Until Tomorrow
Chapter Three: Harlem?
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, Disney does.
A/N: Sorry this took so long, I was in the Drama at my high school (we just
did The Crucible and I was Abby) and it's been hectic. But we're done now,
so I will have more time to write. ~BitterSweetDragon
The man rolled out of his hotel bed at 1 in the afternoon. He muttered to himself as he woke. It was a comfortable bed, ones that a prison cell does not offer. At the prison they were given almost paper thin mattresses with only two blankets and a pillow. Well, Jacob (the man), had his connections with certain officers and had gotten two mattresses some nights. The thoughts of the prison that he had to spend 4 and a half years in fired his mind up. He needed to find his son, Benjamin, and soon.
Spot's POV
I forgot how Race was. I hadn't really spoken to him since the strike but he's a funny guy. Friendly too, I was surprised I told him all that I did. I've never told anyone about my "father," if you can call him that. And then I told him about me being bisexual. I guess he was right; I did need to get things off my chest. We're now walking back to Manhattan. I hadn't seen the Manhattan newsies in a while, so I figured I owed them a visit.
When I walked into Tibby's, I guess I surprised some people. Manhattan always was one of the friendlier burrows of New York. I said my hellos then headed over to Jack with Racetrack. "Jack Kelly."
"Spot Conlon, how are ya?" Jack spit in his hand and we shook, "It's been a while."
"I've been alright, we got a couple new kids from Harlem . Seems like Blade's givin' everybody a hard time ovah there. We got 'bout six guys from there, 'bout three youngah ones, and the rest around 15."
"Harlem's pretty far from you though. Wonder why they're comin' that far."
"I don't know. But both the kids and the other guys come in with bruises on their faces and," I gave Race a look, "My guys tell me that they ain't sleepin' well. Spark told me that the one kid gets this scared look on his face when Blade's mentioned. They named him Spooked."
"Do ya think Blade's hurtin' them?" Race asked as he stole a chip off of Jack's plate.
"Dunno. Blade is reckless and never has been too nice to his newsies. Ask Blink 'bout Blade. He used to be a Harlem newsie. HEY BLINK!" Jack yelled, "Come ovah here."
"Whatcha need Jack?"
"Spot has a couple of questions 'bout Blade and the Harlem newsies."
"I've heard that Blade isn't the nicest leadah in New York. I got a handful of new kids from Harlem. They've came in with bruises and they ain't happy when Blade or Harlem is mentioned. Any ideas why?"
Blink frowned, "Blade.well, to put it nicely, he ain't a saint. When I was there, I saw things, I heard things, been threatened by him, been punched by him, and shit like that."
Race picked his head up, "What sort of stuff did ya hear an' see?"
Blink shifted his weight, "Seen him soak anyone who disagreed with him, no matter what age. I've seen 'im threaten kids and I've hoid he's raped a couple of goils. He's a bastard."
"What are we goin' to do 'bout this Spot?" Jack asked
I thought about it. Was this worth a fight? Blade and his boys aren't a friendly group. They didn't fight fair and they were known to soak anyone who even looked at them funny. I took a deep breath, "Don't hold me to it but, maybe a fight's in order. I'll talk to my boys. Would you guys back us up? Harlem wouldn't go down easy. Remember when the Bronx took them on last year? They killed off Piper and a bunch of his boys."
"I'm not making any promises Spot. But I'll talk to the guys. But if it was just my decision, I'd say, 'We're in.'"
The man rolled out of his hotel bed at 1 in the afternoon. He muttered to himself as he woke. It was a comfortable bed, ones that a prison cell does not offer. At the prison they were given almost paper thin mattresses with only two blankets and a pillow. Well, Jacob (the man), had his connections with certain officers and had gotten two mattresses some nights. The thoughts of the prison that he had to spend 4 and a half years in fired his mind up. He needed to find his son, Benjamin, and soon.
Spot's POV
I forgot how Race was. I hadn't really spoken to him since the strike but he's a funny guy. Friendly too, I was surprised I told him all that I did. I've never told anyone about my "father," if you can call him that. And then I told him about me being bisexual. I guess he was right; I did need to get things off my chest. We're now walking back to Manhattan. I hadn't seen the Manhattan newsies in a while, so I figured I owed them a visit.
When I walked into Tibby's, I guess I surprised some people. Manhattan always was one of the friendlier burrows of New York. I said my hellos then headed over to Jack with Racetrack. "Jack Kelly."
"Spot Conlon, how are ya?" Jack spit in his hand and we shook, "It's been a while."
"I've been alright, we got a couple new kids from Harlem . Seems like Blade's givin' everybody a hard time ovah there. We got 'bout six guys from there, 'bout three youngah ones, and the rest around 15."
"Harlem's pretty far from you though. Wonder why they're comin' that far."
"I don't know. But both the kids and the other guys come in with bruises on their faces and," I gave Race a look, "My guys tell me that they ain't sleepin' well. Spark told me that the one kid gets this scared look on his face when Blade's mentioned. They named him Spooked."
"Do ya think Blade's hurtin' them?" Race asked as he stole a chip off of Jack's plate.
"Dunno. Blade is reckless and never has been too nice to his newsies. Ask Blink 'bout Blade. He used to be a Harlem newsie. HEY BLINK!" Jack yelled, "Come ovah here."
"Whatcha need Jack?"
"Spot has a couple of questions 'bout Blade and the Harlem newsies."
"I've heard that Blade isn't the nicest leadah in New York. I got a handful of new kids from Harlem. They've came in with bruises and they ain't happy when Blade or Harlem is mentioned. Any ideas why?"
Blink frowned, "Blade.well, to put it nicely, he ain't a saint. When I was there, I saw things, I heard things, been threatened by him, been punched by him, and shit like that."
Race picked his head up, "What sort of stuff did ya hear an' see?"
Blink shifted his weight, "Seen him soak anyone who disagreed with him, no matter what age. I've seen 'im threaten kids and I've hoid he's raped a couple of goils. He's a bastard."
"What are we goin' to do 'bout this Spot?" Jack asked
I thought about it. Was this worth a fight? Blade and his boys aren't a friendly group. They didn't fight fair and they were known to soak anyone who even looked at them funny. I took a deep breath, "Don't hold me to it but, maybe a fight's in order. I'll talk to my boys. Would you guys back us up? Harlem wouldn't go down easy. Remember when the Bronx took them on last year? They killed off Piper and a bunch of his boys."
"I'm not making any promises Spot. But I'll talk to the guys. But if it was just my decision, I'd say, 'We're in.'"