Author note: Thanks for the reviews everybody, you are my heroes. Now, here's this chapter.
Erica whimpered in pain as she nearly stumbled backwards from the numbness in her arms. It wasn't easy digging up a body, but then again it wasn't easy burying one either.
"I can't believe you guys kept dis from us for so long," Blade said, nearly out of breath.
"Yeah, well, it was do or die, right?" I asked, breathing out a short breath of exhaustion.
"We can keep a secret," Spot said, sending me an angered look, his hair falling loosely in his face.
I stopped shoveling and sent him a cold glare. "We were followed, Spot," I snapped. "I wasn't about to get in trouble for telling someone and be sent to the punishment room again."
"There's a punishment room?" asked Jack, pushing his bangs out of his eyes.
"Yeah," I said, looking back down at the ground.
"And the tests were dreadful," Erica said, looking down at her palms. "I can still feel the nails…"
Blade sent her a sympathetic look, rubbing her shoulder. "What other tests were there?" he asked.
I continued to shovel as I explained. "Oh you know, looking through dead bodies, surviving wild fires, being chased by man eating dogs, and the occasional burying a sweet woman. The easy stuff." I sent Spot a dirty look, and he merely averted his eyes away.
"Anomie is the leader," Stephen explained. "She can survive anything."
Anything but love, I thought, once again sending Spot a glance.
"I hated when they recarved our numbers each month," Erica whined. "It hurt so much."
"The man's sick!" I suddenly said.
"Nobody ever sees him but Nomes… Ned has a way with testing her temper," Erica told them.
"Yeah, and can you believe he actually told me to kill you, Conlon?" I said, stopping to look at Spot.
He met my eyes with a look I couldn't define. It was mixed with pain and anger, but something else shone as well…
"Why?" Blade asked, his eyes wide.
"I guess Ned just has something against newsies," I said sarcastically.
We never even realized we were already at the body, and everybody jumped once they noticed.
"Oh my," Erica gasped.
I pushed my hair out of my face as I bent down and grabbed the small, wooden box.
"Sorry Josephine," I said, "but I need this."
Everyone climbed out of the hole as I waited for someone to take the box. Stephen reached down and gripped it tight, bringing it up. Another hand appeared to get me out of the hole. I stared at Spot shortly before taking his hand and allowing him to pull me out.
I took the box from Stephen and looked it over.
"It's locked," I said. "Where in the hell is the key?"
I looked around at everyone, who just seemed to be as confused as me. I groaned annoyingly and made my way back to the building.
"Where ya goin now?" Jack called, throwing his arms up.
"To get another riddle!" I replied.
The others followed as we walked back into Brooklyn, and everything seemed different. I stopped outside of Joy's Diner, looking for a certain person.
"Come out, Ned," I said loudly. "I want my goddamned riddle."
"Forceful much?" a voice said, making me cringe in hate.
I twirled around to face Ned, my eyes blazing.
"You got five seconds," I hissed. "Go."
Ned narrowed his eyes. "The key lies at the heart of the one you love…"
I turned back to my group. "Who here loves somebody?" I asked, looking at each face.
Ned chuckled. "No, dear Anomie, someone you love…"
"But Danny's not here," I said, furrowing my eyebrows.
"Think harder," said Ned.
I looked back to my group. "Who do I love?" I asked under my breath. "Who do I love?"
"You don't have long, Parker," Ned said, making my temper level rise higher.
My eyes landed on Spot, and a memory suddenly flashed in my mind…
I walked in-between Stephen and Spot as we neared the docks. I glanced over at the Brooklyn ruler and tilted my head confusedly.
"What's that?" I asked.
"What?" Spot said.
I nodded towards the silver key hanging around his neck, and he looked down. He took it up in his fingers and looked at it.
"If I told you, I'd have ta kill ya," he said.
"You can try, but you won't succeed," I told him. "What's the key to?"
"Don't know, honestly," he said. "Some guy sold it to me."
"You bought a key from a man you don't know?" I asked.
"Yeah," Spot shrugged.
"You don't even know what it's to," I told him.
"I know," he said…
"No way," I whispered.
"What?" Cadince asked, looking from me to Spot.
I quickly walked up to Spot and pulled on the string around his neck, alarming everybody.
"No way, you love Spot? Ewe!" Cadince exclaimed.
I held the key firmly in my fingers, and traced my eyes from it to the Brooklyn leader. He raised his eyebrows, but his expression remained unreadable.
"Am I missing something?" Stephen asked, suspicion in his eyes.
