Longer one now...makin up for the past few days. Enjoy!
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"Hey, ain't ya boys got manna's yet? Dis how ya treat ya friends?" Spot Conlon pushed Torch behind him and started toward Oscar. "Get outta heare, before I tear ya head off jist fo' lookin' so stupid."
Oscar and Morris ran, like always. Spot turned back to Torch, who had fallen over. "Hey, kid, ya don't look too good. Didn't ya come ova wit da message, couple weeks ago?"
"Ya." Spot looked more closely at Torch, then pushed him into a nearby alley. Torch's eyes grew wide. "C'mon, Spot, I awlready gots 2 people beatin' up on me, I don't need a thoird."
Spot just stared at Torch, who still couldn't figure out what he was staring at. "I ain't gonna beat on ya. And I'm surprised Jacky-boy hasn't picked up on dis yet."
"On what?" Torch's voice got shaky. Does he know? Oh, Lord, please tell me he doesn't know!
"Youse good, kid, ya really good." Torch just stared. "Youse a goil, ain't ya?"
Gol! Anudda knows. Crap. With her eyes downcast, Torch reluctantly commented. "Does all da guys see dis, or jist da ones dat hate me?" Spot glared at her, while pushing her a little harder against the wall. Why would she tink dat afta I jist helped her?
"Foirst off, I don' hate ya. Second, why ya lettin da Delancys beat up on ya when I knows poifectly well from Jacky-boy's stories da ya kin take care of yaself? And yeah, it's obvious when ya let him hit ya like dat."
"Crap." It came out in a whisper, as Torch sank down to the floor. Shaking, she wrapped her arms around her legs.
"Cyamon, I kin help ya."
Torch stiffened as Spot sank down beside her. Spot was surprised at her reaction. Dis goil awlways dis jumpy? "Ya can't always. But maybe ya kin…"
"What kin I do for ya, miss?" Spot waited a while, being patient while Torch made up her mind. She waited a second before plunging in.
"Well…what's Jack's thinkin on goil newsies?"
Crap! I gots ta tell her da truth on this one. He took a moment for a way to break it to her gently. "Well, he ain't zactly likin' dem, but…"
"Why?"
An innocent question. Spot sighed. "He's getin' so sick of a da goils dat used ta come thru, needin' help, den makin' da boys fall in love wit 'em. Den when dey leave, da boys get sluggish in dere sellin'. It's not dat he's cold-hearted or a slave-driva, jist doin' what's best for 'is boys."
There was another dramatic moment of silence. "Don't tell anyone, will ya? I jist needed money, and dis was da best way ta not be noticeable…?" Torch sent pleading eyes into Spot's face. Spot paused a moment, before relenting. He saw truth in her eyes.
"'Course not, kid. If ya need help, jus' come ova da bridge."
"Thanks. I'll walk wit ya to da House, if dat's where ya headed." Spot nodded. They both got up and started walking. Spot jammed his hands in his pockets, and matched his strides to his walking companion. They both stared at the snow swirling around their feet as they shuffled down the sidewalk.
"So, did da Delancys figgur out you was a goil?"
"Yah. Now I gotta give 'em half my money, not talk ta anybody, an' can't go ta Tibby's. Basically cuttin' off awl social connections." She snorted, then spoke under her breath, but Spot heard. "Little demons, dis ain't no deal, it's a slavery."
"Not enough kale ta go ta eat somewheres?" He decided to ignore her mutterings.
"No." Spot wondered at this. How long had this been going on?
"How long has dis been goin' on?"
"Few weeks." She shrugged offhandedly.
"Would it be dat bad if Jack knew?" Spot couldn't believe that she would continue to play into the hands of the Delancys just to keep her privacy. Jack had told him enough about Torch to know that he…or she…liked to keep his privacy.
"Ya. Don't need any more bad experiences wit guys. Plus," she paused, then shivered, "they'd tell Snyda I was out heah."
Spot stopped. His curiosity about Snyder overrode his curiosity about her comment 'bad experiences wit guys.' "You was in da Refuge?"
Torch shrugged it off and kept walking. Spot had to jog to catch up to her again. "Nah. Not da one heare anyways. Da one in Jersey." Spot glanced at her. She noticed the silent urge to keep talking. "Yah, I was da one who started da fire dere. I was hopin' Snyder would've died. But everyone got out dat wanted ta."
Spot shook his head. "Wow. Dat one was a good headline."
"So dey tell me." They entered the house. Spot started to go upstairs and Torch headed for the boxes behind the desk. He stopped halfway up and turned around, contemplating saying something helpful, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was,
"Well, guess I'll see ya 'round, den, Torch." She didn't even look up. She nodded as she poured most of her money into her sack, saving enough to buy newspapers the next day.
"Yah." He mentally smacked his head against the wall. Real bright, Spotty. Real bright.
And they parted ways.
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When Torch got back to his place, Blink was waiting.
"Hey, Torch!"
"SHHH!" Torch grabbed Blink and brought him to the end of the alley. "Da Delancys can't see me talkin' to ya. De'll soak me."
Blink got frustrated. "What da HECK is it wit you and da Delancys! I tol' ya, da newsies kin help!" He'd always believed in banding together since the strike, and didn't know why Torch was so against having help.
"Keep it down awlready!" Torch slapped a hand over Blink's mouth before he could shout anything else. "I'll tell ya what da deal is. Dey found out ma secret. Dey won't tell if I don't talk to any of da newsies, don't go ta Tibby's, and give dem half o' my profits. Ya happy now!" And Torch pushed him to the ground.
Blink got up and growled. "What da heck is so important dat ya gotta keep it from evrybody and dose dat find out kin blackmail ya wit it!"
"I ain't tellin' ya. Watch me enough and ye'll know. Ask Spot. I don't feel like tellin' it all ova again taday." Torch's voice broke as he turned away and sank down in the corner.
Blink softened a little, but his voice was still harsh. "Heah. Ya probly won't thank me for it, but heare's somethin ta eat. I kin see now why ya can't eat at Tilly's no more." He didn't understand her motives for being so almighty stubborn, but now he know a reason for the eating problem.
Torch paused, considering the food Blink was handing to him. He hadn't eaten a solid meal since before the Delancys got a hold of him. He was too proud to beg, and too poor to buy. The food the nuns gave out in the morning was hardly enough to sustain him through the day. After another moment, the last shred of his pride gave way and he grabbed the sandwich from Blink. "Tanks, Blink. One day, me pride is gonna get da best o' me," Torch lamented, before tearing into the sandwich.
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The shadow across the way watched the whole encounter. It grinned evilly, then turned towards the distribution office.
