Chapter Four
Author's Note: So, here is Chapter Four. I am almost, (sadly, for me at least) done my dance camp, but then, to just hold you all on a cliffhanger, (sort of, not really), I have a week and a half that I am spending up in New York's countryside with my grandparents, so I won't get back on here for a really long time. But in the meantime, I'll just continue to post things until about Sunday because that's when I'm leaving. But anyway, to the chapter!
The newsies from the Bronx and the few from Manhattan all looked at Blink and Checkers expectantly. The two leaders were silent for a moment, but then Blink spoke.
"Well, now dat dey's gone, let's get bandages from Kloppman." he said.
All of the (few) Manhattan newsies got up and went off to find Kloppman. We remained. Kid Blink was looking back at Crutchy, who at the moment was staring off into space. His leg and forehead were only bleeding a little bit, but I knew the scrapes would need bandages because of the possibility of infection. I was worried that he wouldn't last.
"How da youse feel, Crutch?" asked Blink softly. The other Bronx kids were huddled with Checkers.
"Oh, da...usual aftah dat... dat thing happens." Crutchy struggled as he replied.
"Dat ain't good, youse nose it. Don't give up now. Youse been thrugh worse." Blink tried to say without sounding depressed.
The newsies came back with bandages and Kloppman, who looked furious. He was holding the bandages and hurried over looking as angry and worried, almost, as Blink looked.
"They gotta learn not ta do this to ya. You'll never know or want to go nowhere if you are stuck being beaten all the time." said Kloppman as he bandaged Crutchy's leg and put some on his forehead.
"We tried, but dey are always attackin' da crippled, weak, less fortunate ones, Kloppman." said Kid.
"Yeah, I know all 'bout it. They hurt you to, eh?" he asked, looking at me. I was in pain, but from something that could not be fixed.
"Not in a way dat can be fixed." I said. Kloppman shook his head.
Crutchy was somehow still conscious, but I didn't know if he'd remain like that. He looked horrible, his shirt was tattered and I knew there would be bruises on his stomach and ribs, and his good leg and forehead were bandaged up. The coughs that I had been sure he was holding back, or in, finally came out. He coughed up blood. A little bi, but enough to make Blink, Kloppman, and the other Manhattan newsies extremely more worried. Blink gripped Crutchy's wrist for a moment, and Kloppman looked more stressed. I found myself scared. Crutchy was silent, ignoring any looks, staring at the roof of his bunk. Blink looked at Kloppman.
"Don't youse tink we'se should get a doc?' he asked, his eye moving around Kloppman's face quickly, looking at him.
"I think that the doctor ain't gonna want ta come, but I'll get someone to go get him." replied Kloppman, and left the room, grabbing Racetrack as he went. Race would obviously be sending the message.
"Hang in dere, we'se gonna get a doc, I nose it." said Blink quietly to Crutchy, (I was close enough to hear him) and Crutchy nodded.
But none of us were sure if the doctor would come. We had barely enough money for food, let alone a doctor. Checkers and the other Bronx kids came over, and they stood in front of my bed along with Blink.
"Guys, and gal, we'se don't gots nuttin' ta lose wid a doctor comin', but den again, I don't tink it'll work. I be worried for Crutchy." Blink said.
"Youse know dat we'se know, so don't get us wrong, mate, I don't know wha' ta do." replied Checkers.
"We are all worrin' for Crutchy, jus' don't get youself mixed up." I said.
"Tell me youse will... stay in touch wid me, if youse leave ta go ta da Bronx again." said Blink, anxiously.
"We'se will. Trust me. I nose youse, an' you ain't one ta be left alone." answered Checkers.
"Tank youse. I owe all of youse a lot." Kid Blink said gratefully.
"Who say we'se leavin'? I ain't goin' nowhere, Checkers." I said, pulling him closer. "Ise can't."
