Okay, I know lotsa y'all have done Newsies stories, but, I am trying this site out, so here goes nothing anyway...Please review!
Prologue
Jack Kelly leaned against the wall, exhausted. It was a rainy, muddy day and it had been hard work slogging through the mud to get rid of his papers. Not many people were out buying on this kind of day either, which didn't help his job any. But he was done now and ready to get to Luck's Tavern for something hot to eat. As he turned to leave the alley he had paused in, he heard a slight noise, like something prowling around in the boxes stacked behind him. Shaking his head, he again turned to go, but another noise, from the same area, arrested his attention. It sounded almost human. Going over to the boxed, he stooped and tried to listen above the sound of the dripping rain. There it was again, a rustling noise with a groan in it.
Pulling away the crates and boxes, Jack almost fell over in surprise. A baby lay there. A skinny, dirty baby. Obviously it had been there for a while. The blanket it was wrapped in was soiled and wet with rain water. It's eyes were closed and it was emitting small sounds as it thrashed its arms around, causing the rustling sound that had first caught Jack's ear.
Hesitantly, Jack leaned forward and touched one of the flailing hands. Immediately, his finger was grasped in a little fist and pulled toward the little mouth. Jack, startled, pulled away, causing a true cry from the infant. Looking around, he tried to figure out how to stop its crying. Finally, he reached forward and gingerly picked the baby up. It snuggled close to his chest, whimpering.
Jack was shocked at the chilliness of the tiny body and, almost without thinking, pulled it close to him. Pulling back the blanket, he saw that it was filthy as well as cold. "A boy" he thought, rewrapping the baby. "Gotta go find the home." He muttered to himself after thinking for a moment. His weariness forgotten, he made his way through the New York streets to a tall institution with an inscription over the door: "Home for Orphans". He stood in front of the building for a long time, cradling the little boy in his arms. For some odd, unexplained reason, he just couldn't bring himself to go up those steps and ring the bell. A carriage pulled up to the door, showering Jack with mud as he turned to shield the baby. A tall, large woman got out and pulled a little boy out behind her. Jack heard her talking to herself as she dragged the child up the steps.
"Stinking mother. Had to die on a night like this. And leave a little brat for me too. I hate the thing already." As she spoke, the little boy slipped on the steps and fell. The woman pulled him to his feet roughly and slapped him across the face, screaming at him to be more careful. She was still shouting as the two disappeared inside the door.
Jack looked down at the baby. His eyes were open and he was staring straight up at Jack. After a moment of indecision, Jack made up his mind.
"Okay fella, you're comin' with me for now." He said aloud to the baby.
Heading to the Lodging House, where he, and several other newsies, made their home, he muttered to himself, "What's they gonna say at home."