I ignored his question and stuck the key into the box, turning it with ease. The box opened slightly, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.
I opened the box fully and stared down at the needles.
"There's only three," I said, looking up at Ned. "Where's the last one?"
Ned smiled mischievously, shoving his hands in his pockets. I narrowed my eyes as I picked the needles up.
"Hold out your arm," I ordered Cadince.
She did as she was told and I quickly injected the antidote into her arm. She closed her eyes and thanked me as I went on to Erica. She held her arm out and I injected the other needle in her flesh.
"Okay, now Stephen," I said, stepping in front of my friend.
"You take it," Stephen said, holding his hand up.
"No, there's more girls, and one boy, its only fair," I said.
"But-"
"I'm the leader, Stephen, let me do my job."
Spot looked away as I stuck the last needle into Stephen.
"What's going to happen to Anomie?" Erica asked, looking towards Ned.
"Don't you worry," said Ned. "Miss. Parker has far more important things to worry about."
I rolled my eyes, slamming the box shut. "Get on with the riddle, Neeley," I demanded.
"Ahead of the game, are we?" Ned joked.
"Don't test me," I warned him.
"But isn't that what this is? A test?" Ned said, stepping forward.
And, as if his words were a sign, the building to my right suddenly blew up, and was engulfed in flames. My eyes grew wide in horror and shock.
"You better hurry, Anomie," Ned said. "Danny's waiting."
A small scream came from the building, and my heart leaped out of my chest. "Danny!" I yelled.
I sprang towards the building, which was now attracting a crowd. Spot, in total shock and confusion, ran after me.
I kicked open the door and immediately rushed through, holding my arms up to block the flames.
"Anomie!" Spot yelled, stepping into the building.
He pulled me back in time as a part of the roof fell where I was standing. "Oh crap," I said, my eyes still wide.
I grabbed hold of Spot's hand and lead him near a staircase. "We can't!" Spot exclaimed, trying to pull me back.
"I'm not leaving my brother!" I argued, pulling away.
Spot groaned and followed after me, taking each step slowly. "If we die," he began, "I'm sorry!"
"For what?" I shouted, looking back at him.
"For bein an ass; you were right, I didn't know what you went through!"
"Save it for later!"
We made it to the second floor, only to find it was caving in at a rapid pace. "Where is he?" Spot asked.
I looked up, my mind racing. "Third floor!"
We began to climb another set of stairs, holding on tightly to each other. "Careful," Spot said, keeping me steady.
"I never would've thought you were the keeper of the key," I said.
"Me neither," Spot responded.
"I don't even believe in love…" I explained.
"Me neither."
"And I don't have the guts to even admit that I would love someone."
We reached the third floor and I turned towards Spot.
"Me neither…" he said.
I took in a deep breath. "And I don't know why my heart is racing right now."
"Well, it could be because yer in a burnin building, or you've proven yerself wrong," Spot said, keeping close.
"Help!" a voice called.
Spot and I both reacted and ran for a door, Spot kicking it open.
"Danny!" I shouted.
Danny, looking frail and shaken, ran into my arms immediately. "Anomie!" he exclaimed.
I looked around, and quickly pulled away, keeping my little brother close. "Come on," I said, pulling him out the door.
Spot stood on one side of Danny as I stood on the other.
"I never would've guessed myself to change," I said, looking over at Spot as we descended the stairs.
"That makes two of us," he said, guiding Danny with his hand.
"Surrendering to a school of survival changes you, even if you used to be sweet, kind and generous," I explained.
"It doesn't surprise me," Spot said. "And living on da streets does da same."
We started on the second staircase, the three of us close together.
"Nobody was able to bring me out of the shadows until recently," I told him.
"I was never so addicted to one person," Spot said.
Fresh air entered my lungs as we made it out of the building, but I stopped, turning to Spot.
"I never would've thought that it'd be true, but I love you," I said, looking up at him intently.
"I lied when I said nobody was good enough for me," he said, searching my eyes. "And I love you."
I pulled Spot down to my lips, surprising anybody and everybody watching.
"Well done," Ned said, interrupting my magical moment.
I pulled away from Spot, facing Ned. "You really are something," Ned told me.
I took in a deep breath, daring him to step closer.
"Anomie," Daniel said, pulling at my arm.
I looked down, and watched as Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a needle.
"Danny, it's the antidote!" I exclaimed, kneeling down to his level.
I grabbed it from his hands, grinning from ear to ear. I quickly injected it into my arm, relieved.
But there was still an obstacle standing in the way…
Ned Neeley.
Author note: Surprised? Me too. Enjoy!
