SILLY LITTLE LIFE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
( prompt: "I can't!" )
"So, today's the day," Raccoon said, sitting beside me on the docks, both of our legs swinging off the side.
I nodded and smiled at her, taking a long drag from my cigarette. "Yeah. Time to pass off the crown. But I'm actually not too sad about it, and I don't think Spot is, either. It was time. We're both too old to play kids games anymore."
"No kidding," Raccoon agreed. "One more year with the larks for me, then I'll probably be permanantly above ground." Her nose wrinkled at the thought, and I laughed.
"It's been a hell of a ride, Raccoon."
"That it has."
We sat in silence for a while until Raccoon noticed the time on her filched pocket watch and we both meandered our way back inside the Brooklyn Lodging House. I'd never seen the passing of the crown ceremony, but something told me that it wouldn't be a big flourishing affair. Brooklyn didn't seem the type.
Nightshade waas sitting quietly on the beat up old sofa near the landing of the stairs, sitting rigidly and looking incredibly nervous. Raccoon and I sat on either side of her and she gripped each of our hands. Night was incredibly worried about the pressure this would cause her, but I knew she'd be good at it. It was in her bones.
"How long have they been up there?" I asked Night.
"Fifty-two minutes, forty three seconds," Nighshade answered automatically, and I almost laughed.
"Night," I said, and then waited for her to look at me. "You're going to be fine. It's just Brooklyn. You're not having a kid."
Nightshade shook her head. "A'm nae like ye, Lissa. A'm nae a leader. A'm a lass of science," she said. "A cannae do this, Lissa! A can't!"
I smiled. "I'm not much of a leader, Night. You know I hate the spot light. But Silver loves you, and he won't be able to do this alone. Keep him in line for us, will you?"
"Yeah, Night, and you and Silver always have us underground. We'll make sure Midtown knows their place," Raccoon assured her, grinning, though she looked quite serious.
Spot was not happy leaving the Midtown situation to Silver, even if he was upstairs talking to the boy about whatever it was they were talking about. I knew it was hard for Spot to let that sort of thing go, but it was time to move on. They couldn't be newsies forever, and it was time to let go. Not that Spot wasn't planning on dropping in all the time and making himself a pest.
Eventually, the two boys did come back down the steps, and Silver looked thrilled. Once the both reached the bottom, the boys all waiting around in silence cheered and clapped. Night and Raccoon ran to shake his hand and congradulate them, and Spot found the seat beside mine.
"I think you made the right decision," I told him, watching the way Silver smiled bashfully as everyone shook his hand as if seeing him in a whole new light.
"Spot Conlon always makes the right decisions, doll," he murmured against my ear, and then laughed when he earned a well-deserved smack on the shoulder.
Gahhh, I missed Nightshade and her hard to read Scottish accent. And Raccoon. Have you guys? Soo, this chapter is up because the friggin' awesome Joker is Poker with a J (mouthful much?) reviewed every single chapter of my trilogy. She rocks for that. So, since Raccoon was inspired from her character Infamous, and because I really loved Night, they're both in this. :) I love you guys. Really, I do.
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CTB!
xx Wicked