Disclaimer-I do not own this movie.
Docks sat in front of the window a day and a half later. It was raining hard and the streets were wet with rivers of rainwater. Spot still hadn't come home. She was worried sick about him. He had never stayed away from Brooklyn for this long before.
River came in late that night, a look of absolute misery on his face. Docks stood up. "What happened?"
He sat slumped against the wall and pulled her in front of him. "Dey found someone in an alley in Queens...blonde hair, blue eyes, carryin' Alex's cane."
Docks's green eyes grew wide. "Dead...?" She whispered the query.
River shook his head. "Not dead but damn near close. He has da shit beat out of him."
Spitfire sat up from her position on a chair. "Dat don't sound like Spot Conlon."
"I don't give a shit if it's Joey Pulitzer! We'se goin ta check right now!" River snapped. He had presumed the role of leader since Spot had gone omitted. Docks stood up and pulled her brother to his feet.
River groaned in protest. He hadn't been inside for more than two hours in three days. "C'mon Reilly ya killin' me. I can get up on me own." He stumbled to his feet and let her lead him out the door.
Queens and Brooklyn had never really had problems between them. Their leader was a big Italian/Irish mix. His name was Brutal. He met them at the entrance to his lodging house. "Heya McGowens! What brings da family inta Queens?" He asked almost charily.
Docks smiled answering, "We heard about da boy ya found. Can we take a look at him?"
Brutal thought for a moment. "He ain't doin to good. I mean, he ain't awake yet."
Docks felt her stomach drop but she kept up an exultant demeanor. "Can we please see him, Brutal? Ya know I won't let River heah do any harm."
Brutal laughed at River's sarcastic smirk toward his sister's comment. "Yeah yeah. But if ya know him I want ta know who he is. I don't want no crypts in me lodgin' house...or ya bruddahs for dat mattah."
Docks nodded and tore up the stairs to the nearly empty room. A boy, barely moving but for the small rise and fall of his breathing; lay on the bed. She stepped cautiously forward and peered into the face.
The eyes were closed so she couldn't tell if they were Spot's own sky blue. She slipped a hand into the blanket and felt for the familiar cord that hung around his neck...and found it. A solitary key was tied to the string. Tears stung her eyes as she searched the room again and saw the cane leaning against the wall. This boy was Alexander Conlon...and he was near death. She walked numbly out the door, down the steps, and straight into River's arms. "It's him ain't it?" He asked gently.
She nodded and managed to choke, "Yes."
River sat her down, reassuring her that he'd be fine; and went upstairs to see for himself if Brooklyn's leader really was on his deathbed.
River stepped into the dead feeling room and quickly surveyed his surroundings. It was something Spot had taught him to do...always have an escape route planned before you jump into something. As soon as he realized there was a window in the room, and that he had his slingshot on him; he approached the bed. The boy was indeed Spot. His rising and falling chest was the only sign of life left in his body. River sighed. This was definitely bad. "Brutal!" He called to the leader.
Brutal walked in. "Yeah?"
"I know who dis is...but ya might not wanna hear it."
Brutal nodded. "I think it's Spot...is it?"
River nodded solemnly. "I'm Brooklyn leadah right now...so I'll stay heah until we figure dis out awright?"
Brutal fidgeted. "Dunno if dat's a good idea. Ya sistah is cryin' her pretty little eyes out ovah dis. Ya might wanna leave Docks heah instead."
"I have specific ordahs from Dollar an' Luke dat she stays an' goes nowhere alone. If she stays, I stay."
Brutal nodded. "We can do dat. I'll send word ta Brooklyn 'bout where ya are."
"No. I'll go meself. Spot has a sistah dere dat's gonna need someone ta tell her what happened without da, 'My leadah told me ta tell ya dat ya bruddahs gonna die soon.' Docks an I'll go now an' be back latah. Thanks Brutal."
He shrugged. "No problem. It's always good ta have Brooklyn on ya side."
River smiled and went down the steps, grabbing Docks on the way out the door. She was to upset to argue with him and therefore just followed her brother as he dragged her home.
Spitfire was on the porch, leaning on her elbow. She sat up immediately and ran toward them. "Who was it?"
River dropped Docks's hand. "I'm sorry Kendra...it was Alex."
Spitfire's blue eyes filled with tears and she sank to her knees. Spot was the only family she had left.
