid her knife into its respective holster and jumped down from her crate.
"Well as you can see I didn't. If you're here to get me to talk to Ice or Renegade or whatever her name is, you can forget it. She's been out of my life for 3 years, so I don't need her now. Gambles, I'm going to get back to work. I'll see you later."
With that she turned around and walked right back into the train warehouse. Ox looked at us.
"She knows Ice? (I nodded) How?"
I relayed what we had either heard or been told.
"All she told us was that she moved here after family left her one day and was looking for a job. So we got her one here at the train yards."
"Well it makes sense that family left her. Ice had faked her death 3 years ago and ended up finding she wasn't dead last month. So in retrospect, her only family did leave her."
We stood around talking to Ox and Gambles for a few more minutes and we all decided that things needed to be patched up between Ice and Dodger. Spot, Ice, Mush, Kid Blink and I would come to the Bronx later that night for poker and also to rekindle a friendship that was thought to be dead.
~*~*Later that night~*~*
Dodger's POV
I leaned back in my chair and lifted the bottle to my mouth. Whiskey sure tasted good after a days work. I gazed around the room and saw the different card games going on. Black Jack, Poker, heck even Go Fish was being played. I decided not to bother with the cards and stick with my bottle. Most of the kids here weren't that bad. Ox and Gambles were great to hang out with and they didn't really care about why I showed up on the doorstep last month.
I took another swig of my whiskey, hoping for the memories of earlier to disappear. Seeing those bratty friends of Renegade's, oh, hold on Ice now. Well seeing them just put me in a bad mood. I put the bottle to my lips again and just as I did, I noticed a group of people enter the room.
"Oh great. Just what I need."
I finished off the bottle and set it down on the table by me. I then stood up and headed for my place of solitude, the basement. Most of the kids here are petrified of the dark so going down there brings me great peace. I slipped around the tables, so far being unnoticed. Just as I get to the stair leading down, my fortune leaves me and gives me crap.
"Dodger! C'mon over here. I've got some people I'd like you to meet."
Oh boy, just what I need, another encounter of the moron kind (took that from Encounters of the 3rd kind!) I straightened up and turned to face my doom. Walking over, I saw that it was all the guys from before. Standing before them, I just crossed my arms and waited for someone to speak since I didn't want to be there.
"Dodger, this is my pal Jack, Spot, Mush and Kid Blink. They came by the train yards earlier, but you left before I could introduce myself."
"Yeah, well I had to get back to work. Sorry I wasn't able to stay around for your tea party."
The looks on Gambles and Ox's faces were priceless. Since I had come here, I hadn't any real need to mouth off to them but they have set themselves up so nice that I had to take a crack at them.
"Well now that I've met these people, I'm getting another drink."
I start for the bar only to be stopped by a voice I didn't think I'd ever hear again.
"What? Can't go on living without a drink?"
That phrase had been too familiar in my life; both from my time and my mother's. I slowly turn around and as I do, the boys separate to show my dead best friend. She had a smirk on her face, telling me that she was ready for anything.
"At least I am living and not traipsing around under a false name."
I was going to stand my ground. She was NOT going to get the better of me now or ever again.
"Sure I have a different name, but at least my attitude's the same."
"Oh, I haven't changed on my own account though, YOU put me in this predicament so in all retrospect's, this is YOUR fault."
That last remark caused the entire room to silence and focus on us. Ice's face was crestfallen. She just stood there completely silenced. Silence normally helped me, but for once, I didn't like it.
"I'm leaving."
I stalked for the door only to be stopped by my new friends.
"Dodger that was harsh."
"Yeah well at least it's the truth. Now move it."
"No, you've got to settle this with her. Let bygones be bygones."
Ice spoke up.
"No. If she wants to go, then let her. I came here to try to get my best friend back but I guess that's not going to happen. I guess the Dodger I knew is dead."
"Yeah, well that Dodger died when you did."
Tears started to form in the corners of my eyes. For 3 years I haven't cried and I wasn't about to start now. I tried to move again but the boys were still blocking the way.
'Time for re-enforcements.' From it's holder, I pulled out my knife and in two quick strokes, cut both boy's arms.
"I told you to move."
I quickly move down the stairs only thing is the tears are starting to come so fast that I do realize that someone is laying in the stairwell. By the time I realize, it's too late. I take to the stairs like a bag of potatoes being dropped. The last thing I remember is hearing a crack as I hit the lobby floor.
A/N: I don't own Newsies or Ice. Only Dodger and the idea. Well I've got to be getting to bed. More to come later. Austa!
