Thanks to you involved in my story...i won't be updating for 2-3 days...so deal with it.
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A few weeks later
"Hey Jack."
"What, Blink?"
"Ya see Torch?" Blink pointed to the last person in line, even more slouched over than what was usual for him.
"Yeah, I see 'im. What's wrong, Blink?"
"Don't he look…sorta…skinnier dan usual?"
Torch's clothes almost hung on the body they covered. The cheeks were beginning to sink in. And when he slapped his money down for 70 papes, his hand shook, and looked real bony. There was no way it was obvious.
"And he ain't been round Tibby's lately eida."
"Ya right, Blink. It don't look too good. Hold my papes, will ya?" Jack said, handing his papers to Blink and walking up to Torch.
"Hey, Torch, I ain't seen ya round Tibby's lately. Sumtin up?"
"No." Torch's arm shook, as he sat his papers on his shoulder.
"Well, ya ain't lookin too good, kid."
"I'se fine." Jack knew he wasn't. He didn't even react to his use of kid. He decided to head straight to the point of the matter.
"Ya been eatin' lately, Torch?"
Torch sighed and rolled his eyes. "Why does it matta ta ya, Jack?"
"Cuz if my newsies ain't healthy, dey can't sell papes. And if dey can't sell papes, dey can't eat. And if dey can't eat, dey ain't healthy." Jack leaned against the wall, hands jabbed in his pockets, looking calm as ever. Torch, on the other hand, was calmly infuriated.
"Jist a cycle of destruction, ain't it, den?'
One of Jack's eyebrows quirked upward. "Ya seem ta be in it."
"Do I?" The challenge in Torch's voice made Jack freeze. Something about this kid just pushed a button in him.
"Alwright den, be stubborn. See if I care!" Jack stormed off and grabbed his papers from Blink.
Blink also headed out with his papers, but not before sending a look of pity towards Torch.
Snow fell as Blink trudged toward 44th and 2nd, hawking the headlines.
- - - - - - -
Later that day
"Hey, Red, what about da deal?"
Torch sighed, and reaching into her pocket, drew out half of her paper money. She set it in Oscar's hand, who counted it, and grinned satisfactorily. "Rememba, Red. No talkin' ta nobody else."
"I ain't been." It wasn't that hard. She normally didn't talk to people anyway. It was just another way to have control over her. "Have ya seen me?"
"Only Cowboy," Morris snarled, accusingly.
"I ran 'im off, if dat's whatcha mean."
They ignored her explanation. "No goin' ta Tibby's."
"I ain't stupid." Oscar slapped her, which didn't faze her. "For cryin' out loud, ya ain't me mudda!" Her eyes narrowed. Oscar snarled, and a muscle in his jaw jumped.
"I'se gonna be ya faddah if ya don't stop backtalkin'."
Torch went pale. The fire went out of her eyes, and she slowly backed away.
Until she ran into something else. And it wasn't a wall.
