Shoutout to SugarBubbleGum for being the first person to review my story (and to everyone else). Like I said, I love to read your comments- good, bad, or anything in between. You guys are the ones who inspire me to continue writing, so I want to say thank you. You have no idea just how much one review means! *Now Edited*
Chapter 2- The Newsboy's Lodging House
I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out
And scream and shout, and let it out
~Will. I. Am. feat: Britney Spears: Scream and Shout~
"People of high rank who rep-re-sent a country while in a different country can be ref-erred to as am' bastards" Snipeshooter read, stumbling through the passage from the hand-me-down history textbook.
"Ambassadors," I correct him, letting out a small laugh at his mispronunciation.
It was now 7:37, which means I am basically done with teaching for the day. I feel a bone-jolting chill sweep through the rows of bunks that causes the window to fly open. I was about to fix it when I notice that the near-blizzard had turned into a full on blizzard and the streets of New York were now no-man's land. I mentally groan at the thought of having to walk back to the orphanage in that. I spend most of my time either at the factory or at the lodging house; rarely ever did I spend a full day at the orphanage. I mean, the nuns were extremely nice and accommodating, I just found it to be depressing. They aren't too worried if I don't show up because they know I am most likely here. Besides, the boys didn't mind the company at all. In fact, I would be more than happy to become a newsie and stay at the lodging house, except for one teeny-weeny problem: I'm a girl. Yeah, sure, there are girl newsies out there, but I would have to stay at their lodging house and it just wouldn't be the same. And not to mention, half of them are prostitutes. I visibly cringe at the mere thought of it.
I turn around, to see that the boys were all passed out on their beds in deep sleep. It isn't surprising, though, since all of them are under the age of eleven. I tiptoe my way to the stairs and to the front desk area and see Jack, Kid Blink, Mush, Race, Itley, Crutchy, Boots, Specs, and Skittery playing yet another card game. I was almost out the door when Race stops me.
"You'd be a fool to walk all the way to the orphanage in that weather. Prob'ly die from hypo- whatever-it's-called if ya ask me."
"Well then what should I do? I have work in the morning." I sigh, trying to come up with a solution. Honestly, I don't even think the Delanceys are stupid enough to go out there. But then again, they are the epitome of stupidity.
"You can stay here," He gave me the duh face. They only offer for me to stay here when they think it's too dangerous to go outside. That, and the chance of a housing official stopping by to check up on things is slim to none right now.
"You guys know I'd love to but I don't have any money on me to pay the lodging fee." Usually, I would have some amount of money on me but I get paid every other week at the factory. Currently, I am running low and have kept the remaining fifteen cents under the pillow in my bedroom. And did I forget to mention that I don't actually get paid for teaching the newsboys? I enjoy it, so that's ok. Plus, I get the added benefit of getting a pape for free whenever I want. It's mainly just an opportunity to get away from my hectic life.
"Oh, come on Kate, we don't bite," Crutchy adds trying to lighten the mood. The room filled with quiet laughter and Boots began rolling on the floor in hysterics. Goodness, that boy could find something funny to laugh at in the obituary section of the newspaper if he really wanted to.
"If that's the only issue then we should be able to help with that," Jack said as if it weren't a problem at all. The boys nearest to me nod their heads in agreement. Jack, Crutchy, and Race pull out a fraction of their days earnings.
"Jack, you need that. I couldn't take it." I protest.
"Kate, it's final. You're staying here." He said with brotherly authority. And before I could react he gave the coins to Kloppman and signs me in. Logically, he changes my name to be a boy's in case someone were to go back and look at the records.
I sit down by the boys who were just about to start a new game of poker. Mush, who was sitting next to me, wrapped arm over my shoulder and I leaned into his side. It felt so comforting to be in a place where I know I was loved. Sure, we aren't related but we were family. A crazy, chaotic, hysterical, caring, dysfunctional family.
"You want to play in the next game, Kate?" Specs asked.
"Bring it on," I challenged. I had to admit, the boys knew how to play poker, especially Race, who was the gambling aficionado. Eventually, we made it to the last round where we all had to show our cards.
"How'd ya do that?!" Kid Blink asked, appalled, as I reaveal my winning set of cards.
"Beginner's luck," Race adds gruffly.
"Alright boys, quite your bawlin' and off to bed. It's gonna be cold tomorrow and I want everyone at their peak health if were gonna be sellin' papes in that weather." Jack ordered the boys, and another set of groans could be heard again. Jack ran upstairs but returned with a pair of oversized clothes for me to wear.
"Here, they'll be a bit big on you'se but it's all we've got." I changed in the downstairs bathroom to try and maintain some decency.
When I reach the bunks, I shuffle my way towards one of the unused beds. The majority of the boys were already asleep.
"Night, sweetheart" Crutchie said.
"Night" I said yawning. I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost the second my head hit the pillow.
The next second, I was in the factory.
My mom and dad were there too. The crackling from the furnaces was barely noticeable over the roar of the machinery
"Mom! Dad!" I screamed as I saw them tied to ropes dangerously close to the open pit of the furnace. Any closer and the heat would burn the cotton material of the rope, leaving them to fall to imminent death.
Fowl-smelling breath snakes its way to my nose as Mr. Dunnigan stands mere inches behind me. The noise of the sewing machines, tap-tap-tap-tap tap-tap-tap-tap, repeats over and over. My forehead smothered in perspiration, a single drop falling onto the garment.
"Strike one," warns and pulls a lever making the rope drop three feet. I was screaming and begging for him to stop, but he just stood there.
I continued working on the sweater, and this time my hand twitched causing me to mess up the straight line for the stitching.
"Strike Two." This time they dropped six feet and now begging was mix with my parent's ear-piercing screams.
"Kate! Kate!" someone shouts.
I awake with a start, only to see Jack and Race looking at me with concerned faces. All the lights are off, but I could see their faces from the light that reflects off of the snow coming through the window. Seeing that Jack could handle the situation, Race clambers back to his bed.
Ya wanna talk about it?" Jack asked. I shake my head, keeping my mouth clamped shut trying to stop myself from crying. I looked away as tears fall down my cheeks.
"It was just a dream," Jack said soothingly while giving me a hug. I cried into his shoulder until I didn't feel the need to cry anymore.
"Don't leave," I pleaded, lying back down.
"I won't." Jack replied. He played with my hair until I fell into a dreamless sleep. Only if I know how true those words really were.
The next morning I wake up to see complete and utter chaos. Boys were running around half-dressed and preparing to hawk the day's headlines. Race came and put his hands over my eyes to shield me from the indecency. I giggled at the silliness of it all.
"Put your shirts on! We'se has a lady in the room!" Race ordered, and then directs his next question at me after removing his hands from my face, "Sleep any better?"
I nodded and looked through the foggy window to see a city covered in snow. The boys would be able to sell papes but I had no way to get to the factory on time. The factory doors lock at exactly 9 o' clock. It would take even longer in the snow. Worst case scenarios ran through my head as I thought about what my boss would do to me when I couldn't show up.
Thanks for reading! I don't plan on Kate having a relationship with any of the Manhattan Newsies. If anything, it would be I character her age that I would create. But even then it wouldn't be serious.