Title: The Book of Life

Author: sabor ice

Summary: 26 newsies. 26 emotions/feelings/attitudes of life. 26 stories.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but I do own this story.

Author's Note: Please read and review. Thanks!

Three: Selfishness and Un-selfishness

Kid Blink peered around the corner of the building. Just up the street a carriage was waiting for its usual occupants, who had briefly gone inside the bank across the street. The newsie licked his lips in anticipation. This was not a good part of town to be in for long periods of time. It wasn't a poor side of New York - on the contrary - it was one of the rich neighborhoods. It had the finest buildings and vehicles, and the most finely dressed patrons in town. It made it dangerous for any poor child, because of the fact cops in this neighborhood could arrest one of them just for sticking their nose where it didn't belong. Blink was doing something he knew he shouldn't be, and that factor excited him.

He glanced over his shoulder. His greenish-blue eye briefly surveyed the area for Mush, who had decided to come along with him this day. Putting his thumb and forefinger to his lips, the newsie blew out a small whistle. Upon hearing it, Mush peered from around some crates stacked un-neatly near the alley of the nearby brick building. The dark, curly-haired newsie hastily made his way over to his friend. He rested his hand on Blink's shoulder and crouched beside him as he briefly looked around the corner.

"Oh, man, Blink," Mush mused. "Dis is better den walkin' into any scabber territory!"

"'Course it is. Better since walkin' into a rich neighborhood doesn't get us beat up if we're quick enough," Blink answered, with a roll of his eye.

The dark-blonde reached up and adjusted the patch over his left eye. Sometimes the material irritated his skin and made it itch, though usually, he hardly even noticed it. Pretending to be partially blind worked wonders when it came to getting a person's sympathy. Like Jack Kelly had always said: it wasn't lying, it was just improving the truth a little.

"Since when does gettin' beat up or beatin' somebody up affect you, Kid?" Mush teased.

"It doesn't. I's was just tryin' to make a point," Blink answered.

He playfully slapping his friend on the cheek with his hand. The two shared a brief laugh. Blink glanced back at their target, and noticed it was now moving!

"Shit, it's leavin'!" Blink exclaimed, grabbing Mush by the shirt and pulling him along with him, before breaking into a quick sprint. "Let's go!"

The two young men ran down the street, easily coming up on the slow-paced carriage. They received a few awkward glances from people on the sidewalks. The newsies ignored the queer glances and murmurs as they neared their target. Blink grasped onto the small ledge meant for luggage and pulled himself onto it, using it as a seat. With any luck, the occupants of the carriage wouldn't notice the newsie on the back. As he looked back at his friend, he realized Mush had tripped, and now was going back for his hat which had fallen off his head in the process. The newsie was laughing the whole time, finding this situation to be quite amusing.

"C'mon, Mush!" Blink exclaimed, waving for his friend to hurry and catch up.

Just then, the sound of a policeman's whistle echoed throughout the air. People on the sidewalks were waving their hands and hankerchiefs in the direction the carriage was going. Mush briefly glanced over his shoulder as he ran; his brown eyes widened when he noticed a cop now running on foot after him.

"Oh, shit!" Mush exclaimed, using one hand to hold onto the hat on his head as he picked up the pace.

The carriage turned onto another street. Mush literally swung past the lamp post, nearly being grabbed onto by the cop pursuing him. He finally managed to reach the back of the carriage. Blink held out his hand for him to help pull his friend onto the small ledge with him. Being that the ledge was quite small, though, Blink was forced to use one hand to keep his balance. Mush grabbed onto the side of the carriage and pressed his knee onto the ledge; as he tried to climb onto it though, he felt himself being pulled back off it. He let out a small yell and fell backwards, right onto the cop who had caught up to them and grabbed onto him.

"Mush!" Blink exclaimed.

The dark haired newsie struggled with the cop, only causing the officer to strike him with his club. Mush cried out in pain, pressing one hand to his youthful face; the cop grabbed onto the bottom of his cut-off pants when he tried to get away again. Mush tripped and fell onto the ground; the cop used all his weight to hold the boy down.

"Blink!" Mush called out for his friend. "Agh! Blink!"

The carriage kept pressing onward down the road, and Kid Blink didn't move. The moment he had decided to go back, he heard the bells of the police carriages. They were near now, and surely if the dark-blonde went back, he'd be captured, too. The newsie gulped hard. He had always learned to stay away if he was clearly outnumbered. Any newsie knew that would've been the smart thing to do. Suddenly, guilt began eating at his conscience. Mush was his best friend, and Blink has gotten him into this mess in the first place. He knew he was a coward if he didn't go back. He was selfish for only looking out for himself.