Docks sat in front of the window a day and a half later. It was raining hard and the streets were wet with rivers of rainwater. Spot still hadn't come home. She was worried sick about him. He had never stayed away from Brooklyn for this long before.
River came in late that night, a look of absolute misery on his face. Docks stood up. "What happened?"
He sat slumped against the wall and pulled her in front of him. "Dey found someone in an alley in Queens...blonde hair, blue eyes, carryin' Alex's cane."
Docks's green eyes grew wide. "Dead...?" She whispered the query.
River shook his head. "Not dead but damn near close. He has da shit beat out of him."
Spitfire sat up from her position on a chair. "Dat don't sound like Spot Conlon."
"I don't give a shit if it's Joey Pulitzer! We'se goin ta check right now!" River snapped. He had presumed the role of leader since Spot had gone omitted. Docks stood up and pulled her brother to his feet.
River groaned in protest. He hadn't been inside for more than two hours in three days. "C'mon Reilly ya killin' me. I can get up on me own." He stumbled to his feet and let her lead him out the door.
Queens and Brooklyn had never really had problems between them. Their leader was a big Italian/Irish mix. His name was Brutal. He met them at the entrance to his lodging house. "Heya McGowens! What brings da family inta Queens?" He asked almost charily.
Docks smiled answering, "We heard about da boy ya found. Can we take a look at him?"
Brutal thought for a moment. "He ain't doin to good. I mean, he ain't awake yet."
Docks felt her stomach drop but she kept up an exultant demeanor. "Can we please see him, Brutal? Ya know I won't let River heah do any harm."
Brutal laughed at River's sarcastic smirk toward his sister's comment. "Yeah yeah. But if ya know him I want ta know who he is. I don't want no crypts in me lodgin' house...or ya bruddahs for dat mattah."
Docks nodded and tore up the stairs to the nearly empty room. A boy, barely moving but for the small rise and fall of his breathing; lay on the bed. She stepped cautiously forward and peered into the face.
The eyes were closed so she couldn't tell if they were Spot's own sky blue. She slipped a hand into the blanket and felt for the familiar cord that hung around his neck...and found it. A solitary key was tied to the string. Tears stung her eyes as she searched the room again and saw the cane leaning against the wall. This boy was Alexander Conlon...and he was near death. She walked numbly out the door, down the steps, and straight into River's arms. "It's him ain't it?" He asked gently.
She nodded and managed to choke, "Yes."
River sat her down, reassuring her that he'd be fine; and went upstairs to see for himself if Brooklyn's leader really was on his deathbed.
River stepped into the dead feeling room and quickly surveyed his surroundings. It was something Spot had taught him to do...always have an escape route planned before you jump into something. As soon as he realized there was a window in the room, and that he had his slingshot on him; he approached the bed. The boy was indeed Spot. His rising and falling chest was the only sign of life left in his body. River sighed. This was definitely bad. "Brutal!" He called to the leader.
Brutal walked in. "Yeah?"
"I know who dis is...but ya might not wanna hear it."
Brutal nodded. "I think it's Spot...is it?"
River nodded solemnly. "I'm Brooklyn leadah right now...so I'll stay heah until we figure dis out awright?"
Brutal fidgeted. "Dunno if dat's a good idea. Ya sistah is cryin' her pretty little eyes out ovah dis. Ya might wanna leave Docks heah instead."
"I have specific ordahs from Dollar an' Luke dat she stays an' goes nowhere alone. If she stays, I stay."
Brutal nodded. "We can do dat. I'll send word ta Brooklyn 'bout where ya are."
"No. I'll go meself. Spot has a sistah dere dat's gonna need someone ta tell her what happened without da, 'My leadah told me ta tell ya dat ya bruddahs gonna die soon.' Docks an I'll go now an' be back latah. Thanks Brutal."
He shrugged. "No problem. It's always good ta have Brooklyn on ya side."
River smiled and went down the steps, grabbing Docks on the way out the door. She was to upset to argue with him and therefore just followed her brother as he dragged her home.
Spitfire was on the porch, leaning on her elbow. She sat up immediately and ran toward them. "Who was it?"
River dropped Docks's hand. "I'm sorry Kendra...it was Alex."
Spitfire's blue eyes filled with tears and she sank to her knees. Spot was the only family she had left.