A Way Home

Chapter Ten: All I've Ever Known- Hadestown

Joy clung to Spot's hand as they pushed through the crowd, "I can't believe it actually worked!"

Spot nodded, "There's gotta thousands of kids here!"

"Ay! Spotty boy!" Race called from where part of their group was waiting by the Horace Greeley Statue, "C'n you believe the toin out?"

"It's insane!" Albert agreed.

David turned grinning, "They have to listen to us now!"

"Oh, deary me, looks like theys already callin for a meetin." Race laughed, pointing to where a group of men stood at the entrance of the World Building, looking around at the crowd.

Jack laughed, "Alright, 'f they want a meetin, they'll have one. You know the plan, dontcha?"

Spot, Joy and David pushed through the crowd behind him, until they made it to the front of the crowd.

"Ay!" Jack yelled, "I think Mister Pulitzer's wantin ta see me!"

"You..." One man frowned, before turning and heading back into the building, "This way!"

Soon, they found themselves outside of Pulitzer's office, Spot and Joy holding back, as Jack rushed in.

"Extra extra Gents! Looks like a pretty good pape went out this mornin!" He laughed, tossing the newsies banner onto Pulitzer's desk.

"I knew you were behind this, I thought we had a deal!" Pulitzer yelled.

"And it came with a money back guarantee." Jack tossed the money he'd received onto the desk as well.

"I gave you the offer of a life time!" Pulitzer yelled, "Any one who doesn't act in there own self interest is a fool!"

"Then what does that make you?" David challenged, moving fully into the room with Joy and Spot.

Pulitzer glared at him, "Excuse me?"

"You talk about self interest, and this all started to sell more papers, but since the strike started your circulation's been down 70%. Why spend so much money just to beat us out of one lousy tenth or a cent?" David asked.

"Cause guys like Joe won't talk to nobodies like us," Spot scoffed, "And if he gives in, it shows we got the power. And he can't let dat happen, no matta the cost."

Jack grinned, "But if you wanna see where the real power is, you gotta look outside."

They pulled open one of the windows, as Pulitzer reluctantly moved to look out of it.

"Take a look out there mister Pulitzer," Joy said proudly, "If you can't tell, we've got you surrounded. New York is closed for business."

"You can't get a pape or a shoe shine. You can't send a message, or cross the Brooklyn bridge." Spot agreed.

Joy laughed, "Hell, you can't even get out of your own office."

"Oh close the windows! Tell them to go home! Go home go home!" Pulitzer yelled.

"I can't hear you Joe! And neither can they!" Joy grinned.

"Now you listen to me!"

Joy flinched at the sound of Pulitzer's yell, but even as she moved back, she couldn't help but continue to challenge him, "No you listen to me! Theres a lotta people out there, and they ain't just goin away! We got voices now and we'll make sure you listen!"

Pulitzer almost seemed to relent, moving back to his desk as David closed the window.

One of the office assistants, who had been reading the paper, handed it to him carefully, "Boss, these kids put out a pretty good paper."