"Damn it," Blink muttered to himself.

He jumped off the back of the moving carriage. After re-gaining his balance, he began racing back down the street towards the scuffle which was still occuring between Mush and the police officer. Blink collided with the copper, causing the middle-aged man to roll off his friend with an unfriendly grunt. The newsie grabbed onto Mush's arm, and almost literally dragged away from the man, before pulling him to his feet.

"Let's go!" Blink instructed, and he and Mush fled down the street again.

The officer just missed Blink as he reached out to grab onto them both. He climbed to his feet with some difficulty. He huffed and puffed, now completely out of breath. He pulled out his silver whistle and blew it loud and clear for all to hear. The newsies had by now reached the end of the street, though the carriage was now nowhere in sight. They turned the corner and abruptly haulted in their footsteps as they came face to face with one of the police carriages coming their way.

"There they are!" an officer called out. Two jumped down off the sides of the black vehicle, continuing to blow their whistles loudly as they pursued the boys.

"This way!" Blink exclaimed.

The two boys turned and headed down an alleyway. The sounds of men shouting and whistles echoed off the sides of the buildings. Blink was behind Mush now as they ran, but he didn't dare turn his head to look back more than a few times. He could feel the coppers were right on their tail. It was like having a dog breathing heavily down his back. The hairs on the back of his neck surely stood on end. Fear and excitement both pumped inevitable amounts of adrenaline throughout the young man's body.

Suddenly, the dark-blonde felt himself collide into another body. He whipped his head around, his brows furrowed as he was about to scold Mush for stopping now. It was then Blink realized just why his friend had stopped so abruptly. The path of the alley had led them straight to a dead-end. A brick wall stood where freedom should have been. Mush placed his hand against it, then worriedly glanced at Blink. The two of them turned around and pressed their backs against the wall as the coppers closed in on them. There was nowhere to run now; they were trapped.

"Let's just give up," Mush suggested and gulped, as he put up his hands in front of him.

Blink sighed inwardly and did the same. "Not that'll change much anyway," the dark-blonde added, quietly.

The two closed their eyes tightly and prepared themselves for the beating they were about to receive...

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Blink grasped the bars of the cell he was in and looked out. His knuckles were bruised, but they were nowhere near the terrible state that the rest of him was in. The coppers had did a real number on he and Mush both. His tongue rolled around the loose tooth he had on the bottom left side of his mouth. He glanced into the next cell where his friend sat slumped against the wall. Blink moved, dragging his fingers over the bars as he did so, until he stood facing Mush. He sighed deeply and rested his forehead against his cell.

"We been here awhile," Blink noted.

Mush scoffed quietly from where he sat on the springs of the cotless bed in the corner. He nodded his head somewhat, but didn't raise his gaze to meet Blink's.

"Two days," Mush said.

"Shouldn't count. Only makes it seem longer," Blink noted, raising a hand to rub it over his sore jaw. "How's yer head?"

"Perfect," the other newsie replied.

The dark-haired newsie pushed himself up to a standing position. He kicked away the end of one of his suspender straps when it nearly got caught on the bottom of his foot. Walking over to the bars on his cell opposite Blink's, he grasped them and rested his cheek against them, being mindful of the cut on his forehead. Blink watched his friend turn his back on him, then scoffed to himself.

"What, yer not talkin' to me now?" Blink wondered. "What'd I's do dis time?"

Mush turned around and rested his back against the bars of his cell. His dark gaze locked with Blink's as he crossed his arms over his muscular chest.

"It's what yous didn't do, Kid," Mush said, matter-of-factly. "Yous were just gonna leave me back der. Admit it."

Blink scoffed again.

"I's was not. Mush - listen to me. Look at me. It's Blink yer talkin' to. I's was not gonna leave yous. I's came back when I's coulda just left. I's was all ready home-free. But, den I'm thinking, dat's Mush back der. Dat's my buddy, my pal, my best friend, and I's can't leave 'em," the dark-blonde explained, his greenish-blue gaze pleading.

Mush's jaw clenched and he shook his head to himself as he walked around his cell somewhat.

"Well, yous took yer sweet time comin' back, dat was for sure," Mush scowled.

Blink growled inwardly and slammed his arms against his cell in frustration.

