Queen of Brooklyn

chapter 3

Eventually, we end up at a place that Jack seems to know.  We follow him inside and I read a sign plastered on the door: 'Medda: the Swedish Meadowlark'.

David stops and turns around to face Jack.
"What is going on, you two? Who was chasing us?" He asks impatiently.

"He was a warden. Mr. Snyder. I got arrested and then I escaped, so now he's lookin' for me." Jack answered in a very low voice.

A woman's voice alarms us, "Shoo, shoo!"

Jack turns to face the woman and he facial expression immediately changed.

"You wouldn't kick me out without a kiss goodbye, now would ya Medda?"

"Jack." This woman, Medda, beams with happiness. She wraps her arm around his neck and hugs him.

"Where've ya been kid?" Her gentle voice asks.

"Guys, this is Medda. Medda,
this is David, Alexia, and Les." Jack introduced us.

She smiles and says hello to David and me and then stops at Les. She bends over to reach Les' height.

Les begins to cough a whole lot and pulls out a paper from under his arm, "Buy my last pape, lady?"

Medda laughs; she knows he's not actually sick, "Oh, you're good. You're really good!"

Medda tickled Les with her large purple feather and Jack further explained why we were here.

We stayed for a bit and watched Medda's show. Les chewed a piece of bubblegum and offered me a lollipop.

"Thanks kid."

After the show, we started walkin' back to the lodge. We turned a corner, and the smell of smoke filled my nose. A building was on fire, which meant a good headline tomorrow! Jack and I smiled.
I realized then that it was because of the trolley strike.

Later, David invited us to his joint for dinner. I passed on his offer but Jack went. I told him I'd be fine walking home.

I was finally alone, I just needed some peace and quiet. I began to think about my father, and how I was now an orphan, and how lucky am I to have the newsboys. They're my shoulder to lean on and I don't know how I could go on without them.

I began to feel sad, so I started walking to Brooklyn. I always go to this certain dock by the Brooklyn Bridge. It's very beautiful at night, especially in the summer. You can hear crickets chirp and small flickering lights blink over the water. Fireflies.

I began to walk towards the dock and I heard footsteps behind me. Nervously, I turned around and saw that it was Oscar Delancey. I definitely wasn't scared of him, but he did make me a little nervous. After all, he was following me.

Oscar approached me and his hot breath fanned my face. I was a little bit frozen in fear.

"Are you gonna make me shut up now?" He whispered into my ear.

I came back to my senses and I shoved Oscar back.

"Get away from me." I said with
as much confidence as I could gather.

All of the sudden, he yelped in pin.

A teenage boy suddenly reveled himself. He was still in the shadows and the only light I had to see was from the full moon. His sudden appearance had startled me, but for some reason I wasn't scared. In fact, I was relieved. He had kinda saved me from Oscar.

He began to walk towards me, and his bright blue eyes were the only thing I could see.

But then, I heard a voice call me, "Lexie? Where are ya kid?"

It was Jack. He probably realized when I wasn't at the newsies house, that I'd be here. I told him that I come here sometimes, when I'm feelin' down.

"Jack? I'm over here."

Jack wrapped his arm around me, "I've been lookin' for ya."

"Sorry." I mumbled.

I looked back at the boy that had rescued me and I mouthed the words 'thank you'. He nodded in response.

Jack and I got back and I changed. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.