Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of the Newsies, the songs, or the plot line in anyway. Anything or anyone that you recognize from the movie belongs to the movie. I am not claiming ownership in any way, shape, or form. I'm just a girl who loves the movie and wants to write about it.
Chapter 4
Rebecca's Point of View
I raced down the street, dodging wagons, weaving between people, jumping over trash, and zipping around corners, very conscious of the policeman not far behind me. It was just a piece of bread I thought not only that, a pretty stale piece of bread at that, and it probably would have been thrown out at the end of the day anyway. I had reached the docks by now and turned so that I was running parallel to the river. It was ten years since the fire and I had never found Elizabeth. She was probably in some orphanage or had been sent out of here on the orphan train. I had stuck around in Manhattan for about four years but had slowly made my way to Brooklyn. I had been living off of begging and stealing and had been in the refuge several times. I continued my mad sprint along the street, almost colliding with people and swerving around wagons. A long time ago I had traded the dress that I had worn in the orphanage for pants and a loose fitting shirt. I also kept my hair braided and tucked up inside a hat most of the time but now it had fallen out and was flying behind me.
I tore around another corner and collided with a boy. He had been carrying newspapers and they went flying everywhere.
"Hey watch it!" He yelled as he ran after the papers. He was pretty short, with sandy brown hair covered by a grey newsboy cap.
"Sorry!" I said and dashed through the door nearest to me. I heard the policeman run by and ask the boy if he had seen a girl running anywhere.
"Yeah, I saw her, she went that way." I held my breath waiting for what I knew was coming. Suddenly the door banged open. I opened my eyes to see, instead of the fat policeman, the boy standing in front of me.
"You didn't turn me in," I said.
He shrugged "Yeah, well, I don't enjoy bein' in the refuge meself, name's Conlon by the way, Spot Conlon."
"Becca" I held out my hand and he shook it-not before spitting on his own hand.
"So, why was the bulls after ya?" he asked.
I held up the small loaf of bread, "stole this, and vendor caught me and turned the cop on me."
"Well, the foist thing you gotta learn when you make a livin' stealin' things is that it's helpful to not get caught."
I rolled my eyes, "yeah, I kinda figured that one out myself," I looked up and my hazel eyes met his ice-blue ones. Ice blue, good description, I need to remember that I made a mental note. "And I've only been doin' this for about ten years thanks."
"Well 'scuse me miss" he said, "for thinkin' you was as dumb as that." I didn't miss the sarcasm is his voice. I didn't reply but started heading for the door, he grabbed my arm stopping me. "Listen, they'll be keepin' an eye out for ya for at least a week."
"So?" I looked him directly in the eye.
"So, I knows a place where you can stay 'til the excitement cools down."
"Excitement? Listen, I've been chased by the bulls more times than I can count. I don't think I need you lecturin' me."
"A'right, suit yourself," he stepped away from the door, "be me guest."
I marched to the door and opened it, just to shut it quickly again, "tell me," I said, "did you know that a policeman was standin' right outside this door?"
He shrugged looking a bit too innocent, "of course not."
"Mmhmm, sure."
"So, you still interested in goin' to Manhattan?"
I stared at him, "who said anythin' 'bout Manhattan?"
"Well, you did"
"Huh?"
"Just now" Oh I wanted to wipe that smirk right off his little arrogant face. I tried to think of a good comeback but couldn't think of anything. "Listen kid-"
"Hey! Who're you callin' kid? You ain't any older than twelve, which makes me four years older than you." He looked like he was ready to soak me.
"If me math is correct that would make ya sixteen, which means I'm actually a year older than you."
"Mmhmm and I'm tall" I said sarcastically. I was only 5'1 and would probably not grow any more.
"So, as I was sayin' before I was so rudely interrupted, I thought that since I have already wasted fifteen minutes of my time for ya I might as well waste a bit more." What was he talking about? "So, I was thinkin' that I could take ya to Manhattan and you could stick 'round there 'till the "chaos" over your lovely piece of bread blows over."
"And why do you need to take me there? Last time I checked I knew my way around New York fairly well."
"Because I am a good friend of Jack Kelly, you ever hoid of him?"
Jack Kelly, Jack Kelly, that name rung a bell, though I have no idea what I recognized the name from. "Uh, I might" I muttered, "but why would that mattah?"
"Full of questions ain't ya?" He said smirking, "It mattahs 'cause you gotta have a place to stay in Manhattan, am I right?"
I shrugged, "any random alley woiks for me."