"Fine, yes, it had crossed my mind to run, all right?! I's knew if I went back, I'd most likely end up being caught," the newsie answered.

"Oh, so now dis is my fault?!" Mush asked, gesturing to himself with his hand as he walked closer to the bars that seperated them.

"Well, yous didn't have to come, now did yous?" Blink retorted.

The muscular newsie placed his hands on his waist and chuckled in slight disbelief.

"So, let me get this straight, Blink...because of yer selfishness, dis is suddenly all my fault. Is dat what yer tellin' me?" Mush wondered, in a low growl. "I's can't believe I'm hearin' dis, and from yous of all people!"

Kid Blink sighed deeply and closed his eyes as he voluntarily banged his forehead against the bars before him. He winced and groaned at the sudden pain that shot through his cranium, then sighed again. This whole thing was being blown out of proportion, and it was his fault. Mush was right. He was being selfish.

"Mush..." Blink began.

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, both newsies snapped their heads up in attention. It was the guard again. Blink hated this particular guard. He had a tendency of standing around mocking them. And, he bet that this time was no exception; the guard was looking quite smug and pleased with himself.

"Well, if you two are finished with your little lovers' spat now, I can get right to business," the guard grinned.

Blink grimaced and rolled his eyes toward the man. He and Mush were having no lovers' spat.

"The judge'll deal with the two of you today. Now, which one of you wants to go first? Or do you still need a few more moments?" the guard wondered, still quite amused by his earlier statement.

"I'll go," Blink immediately responded, then winced as he glanced over at his friend. "I - I mean -"

"He'll go," Mush chimed in, not bothering to look over at the other newsie.

Blink lowered his gaze, ashamed of himself for once again thinking of himself before his friend, as he followed the guard out. There had to be some way he could undo this mess he had made. He couldn't stand it if Mush, his best friend, hated him. Right now nothing was coming to the newsie. Maybe once he was before the judge, some sort of miracle would come to mind and he'd know what to do...

Mush's kept nodding off into a light sleep. He was physically sore and mentally exhausted. Jail was a tough place to get a good night's rest in, though. He became alert again when he heard the slamming of the door to a cell. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and raised his head. Glancing over, he noticed Blink was back in his cell again. The door was all ready shut, too. The guard was at his cell now, and the door had been opened.

"Come on," the guard said, a reluctant tone in his voice. "You're free to go."

"What?" Mush wondered, in disbelief, as he climbed to his feet.

"I said you're free to go. Your friend bailed you out," the guard replied, nodding his head towards Blink in the next cell.

Dumbfounded, Mush exited his cell and stopped by Blink's. The dark-blonde raised his head and moved close to the door of his cell, resting his hands on the bars as he looked at his friend.

"How?" the dark-haired boy asked.

"I's made a deal with the judge. He's was gonna give us both another night here. I's told him I'd take your night and mine," Blink answered, a faint smile on his lips. "So, go on, get outta here. I'll see ya in two days."

Mush couldn't believe it. His friend was taking the fall for the both of them; not an ounce of selfishness was even evident anymore. He gave Blink a friendly smile, and reached through the bars to pat his friend's shoulder. Then, he turned back to the guard, who was waiting impatiently for him. He smiled again, before walking back into the cell he had just come from. Blink's mouth went agape as he watched Mush pull the door of the cell shut again.

"What are yous doin', Mush?" Blink asked.

The dark-haired newsie sighed contently, and smugly glanced over at his friend.

"We're in dis together, right? If yous stay, I's stay. We'll get outta here together tomorrow," he said, then looked back at the guard, who raised his brows towards the young man's actions. "Tell dat judge dat we'll both stay anudder night."

The guard shook his head and mumbled something to himself, before departing. Mush sat down and rested his back against the bars of his cell. Blink did the same, so now they sat back to back. A brief moment of silence passed between them.

"You're stupid, yous know dat?" Blink said, and chuckled.

"I's know," Mush added, and laughed as he shook his head to himself. "But, at least I's wasn't selfish, right?"

Blink sighed, and crossed his legs at the ankles as he stretched them out in front of them.

"I guess so. I'm the selfish one, and you're the stupid one," Blink answered.

Mush smiled faintly as he rested his arms over his angled knees.

"Fine with me," Mush said, before adding: "friend."

Kid Blink smiled to himself at Mush's last word. They were still friends - best friends. And, nothing would ever change that.

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Yay, finally an update! So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Please review!