8 Days, 8 Letters; Spot Conlon

Queen of the Freaks

Song: Freaks by Surf Cruise

A/N: Hello everyone. Please enjoy the next the chapter of 8 Days, 8 Letters.

Present Day: January 1900

Jaime's POV

Skittery's screams echoed throughout the bunk room.

Skittery had been acting off. More off than usual when he had his episodes. He had been waking up screaming from nightmares if he slept at all. The dark circles under his eyes had stood out and he grew paler with each passing day.

Tonight was no exception.

We all looked at each other as Skittery rushed off and locked himself in the bathroom.

Specs was about to get off his bunk.

"Just give him some time," I told him.

He nodded, looking over at the door as he sat up.

Skittery's POV

Flashes of Queens has plagued my mind. I thought I finally got rid of it, but I guess it never truly went away.

Flashback: July 1895

Malik had been berating me for losing a rumble to a new newsie group led by the Kelly's in lower 'Hatten. Two siblings who had been moving around New York apparently. They split up years ago because the brother, Jack I think his name is, ran into some trouble. While he was gone Jaime joined Brooklyn and forged multiple alliances.

Thanks to her Brooklyn hadn't fallen off its pedestal. She had forged multiple alliances which held up and even went with her when she left. Even helped the transitions from Ace and Mac to just Mac to her friend Spot.

But Malik made them an enemy long before they even had a bit of power.

"You know what, just get out of my sight freak. Don't even know why I let you in my group anyways. Such a waste of time and resources," he yelled.

With that I walked out into the cool spring air. I guess I'm sleeping on the street tonight.

My eyes stung from trying to hold back my tears. Once I was a block away from the lodge house, I let them fall.

Malik knows exactly how to shatter every part of me in just a few words.

He's right though. I really am just some freak.

Skittery: Don't kill me just help me run away
From everyone I need a place to stay
Where I can cover up my face
Don't cry, I am just a freak

The words echoed in my mind.

I am just a freak
I am just a freak
I am just a freak

My head is filled with parasites
Black holes cover up my eyes

I just wish he'd listen to me. Maybe even treat me a bit better or recognize how much I do for him. Back to the way things used to be before he became a tyrant.

I dream of you almost every night
Hopefully I won't wake up this time

I won't wake up this time
I won't wake up this time
I won't wake up this time

Present Day: January 1900

But I woke up. I needed to in order to survive.

Jaime's POV

After about 30 minutes, the door finally unlocked.

"Skittery," I softly asked.

"Come in," he mumbled.

I opened the door, just enough for me to squeeze in and sat on the floor beside him.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know," he sniffled. "Even if I did, you'd wouldn't understand."

"Is it about Queens?"

"Yeah..."

"Would you like me to get Bumlets and Specs in here?"

"Yeah."

I opened the door and summoned Bumlets and Specs.

Skittery explained his flashbacks and nightmares to us.

"I thought it was gone. I hadn't had them in months and now it's back. Why is it back!"

"Because he hurt you and left wounds in your heart and mind. Those take the longest to heal. The fact that you went months without having them shows that you're making progress," I said.

"Or I'm just a freak."

"You're not a freak and if you are then we all are," Specs replied.

Skittery looked up at Specs.

"We're here every step, Skittery," Bumlets added. "We were with you's through it all and we're not leaving you's now.

"You'd really do all that for a worthless freak?" Skittery mumbled.

"I'd be the world's biggest freak if it meant I'd have you as both a newsie and a friend," I whispered.

Skittery gave me a small smile and soon after we all left the bathroom.

Tumblr ran over and gave Skittery a hug, teddy bear in hand.

"Here Skittery, you can have my Teddy for tonight," Tumblr offered.

"Thanks buddy. Why don't you stay with me tonight so we can share the teddy."

Tumblr smiled and quickly agreed, heading off to bed with Skittery.

It took Skittery a while to go to sleep but soon he did. No nightmares and a smile on his face.

Skittery's POV

Tumblr and I squeezed into my bunk.

I thought about what Books had said. Unlike Malik, she truly cared for me, for all of us.

Flashback: September 1895

Bumlets, Specs, and I had finally left Queens after Malik had blown up again.

It felt scary, but living in the street is better than living with Malik.

We had wandered into 'Hatten after a few weeks of slowly trying to add distance between us and Malik.

It had been raining non-stop for the last two days. With the rain and cold air, the three of us were bound to get pneumonia at some point.

I had slipped on the pavement, slamming hard into the ground. It had become harder and harder to see but a figure helped me up.

The figure was small than Bumlets and Specs, but I couldn't make out who it was.

"Are you's alright," a girl asked.

She sounded familiar but I couldn't make out how I knew her.

"It's freezing out here, I'm surprised none of you's have gotten sick," she continued.

"We are too," Specs joked.

"Come. You's can stay in the lodge house. I'll even pay for you's if you's don't have money.

"That's alright," Bumlets responded. "We's can pay, we're newsies."

"So am I's. I's got a whole group of them."

She led us to the lodge house, laying for our stay despite our protests.

I was able to recognize her now that we are out of the rain. We had run into the famous Books Kelly, leader of the growing Manhattan newsies.

The group of newsies welcomed us with open arms. The older boys had even offered us dry clothes.

Present Day: January 1900

It might not have been perfect at times, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Here I was cared for and I wasn't alone.

I covered Tumblr and his Teddy with a blanket as I laid an arm across them.

For once, the nightmares stayed away and I slept with a smile on my face.