Memories Found [ABANDONED]

Chapter 1 - Screaming

"Newsies of New York City," Jack shouts from the top of The World, "We won!"

Newsie Square erupts with joyful cheers. I beam and start jumping up and down. Looking beside me, I can see that JoJo is doing the same. He stops hollering for a second to wink at me. I hold back a laugh, and kick his calf. He yelps and starts to go after me, but stops when he catches sight of the one and only Theodore Roosevelt standing next to Jack. We both stare up in awe as the governor gives a speech about youth or something. To be honest, I didn't really listen that closely, because I was so starstruck. However, after his speech I can hear him shout, "Officers! If you please."

I look over at JoJo to see if he has any context, but he just shrugs his shoulders. Then I hear Race shout, "Hey look, it's Crutchie!"

The square explodes with cheers once again, and I can't hear anything Crutchie says. I can see him though, and suddenly all of the cheer's fade away. He's covered in bruises, gashes, and cuts and scrapes galore. That's when I begin to hear sparse screams. I look around. No one seems to be screaming. Just welcoming Crutchie. When the screams get louder and closer together, and I realize that they aren't screams of joy. They're screams of pain and agony. I start to fiddle with the leather patch on my suspenders, and turn in circles. Then I realize that no one is cheering anymore. They're all just chatting with each other. My breathing becomes heavier as the screams become louder, and I fiddle with the patch even more. I turn to JoJo and see that he's talking to me, but I can't hear a word of what he's saying. All I can hear is screaming.

That's the last straw for me, and I turn around and run straight to the lodging house. JoJo must have followed me, because the next thing I know I'm in my bed, and he's shaking me with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asks. I just stare at him and don't say anything. "Fiddler, ya gotta tell me what's wrong!" he says again, this time with more concern in his voice.

I take a deep, shaky breath and say, "I heard screamin' in my head."

He looks confused, and I say again, "JoJo, I heard screams in my head. They weren't comin' from the crowd. They was in my head, and boy was they awful. They sounded like they was kids, and the worst part was, they didn't sound like they was havin' a good time."

"What do you mean 'screams in your head'?" he asks. "And what kind of screams?"

"They sounded like kids gettin' beat up, JoJo. But there was no kids gettin' beat up anymore, 'cause the strike is over. And these didn't sound like kids who could fight. No. They sounded like kids who could do nothin' but get beat up," I say, and take another shaky breath. "I don't get scared often, but that was scary, JoJo. Really scary."

"Hmm," he says, a thoughtful look on his face. "Maybe you's just riled up from these past few days. Why don't we walk back to the Square and get our papes. That oughta calm ya down."

"Okay," I agree. I stand up, then squat down and reach under the bed and grab my fiddle. Once I've got it, we walk out of the lodging house, and back down to Newsie Square and get our papes.