Chapter 32.

"So, how do ya think Soda's holdin' up?" Spot asked from his bunk. "She's in a rich house...why wouldn't she be?" Race asked. "Well, whaddya think is gonna happen to us?" Boots asked looking up from his bunk. "Well, I guess we'se have to go to court and settle whatever charges dey got against us...den we gotta figure a way to get Soda back. " Jack said.

"You'se know...it's been a long time since Soda's been in the Lodgin' House... First she went to the Orphanage...then to jail a few times...the orphanage....then she gets adopted....when is she gonna just come back and be a Newsie again?" Skittery asked. "I'se dunno Skitts, but I'se agree wit' you'se...she hasn't been in the lodgin' house for a long time." Jack agreed.

"Well, how do we'se plan to get her out? Obviously this didn't woik..." Blink said gazing out the window. "Well, I'se guess we might have ta take her by force..."Jack said.

------------Ha, Memory once again!------------------

"Hallie, what are you doing?" Alex asked spotting Hallie by the window. "I dunno...." She responded staring out the window and toward the ground. She was standing on the window sill. "You didn't eat much tonight....why didn't you eat? You're starting to look thinner every day." He said. "I dunno..." She said again still staring out to the ground and watching the carriages being led by white horses.

He sat there quietly until the unthinkable happened. She let go of the walls and fell forward out the window. "Hallie!" Alex yelled and grabbed her arm. She was hanging outside the window. The wind was brutal and causing her to slip from his grip. "Hang on!" He yelled trying to pull her.

She was hanging there numb with fear. Inside she was screaming but nothing seemed to come out of her mouth. She was scared stiff. Then the screaming started once she found her voice. The tears were endless and her screaming echoed through the evening like the sound of lightning on a stormy day. He tried to pull her up with all of his strength and nearly made it only she slipped. Her screaming echoed through his mind for the past moment it took for him to shout out her name. "Hallie!" He screamed as she caught on to a window sill.

She was hanging by the third floor window sill and looking down at the ground in fear. "Hold on!" He screamed down to her as he ran down stairs and into Mistress Collingwell's office. "Mistress! Hallie's about to die!" He yelled. "What are you on about Conlon?" She asked not even budging. "It's Hallie, She's about to fall from the window!" He screamed at her.

"WHAT?!" Mistress Collingwell shrieked and pushed him to the wall and ran past him and up the stairs and to the window. "Lindsey Hallie Basham! Get back up here this instant!" The Mistress yelled through the wind. "I can't!" She cried back feeling tears fly away in the wind. "SHIT!" Collingwell shouted and ran down the stairs and out to the road and underneath a where Hallie was about to fall.

"Just drop down!" Collingwell yelled up to her. "No!" She yelled back. "Let go now Hallie!" She yelled again. She let go and fell screaming and landed right into Collingwell's outstreched arms. "God Child, What the hell were you doing?!" Collingwell screamed dropping her to the ground. "I-I fell..." Hallie said wiping a tear away.

"Well you know what? You aren't allowed to fall out of windows ok? You know I could lose my job if something happened to you?! Do you know how pissed I would be?" Collingwell asked shaking her. "You'd be really pissed." Hallie repeated. "Watch your mouth!" Collingwell yelled. She grabbed Hallie by the arm and led her into the orphanage. All of the Orphans looked at Collingwell enter dragging Hallie along and slamming the door behind them.

"Go to your room Hallie." Collingwell said firmly. She threw Hallie forward but she kept her balance. Collingwell was just muttering and walking back into her office. "Wretched kids...I now have to catch 5 year olds from windows...." She muttered.

Hallie ran up the stairs happy to have escaped a beating of the century. She ran upstairs and into her room. "Cassie!" Hallie yelled running into the room. "Waht is it Hallie?" She asked looking up from her book. Cassie was the oldest girl in the orphanage at 17 years old. She had dark blonde hair that hung to her shoulders and was as straight as a line. Her eyes were the brightest blue that Hallie had ever seen. She was tall and thin. She dressed in a gray dress and black stockings with brown boots.