"Not youse. Jus' me an' da guys, an' Maple. Youse too hurt, ya need ta rest an' stay in one place." replied Checkers. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The Bronx group soon left, and Checkers gave me one last look before heading out the door. Not too long after, Race returned. He was followed by a man who looked like a business man, and a man who was obviously a doctor in a white coat. But he looked like an expert, and expensive. Racetrack came forward.
"I found what youse wante', an' more. Dis is Mr. Brown, an' he's payin' for da doctor. Dis is Dr. Jacob, an; to youse two, dere's your patient." Race said. The doctor took the spot where Kloppman had been sitting earlier. We were all staring at Mr. Brown. Blink looked supisciuos.
"Who are youse?" he asked the man.
"A friend of Kloppman here. And when the money is needed by him, I can supply you with it." Mr. Brown said. Blink looked at Kloppman who nodded.
The doctor was checking Crutchy up, who was still conscious, and who didn't watch the doctor as he seemed okay with the fact that the man was looking him up and down. Or maybe he was in to much pain. The doctor looked worried.
"I dare say that these are some very bad bruises, or will be. This isn't the best thing ever, not good at all." he said. Blink was still eyeing Mr. Brown, but turned his attention to the doctor.
"He'll be fine, righ' Mr.?" he said, anxiously, too hopefully.
"Well... he should." the doctor said uncertainly. Kid Blink looked sadder than ever at this.
The doctor kept on going. Whenever something distressing showed up, he'd tell us. His last look at Crutchy was his bad leg.
"You're a cripple?" asked the doctor. Crutchy nodded, and I saw pain in his eyes as the doctor pressed and touched his leg rather hard. "Born like this?"
"Yes." was all Crutchy said. Blink's eye widened, and the Manhattan newsies's eyes and sharp intakes of breath told me that Crutchy hadn't told any of them that.
"You'll never walk straight, but no wonder you look like this. They beat you up, didn't they?" Doctor Jacob said, and Crutchy nodded again. "Well, just don't twist this leg anymore than it is, and you'll be fine. But I don't know about the rest of you. How about you?"
I realized the last question was targeted at me. I looked at the doctor, and then at the ground, and then back at the doctor again.
"Dey hurt me, bu' in me bad leg. It ain't sometin' youse can fix." I said, looking at the doctor.
"Let me see." he said.
Then he came over, and started pressing my leg, which made me cry out in pain. He looked at it in several places, several different times.
"I am guessing that this leg of yours was broken and then stayed that way because of another break in the bone fixture." the doctor said.
"Yeah, dis store fell in on me, den I fell down a staircase tryin' ta get away. Da store was in da top story of a buildin',an' I was climbing down da fire escape." I explained.
"This can be fixed, I think. But if you don't want any surgery, that is okay with me." the doctor said. "I will come back if any of you need me."
And with that last sentence, the doctor headed out, Kloppman and Mr. Brown following. Kid Blink sat down abruptly, and Crutchy didn't look at him. I could tell that Blink might even have been slightly angry. But he didn't do anything. Crutchy fell asleep eventually, and soon Blink followed suit. Others were asleep or getting ready for bed.
That night I stayed there. And in the morning, I awoke to see Crutchy before I would work. He wasn't awake, but he looked terrible. I gave him one last look before I hobbled out. I would sell as many papers as I could. I bought 100 because the headline was wonderful, the fire on Times Square had not been stopped in time, and some famous, rich, old guy had died. I took up Crutchy's selling spot, and I thought I had pretty good luck going for me, but then my good luck died or something. It was in the afternoon, and I was yelling out headlines loudly. Suddenly, some of the kids from that family that had taunted me passed by. It was most of them, but one boy and their mother weren't there. My stomach dropped, and I felt a sick feeling, and felt danger.
Author's Note: Okay, so, sorry about the names like "Mr. Brown" and "Doctor Jacob", but I really couldn't think of any other names, or last names, at the time I wrote this, and they aren't the most interesting and important characters, so I'm figuring you can forgive me for that. Tell me how I am doing on this story, a.k.a., REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, PLEASE!