Thanks for the reviews guys :)
-------------------------------------------------
Race slowly walked to the door to close it, turning then to face the room. He was greeted with a wide variety of looks, most eyeing him accusingly.
"What?" He asked as he walked back into the room, puffing at his cigar and looking to be in a worse mood than before.
"What did ya do that for?" The boy with the patch, Kid Blink, asked.
"Whatd'ya mean what did I do that for?" He nearly shouted, glaring at the questioning boy.
The volume in the room began to rise as everyone began talking at once.
"Yea, I mean, don't ya think you were a little harsh?" Asked a slightly apprehensive Mush. "I mean, maybe she was really jist. ."
"Jist what, huh? We gotta look out for each uddah round heah." He replied angrily, returning to his previous seat at a round table in the corner of the room.
"Yea but Race. . ."
"Hey! Get off my back wouldja?" He nearly shouted. The room once again was nearly silent and he pulled his hand down his face, sighing.
He tried to pick up where he had left off, and started shuffling the deck of cards. By now the volume had picked up again as boys began discussing and arguing about what happened. His eyes remained on the cards as he shuffled. As the remorse and anger built inside of him he threw the deck down on the table in frustration and stormed upstairs.
Most of the boys ignored his exit, either knowing to leave him alone or being too annoyed with him to bother.
"Whatd'ya think she wanted wit 'im?" A boy asked to no one in particular
"Hey Kid, what did she say ta you the last time you saw her huh?" Mush asked, suddenly remembering that he mentioned they had met before. A few of the other newsies perked up at this, curious.
"The same thing. . . " He was clearly thinking about all that had happened as he spoke, looking rather glum. "Do ya think she's got a place ta stay?" He wondered aloud, eyeing the door as another crash of thunder was heard from outside.
There was a long silence. No one was sure what to say and most dropped their eyes to the floor.
"Wait till Kelly heahs about this." a tall blond boy with glasses mumbled as the group slowly started dispersing, trying to get back to what they had been doing.
A game of cards commenced in the corner as others returned to the chairs and sofa. Conversations continued in the form of soft murmurs as some gathered around the still crackling fire for warmth. All the cheer from earlier had vanished, leaving only a feeling of emptiness in an almost full room.
------------------------------------------------------------
I heard the door slam shut behind me as I lept down the wet stairs. I turned sharply, skidding on the slick sidewalk, and ran. I didn't know where I was going and I didn't care. The thunder cracked from above and the city was continually lit up with an eerie white glow as the lightning flashed through the sky. I slowed my pace when I finally felt a good distance from the lodging house, trying to catch glances at momentarily lit street signs.
I stopped to catch my breath, and control my sudden coughing, feeling completely exhausted. It was hard enough to see through the rain, so as I realized I had tears in my eyes I wiped at them angrily. With having no light to see, the street lamps being useless in the downpour, I knew an alley could be a bad idea. As I peered down one nearby, I shivered at the darkness within. I waited a few moments, hoping to catch a glimpse through a flash of lightning, but it never came. I looked to the sky and realized the rain was letting up.
I continued to walk down the sidewalk slowly, glancing down alleys and wiping at my eyes frustratingly.
Finally I just stopped. I turned and leaned up against the nearest building and slid down to a sitting position, my arms holding my knees. When I stopped moving I realized I was trembling. Looking around I found I was sitting in a small puddle. As if it mattered. All the sidewalks and streets in the city were currently small puddles. Besides, I decided, I was completely soaked by now anyways.
I looked around, the rain had completely stopped by now. Sleeping on the streets meant you would be in an orphanage by morning. People would come out of their homes and you would suddenly become nothing more than an eyesore. I leaned my head against the cold brick. At this point, I just didn't care.
I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, thinking back on the night, and held back sudden sobs. Well that went well I thought to myself cynically, only allowing a few sobs to escape my control. Those heaves only caused me to cough yet again. It was a deep cough, the kind that cut at your lungs. As I finally got control of it, brining my gaze up from my feet, there was a figure standing in front of me.
I'm going to die. That was all that raced thought my mind at that moment. I quickly pulled my legs in close, curling into a ball against the cold brick building. I didn't have the energy to run, I just sat there, staring up at the figure that was before me. All that could be seen of him was a shadowy outline, a streetlight behind him spilling light on my face.