"Cassie, I actually gots away from a beating!" She said excitedly. "Well, isn't that something?" Cassies asked brightly holding onto Hallie's hands. "Yeah!" Hallie said with her bright smile. Cassie pulled Hallie up onto her bed and held her in her arms as she leaned against the window. Hallie was leaned againt Cassie's chest and she had her little arms wrapped around Cassie's arm that held her. Cassie began to stroak her hair.

"Hallie, once I get out of here, which will be very soon, I'll go and I'll save up enough money, and then I'll come back and I'm going to adopt you and Alex both. "Really? You mean it?" Hallie asked excitedly. "Yes I do. Believe it or not Hal, but I love you enough to do that." Cassie laughed. "Love...no one's loved me before..." Hallie said shaking her head.

"Oh believe me, once you've grown up, I know there's going to be many who will love you. Many, I guarentee it." Cassie said surely. Hallie giggled. She was always a spirited child. She always had a knack for trouble. Mistress didn't have much mercy for her but everyone could tell she had some kind of a soft spot for her.

"Cassie....will you be here forever?" Hallie asked. "Well for you...yes...I will always be here for you. If not in person you'll always have me in here." She said pointing to Hallie's heart. "Do you promise to come back for me?" Hallie asked turning around and looking Cassie straight in the eyes. "Yes. I Promise." She said with a smile. Hallie hugged her tightly and never wanted to let go.

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Soda woke up still in Meyer's manor. She got up and got dressed into her Newsie's clothes yet again. She went down the stairs and quickly went out the door. She ran the few blocks to The Refuge. She got to the main gate. There was a guard standing at the man entrance blocking out anyone's way in. "Sir...will you please let me in? I've got to see my brother and the few boys that are with him." Soda lied to the guard.

"And who's this brother of yours?" He asked. "Spot Conlon sir. He was brought in just last night." She said truthfully. "And you are?" He asked eyeing her. "I'm Lindsey Conlon sir." She said to him. "Jeffrey! Take this...Lindsey Conlon to Hall 28." He said opening the gate and letting her pass threw as she was led into The Refuge by a man named Jeffrey.

"That brother of yours is some trouble little missy." He said leading her up some stairs and down some drafty hallways. Soon he opened a door and went through the other door leaving Soda to wait a minute.

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The guard came up to the bars of their cell. "You've got a visitor." He said to the boys. "A visitor? Who'd visit us?" the boys muttered to each other until Soda came in and up to their bars. "Soda!" They all yelled and all ran up to the bars. "Soda, We'se is sorry you'se is stuck wit' dose people, but we'se are gonna get you out." Jack said hurriedly.

"Guys, I'se had to sneak outta dat house just to come and see you'se guys. But how are you'se holdin' up?" She asked. "We'se is fine...eagerly awaitin' that trial." Skittery said sarcastically. "Well Skitts, I'm tryin to get them to call the whole trial thing off cuz, dey got nothin' to proove and they got no case....so dey are just waistin' dere time..." Soda said shaking her head.

"Yeah I hear that." Mush muttered. "Oh and Mush....do you'se know da thing I'se knows about?" She asked him. Mush looked at the ground and held onto the bars with one hand. "What thing Mush?" Blink asked him. "Just tell em' Mush it'll be easier to get it all out at once." Soda said. "Alright...Dat family dat Soda's staying with are my parents...." Mush choked out.

"Your parents?!" Spot asked in shock. "Yeah...I'se ran away a long time ago cuz I'se dreamed of a life out on the streets and not the high mighty scab life dat was planned for me by dem, I just assumed take da chance and run away while I'se could and I'se did." Mush explained. "It's alright Mush, We'se dont blame ya for not liking em." Race said patting him on the shoulder.

"Well guys, I'se is gonna work on getting you'se outta here before that trial ok?" She said. "Alright Soda thanks." Jack said. "Oh and Spot..." She said turning around and gave him a sweet kiss through the bars. "Once I get you outta here, I'se got to talk to you about Cassie, Alex....and I love you." She whispered. She went over to the door wiped away a tear and opened the door and dissapeared out of sight.

----I plan on posting more tomorrow or something cuz now I got more to post about!