The sky was dark, no glimmer of morning light on the horizon. Few stars hung in the sky, and a chilly breeze blew through the open window into the bunk room.
Spot shifted fitfully in his borrowed bunk, flinching away from something in his dream, soundless words forming on his lips.
All at once he seemed to come too, shooting to sit up, breathing heavily.
It took him a moment to science his heavy gasps, remembering that the bunk room was full of other newsies. God, he longed for the room he had to himself in Brooklyn. It was cramped, but at least he didn't have to worry about waking anyone up because of his nightmares.
Still shaking, he got up, quietly creeping over to the open window, climbing out onto the fire escape.
His nightmare had been a long standing one. In his sleep he would find himself back in the old Conlon house, with Juliette, both still the children they had been before they tried to run.
His parents were always mad, always yelling till Juliette was in tears, always threatening things he knew would come later.
God, why did he still have to see these things? It had been so long, and yet every night he saw it again, it was either that, or he could see back to the horrible two days he'd spent in the refuge, right before he took the throne of Brooklyn.
The cold air of the stupidly early morning caused Spot to shiver, but he didn't move back inside. Somehow the numbing of the cold was almost what he needed.
"Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor." He sang with little more than a whisper.
Shifting, he rolled his shoulders, leaning against the rail, trying to focus more on the girl he only seemed to see in his dreams than the nightmares themselves.
"And I wonder if I ever cross your mind? For me it happens all the time."
Distantly the music from some bar spilled into the street, but to Spot it was overshadowed by the grandfather clock the Koppleman kept in the lobby chiming.
"It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now..." He leaned his head down onto his crossed arms sighing, "I said I'd make it on my own, but I'm losing all control and I need you now! And I don't know how I've done without- I just need you now!"
The breeze seemed to pick up, and reluctantly, Spot moved back inside, though only for a moment, grabbing the threadbare blanket off his bunk and wrapping it around his shoulders.
He returned to the fire escape, this time sitting on the stairs, watching the sky, and thinking about his girl for some time.
"Hurry up!" Tommy boy groaned, knocking on the bathroom door, "Everyone's gonna leave without youse!"
The other waiting newsies grumbled in agreement until finally Skittery emerged, still messing with his hair, "Fine."
"Thank god." Spot muttered.
Jack chuckled, "Lets head out den!"
The newsies whooped and cheered, still somewhat high on adrenaline of knowing they were in the papers.
Joy stuck to the back of the group as they thundered out of the building and down the street toward Jacobi's.
The loud group filled the restaurant, and she could only be thankful that Skittery's delay had kept them from disrupting the morning rush.
Before she could slide into a table in the corner, Jack grabbed Joy's wrist, tugging her to sit with him, David, Les, Blink and Spot at one of the center tables.
YOU ARE READING
A Way Home
Fanfiction"A newsie? You were a newsie mama? Tell me about it? Please?" ---------------------------------------- Sean and Juliette had been friends since there first meeting, and even ran away from their horrible lives together before getting separated. Wha...