"Humph, well I'm sure it ain't fun, sleepin' in 'any random alley' every night now is it?" Ok, would he just get to the point? "You could stay at the Manhattan newsboys lodgin' house until the trouble blows over."
"And what happens if I ain't a newsie?"
"Well then become one, it's hard but at least ya don't need to steal…at least most of the time."
"Well, I'll think about it" I said, though having no intention of doing so.
"A'right, c'mon then" he said opening the door.
"Wait! I never said I would!" I said walking after him.
"Well, ya said ya would think 'bout it right?" I nodded, "then what better way to think 'bout it than experiencing bein' a newsie foisthand?" As much I hate to admit it that did make sense. "I ain't makin' ya do nothin', but I am givin' you a pretty good opportunity." He paused, looking me straight in the eye, "so, you gonna do it or not?"
I sighed, I guess it would be better than stealing stuff to survive, but how did I know I could trust this Spot Conlon person anyway. Sure I'd heard of him. Everyone had heard of him, but, well, I guess from writing so many crazy stories it made me a little more cautious. Finally I sighed, "Well, I guess it wouldn't hoit."
He smirked, "A'right then, c'mon." With that he headed out of the building.
We walked for what seemed like an hour and barely talked the whole time. Finally we reached a building with a sign over the door that said "Newsboys Lodging House." Spot pushed the door open to reveal a small lobby furnished only with a desk and stairs leading up to a second level. Sitting behind the desk was an old man sorting through some papers.
"Ah, Conlon, what brings ya to Manhattan?" asked the man standing up.
"Not much Klopp except this goil here needed a place to stay-is Kelly heah?"
"Not sure, he would be upstairs if he is." After hearing that Spot hurried up the stairs.
"Hey! I don't need anythin'!" I said as I followed him.
"Oh yeah?" he gave me that same now-familiar smirk again. We reached the top of the stairs and I looked around the room. It was long and pretty narrow, full of bunk beds. There was a door at one end that led to what I guessed to be a bathroom and several windows that looked out over the city. There were about fifteen boys, lounging on their bunks, playing cards, or talking. The noise went quiet when we came up the steps.
"Hey Boots, is Kelly heah?" said Spot turning to a little black kid.
"Yup, I'm heah." I turned to see one of the boys stand up. He was pretty tall and standing next to Spot he made him look tiny. Not like I could talk. "What do ya want?" he asked after they spit shook.
"This goil heah had the bulls afta' her and needed somewhere to wait until it all blew over." He said, motioning to me. "So she was wonderin' if ya have any open bunks."
"Yup, several actually, she can have this one, right heah" he pointed to a bunk across the room. I nodded dumbly and walked over to it and sat down. Well, it was much softer than the street. Spot and Jack talked about a few more things until Spot took his leave.
"I'll be seein' ya 'round Rapunzel" he said to me smirking. Rapunzel? Where had he come up with that?
"So your name's Rapunzel?" Said Jack coming over.
"No, its Rebecca, or Becca, I have no idea where he came up with Rapunzel."
He shrugged, "well, whatever suits ya. Anyway about half of us are heah right now. The rest of the guys should be gettin' in soon." He then introduced me to the newsies, I have no idea how I would possibly remember all the names and they were so…strange. Bumlets, Skittery, Mush, Boots, Snipeshooter, Snoddy, Itey, Swifty, Dash, the list went on and on. By the time he was done rattling off all the names I couldn't remember a single one.
"Uh, well, it'll take me awhile to remember all those." I said helplessly.
He nodded, "well, you'll have plenty of time."
I shook my head, "I don't think so, I'm not plannin' on stickin' around very long."
"Well, who knows? You might change your mind."
"Huh, fat chance of that" I muttered as he walked away.
Remember to feed Athena! Reviews are wonderfully nutritious for her…she also feeds on lurking readers if she doesn't get enough reviews…
Shout outs:
NarniaRulz: Well, I guess your imagination is very simlar to mine 'cause that's how I orininally planned the story, but I decided to change it a little bit...thanks for reviewing!
Eruptingfender9: Ok, you have no idea how thrilled I was when I saw that you reviewed this story because you are by far my favorite Newsies author. Thank you so much for reviewing!
Ktkakes: haha curiouser and curiouser, I need to remember that, I've only seen Alice in Wonderland once. Anyway I don't plan on making Katherine a brat and yeah I agree Anna and James were a bit heartless, I kinda meant them to be to be more of the "scary hoity toity people" but I might change that in the future, thanks for reviewing!