"You lost?" A soft male voice asked me.
I peered up from my hood, not responding and not moving. Maybe they'll just go away I tried to convince myself as the shadowy figure knelt down in front of me. Suddenly he reached out a hand toward my face. That's it I said to myself as I let one of my legs out of my grasp and sent it connecting with his knee. This caused him to tumble backward, grasping his leg and letting a few choice words escape his mouth.
"Whats da mattah with you?" He asked angrily.
Again I felt it best not to respond. I slowly pulled my leg back up to my chest as another coughing fit took hold. As it began to pass and I caught my breath, I realized there was a hand placed comfortingly on my back. Startled, I gave a soft yelp and yanked away.
I saw the figure again on one knee in front of me. Why wont he just leave?
"You alright?" He asked, concern easily heard in his voice.
"Ya I'm fine" I replied before I realized what I was saying. It was an instinctive answer to give a stranger.
"Is dat right?"
"Ya" was all I replied with, wondering where he was going with this.
"Well den what are you cryin' for huh?"
Quickly I reached up and, realizing that I had been crying, wiped at my eyes roughly.
There was a long silence where I was trying to think of something to say. Finally feeling I had my voice under control, and the tears out of my throat, I spoke.
"I was lookin' for my bruddah. . . " I whimpered. I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself. Could I sound more pathetic?
"Oh yea?" He asked, "Wheah you see him last?"
This question only made me feel worse.
"I aint. . well I aint evah met him . . I thought I knew wheah ta find him, but . ." My voice got softer as I spoke.
"Oh yea, wheahs dat?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested.
I found it hard to even say the name, feeling such disdain for the place.
"The newsboys lodgin' house." I practically spat out
"Oh no kiddin'" he said, I glanced up at him, being able to hear a grin I was sure he had on his face. "Well I'm headin' there now. . . you care ta join me?" he asked as he stood. It was obvious I had no place to stay.
"No" I said simply, a little louder than I meant to, and curled tighter into a ball.
". .So I take it yoah bruddah wasn't there?" He asked, slowly kneeling back down again.
I frowned, though I doubt it was visible in the dim streetlight.
"I dunno."
He let out a barely audible laugh.
"Whaddya mean ya don't know? Did ya go there an' look yet or not?"
Again there was a pause. I shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to think about it again, but managed to speak.
"Ya, I was there. ."
"And?" He asked, slightly confused.
"And they told me ta leave" I said a bit louder, the memory bringing back my anger.
"What?" He asked, sounding confused, but much to my annoyance, at the same time very amused. "We can't be talkin' bout the same place heah. ."
"Oh yea?" I asked, feeling more on edge then before, and hearing it come across in my tone. "Well how many newsboys lodgin' houses do you know of in 'hattan huh?
Still kneeling in front of me, he rolled back on his heels in thought.
Finally he spoke again.
"You aint kiddin' huh?" He asked, still sounding a bit too amused for my taste. "My boys actually told you ta leave?"
"Your boys?" I asked, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
"Yea, I'm the leadah round heah. . . The names Kelly, Jack Kelly" As he said this he reached out his hand, waiting for an introduction on my part.
"Rose" I said quietly, placing my cold hand in his.
He grasped my hand and helped me to my feet as he spoke.
"Well Rose, if you'd like, I can take you back there an' help ya look for your bruddah . ."
I dusted myself off, though being completely soaked, it did little good.
" . . An if you'd like you could stay there for da night?" He said this with a hint of question in his voice, unsure of what I would say.
"I don't know . ." I said, reliving what happened last time in my head, and feeling nauseous at the thought of returning.
"Hey, c'mon. You'll have a warm place for da night an' plus. . . you'll get ta see what happens to my boys when they send ladies out on da street." As he said this he grinned and offered me his arm.
I let out a small laugh and eyed him curiously one last time.
He seemed different to me. I felt like I could really trust him, with anything. I quickly threw that thought from my head, feeling foolish for thinking such things of a stranger. I supposed that quality was the reason he was their leader. Glancing at his shadowed face one more time, and feeling as though he was safe, I shrugged, grinning as I took his arm.
"Alright, fine"
As he led me down the street I could feel a nervous pit returning once again to my stomach. I just kept hoping that this boy was who he said he was. I mean, if he was their leader, how could it go as bad as last time?