"And I tried so hard to reach you, but you're falling anyway."- googoodolls

[and I tried to hard to reach you]
by Bittersweet

Jack emerged form behind the rusted iron gates of the distribution center. The sun was strong that day, and he could feel the beams of sunshine leaving his cheeks tepid and tanned. It was late afternoon, the shadows hung low, but they could certainly squeeze a few more hours of sunlight from the sanctuary of light we call the sun.

David and Les had gone home early today, Les was so young and weak that he certainly couldn't sell all day long, and Dave couldn't let him wander the streets by himself on his way back home, so they left Jack by himself. He refused to retreat back their home, he had to use the day for all it was worth, so they would give him their remaining papers and he would keep the prophet.

The strike was still full-fledged, and Jack and Davey were carrying the hope of the other boys on their shoulders. They had to be brave and they had to be dependable, which was what Davey did best, but Jack was never as reliable, never as steadfast. He found his legs carrying him to the Jacob's home, and he stood outside of the complex for a moment. He closed his eyes and could hear almost every family in the complex's different conversations through the openness of the windows outside of their kitchens. It was approximately dinnertime, and he could smell the array of different foods leaving through each windowpane. He figured there must have been at least 4 or 5 nationalities living in that complex. He smelled a dish from each country, whether it be pasta or potatoes, soup or chicken-- it all combined to fill his nostrils with warmth and soul.

[[They painted up your secrets
With the lies they told to you
And the least they ever gave you
Was the most you ever knew]]

He climbed up the fire escape, watching each family as he strolled up to the Jacob's'. He wasn't really hungry, and he really wasn't interested in talking to anyone there, but merely sitting outside of their window was enough to fill his heart with gratitude. He listened intently to their conversation, he listened as Mr. and Mrs. Jacob's talked to David about the strike, about Jack himself.
"David honey, they're in charge, don't fight it," summoned the sweet voice of his mother.

"Mom, it's not right, they can't treat us like we don't exist," Jack could tell that as David spoke he began to rise from his chair, with his back against the wall of the building he could picture what was going on inside closed doors.

"David," his father spoke sternly, "It's what these fat cat's do."

"What? We do the work and they get they money? It doesn't seem fair-- we can right this and win, I know we can." He slammed his hand on the kitchen table, Jack knew he wouldn't give up this argument-- he was so passionate about it.

"Life isn't always fair David," his mother's voice becoming restless with the issue.

"But it'll make a man out of you, and your younger brother." Although he couldn't see, this comment seemed to be accompanied by a wink from Mr. Jacob's.

"I'm not giving up, I don't care what you say."

"You'll be going back to school before it's over, so don't get to set on this Newsie thing David."

David laughed, "It's only because you don't like Jack-- just admit it."

[[And I wonder where these dreams go
When the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming
No one's listening anyway]]

"It's not that we don't like him David, he's just not a good influence on you or Les." Mrs. Jacob's was becoming agitated.

"So does that make him a bad influence? He taught me how to be a Newsie, Mom, as of now Jack Kelly is helping to support our family. He's driven and one of the best friend's I've ever had."

"Don't you dare take that tone with your Mother, Mister," Mr. Jacob's bellowed over the whistling of the boiling water set on the stove.

"I just want this strike to be successful, a bunch of kids without money lives are at stake right now-- they're hardly making a living as it is now."

"Finish your soup," his mothers voice was demanding, and in no such mood for an argument.

"You're not even listening to me," David's voice trailed off as Jack could hear him getting choked up and distressed.

[[Your voice is small and fading
And you hide in here unknown
And your mother loves your father
'Cause she's got nowhere to go]]

Jack turned his body around and peered in through the window, just enough so that he could see what was going on, and David was gone, perhaps to his own room.

He kept thinking of the way Dave had stood up for him, he couldn't believe that another person would stick up for him, let alone a cause he was fighting for as well. The strange curly haired boy who walked into his life was a keeper, Jack decided. He couldn't take how his parent's had just brushed off his argument like that, how they could be so narrow-minded.
He listened absorbedly to their conversation, and was shocked at what he heard, but truthfully more honest by what he saw.

"Maybe the poor boy has a point," his mother said stroking Mr. Jacob's bad arm.

"Maybe you're out of your mind," Mr. Jacob's snuffed, pulling his arm away from her.
"We can't just hide him from the world forever, he has to live out his dreams and aspirations or he'll never make it on his own."

"End of conversation," Mr. Jacob's said throwing down his soup down and growing angrier. He paused for a moment and shook his baldhead at his wife, in disbelief that she would possibly disagree with him.

"You are not just going to put my opinion down like that," she rose as well, grabbing his arm and putting her foot down. Her eyes were full of hope as she starred into his, but they were tired and cold.

"I said, case closed," he muttered, and rose his hand back at her in a sudden rage.

[[And she wonders where these dreams go
'Cause the world got in her way
What's the point in ever trying
Nothing's changing anyway]]

The petite Mrs. Jacob's lay on the floor, lonely and forlorn. The side of her face that was stricken was red and stung like she had been attacked by a swarm of angry hornets.

She wept there for a moment, fixing her hair and wiping away the tears that trickled down her cheeks, and moistened her lips with a salty and illusory taste. She gathered herself, wiping her tears with her apron, and quickly stood up from the splintered wood of the floor. Hiding her face she walked to the sink and ran a rag under the cool water to cool her burning cheek. She dabbed at her face, mumbling to herself and weeping silently.

She cocked her head on a slant, and her eye was directed to an old photo of her and Mr. Jacob's, when they were young. They were laughing, smiling, they were even kissing.

Still they put on that act, when no one's looking, or rather when everyone is looking, She sighed loudly, wiping the last tears from beneath her eyes, and putting on her best smile.

Jack began to feel a lump form in his throat, making it hard to swallow; hard to breathe. He blinked his eyes slowly, and a tear slid down his cheek, landing on the collar of his shirt.

"Mother?" Sarah entered the room, seeing her mother in the condition she was in, "Mother, what's wrong?" She looked concerned and ran to her.

[[They press their lips against you
And you love the lies they say
And I tried so hard to reach you
But you're falling anyway]]

David and Les ran into the room with concern, and saw their mother the way she was. They stood there for a minute, looking at each other, and helping to calm her and Sarah.

"Oh, I'm all right," she sniffed, "I just-- I just-- fell out of my chair, that's all," she smiled a phony beam and wiping away the dirt from Les's sordid cheeks and smoothing back his hair as he climbed onto her lap.

"We heard you crying," he said rubbing his eyes and taking a big yawn.

She looked nervous for a moment, and smiled again, "When I fell I landed on my face," she paused, "it hurt a lot!" she said kissing him on the forehead, and tickling his sides. He squirmed.

"We didn't hear a chair fall," David said unconvinced.

"Oh David, you don't think I'd lie to you would I?" she smiled at him, and he stood emotionless. "Come here baby," she motioned to him for a hug.

David dragged his feet to his mother and embraced her tightly, and as he turned his head away from her, his glance caught Jack's at the window. They did that for a moment, staring at each other, but no words were exchanged. There was no need to speak right now, no words could possibly describe the way any of them were feeling.

Mrs. Jacob's embraced Les tightly in her arms as she began to hum a mellifluous tune. She rocked back and forth, clenching him tightly.

No one could speak, mesmerized by her song. Ready for the sun to rise in the morning, ready for the rain to fall from the heavens; ready for whatever came next.

[[And you know I see right through you
'Cause the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming
You're not listening anyway]]