The Tide'll be Turnin (A Sprace Story)

Chapter 2

Everyone is kinda scared of Spot, me included, but I find it hard to be scared of him when he has such a sweet smile on his face.

As I walk down the bridge I start thinkin to myself, 'Why does he let me sell here? He always soaks any other Newsies who tries to sell here.' Just then he looks up and our eyes meet, the smile disappearing from his face. He watches me as I walk across the rest of the bridge. Right, THAT'S why I'm scared of him.

When I arrive at the Sheepshead I call out a headline and sell 4 papes right where I'm standing. I move throughout the people callin out more headlines. I end up sellin all my papes at the races. Usually I gotta sell a few while leavin. I start watching the horse that I was bettin on, number 4, and it seems like it's gonna win until number 7 picks up the pace and passes him. I curse under my breath. I can't pay Weasel back with him knowin I lost... again.

It's getting darker now so I head outta the Sheepshead. I'm walkin towards the bridge when I see Spot again. He's leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed. He doesn't have any more papes to sell so why's he still here? It's like he's waiting for someone. He then looks straight into my eyes, his stormy blue eyes staring into my soul. He then starts walking towards me, his eyes still piercing mine.

My brain was telling me to run, as it kinda looked like he was gonna punch me in the face, but for some reason I couldn't move. He is now only a few inches away from me, glaring down at me.

"Why do ya sell here?"

I feel my face heat up slightly. His voice was calm but his eyes were piercing my soul.

"Cause I go to da Sheapshead ta bet." I respond.

I was too in shock too shoot back with, 'why do ya let me sell here, hmm?' Which is what I would usually do, but I was kinda scared he'd soak me.

He stares at me for another few seconds, as if trying to see if im lying or not, then says, "Fine. But you betta not be lyin ta me, Higgins."

I watch for a minute as he turns and walks away, then turn back around and continue on my way across the bridge. My face soon cools down from the soft blush that had tinted my cheeks. After a few minutes of walkin I realize something. 'That was the first time he's ever spoken to me. How'd he know my name?'

I turn back around as if to see him still walkin away, but he's gone. I sigh and continue walkin back to the lodging house, his words swimming through my brain.

"Heya Race." A voice says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I look up to see it's Jack who had grabbed my attention.

"Hey Jack." I respond.

"How was your day at the track?" Jack asks.

"Remember that hot tip I told you about?" I ask.

"Yeah?"

"Nobody told the horse."

*

"They jacked up the price!"

The next day comes with total outrage. We had arrived at the circulation center to see that Pulitzer ans Hearst had upped the price of the papers and no one was happy about it.

"You hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred!" Blink continued. "You know, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell! Mow they jacked up the price! Can you believe that?"

"This'll bust me, I'm barely making a living right now." Skittery says, throwing the cigarette he was holding to the ground.

"I'll be back sleeping on the streets." Boots adds.

"It don't make no sense." Mush starts in a heartbreaking voice. "I mean, all the money Pulitzer's making, why would he gouge us?"

"Because he's a tight wad, that's why!" I respond, annoyed as ever.

"Pipe down, it's just a gag." Jack says, overly confident. He walks over to Weasel and leans against the counter. "So, why da jack up, Weasel?"

"Why not?" Weasel responds. "It's a nice day."

If I'm being honest, I find Weasel completly disgusting.

"Why don'tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?" Weasel yells after Jack as he walks away.

Jack then sits down on the small stairs as we stand around him.

"They can't to this to me Jack." Blink says, basically gritting his teeth.

"They can do whatever they want. It's their stinkin' papea." I respond.

"It ain't fair." Boots says. "We got no rights at all."

"Come on, it's a rigged deck." I say. "Dey got all da marbles, okay?"

"Jack, we got no choice, so why don't we get our lousy papes while they still got some, huh?" Mush says, defeated

Some of us nod in agreement, starting to walk up to the window.

"No!" Jack starts. "Nobody's going anywhere. They can't get away with this!"

"Clear out, clear out." Les says, pushing past a few of us and stepping down the stairs to sit next to Jack. "Give him some room, give him some room! Let him think."

Blink hands Jack a cigarette and we all look at him, waiting. We're standing there for a solid 8 seconds and finally I roll my eyes.

"Jack, you done thinkin' yet?"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!" Weasel yells.

We all yell back and he closes the window he was yelling from.

"Well, listen, one thing for sure. If we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes." Jack says. "Nobody comes through those gates until they put the price back to where it was."

"What do you mean, like a strike?"