Stray on Strike

Newsies of New York...

Pulitzer lead is out to his balcony from his office. Jack has a delightful smirk on his face. It just happened. This is over. No more pain. No more lying. No more running.

I was the last of the three to walk out on the balcony. Thousands of pairs of eyes are one us. So many kids waiting to hear the news whether it was good or bad.

Jack looks over at me. "Do you want to tell them?" He whispers softly. 

I shake my head 'no' and then I tell him. "If anyone is going to tell them. It's is going to be Jack 'The Cowboy' Kelly." His respond to that was a soft smile.

Jack looks out to the crowd. All eyes are on him. "Newsies of New York! ... ... We won!" Everyone cheers and celebrates about the big news besides the Delanceys and Pulitzer "And now, I would like to introduce my very own personal pal, Governor Theodore Roosevelt, himself."

The Governor walks through the office and hurries out to the Balcony. He tips his hat at me as he passes by me. Jack gets out of the way and stands beside me. He point to down the fire escape and I climb down it. He follows right beside me.

We move out through the crowd and stand beside Katherine and Davey. The four of us look up to Roosevelt.

"Each generation must, at the height of it's power, step aside and invite the young to share the day. You have laid way to our world. Now, I believe the future, in your hands, will be bright and prosperous." All of us cheer. I look back up at him and he is point his cane at Jack. "And your drawings, son, have brought another matter to end. Officers, if you please!"

The drawing of the refuge? What does he mean by that? What's ending? An officer blows his whistle. All of the newsies and kids part the way. Only me and Jack are left standing in the middle of the square.

I see a faint silhouette walking towards us. Race shouts over the cops and the newsies and what he says makes me feeling like I am walking on air. "Hey, Jack, Stray, look! It's Crutchie!"

What?!?!?! AHHHHHHHH!

And there he is. Standing there is all of his glory.  He doesn't look at me and Jack. He probably doesn't know we are over here since everyone else is off to the side. Crutchie stands up as straight as he can says profoundly. "How ya doin', fellas? Oh, and look, look what I got yas! A gift, straight from the refuge. hey, bring him in boys!"

Synder slowly walks into view. Jack pushes me behind me defending me from the Spider. Some cops hold Synder  back as he grunts when he sees us. I send a wave in his direction he rolls his eyes angrily. I shout at him. "He ain't so tough no more, is he?" That gets Cructhie attention. He looks over to me and Jack and his face lights up. I know him, I know that he has an idea spinning around in his head.

Roosevelt starts to talk again from the balcony. "Jack, with those drawings, you made an eloquent argument for shutting down the refuge. Be assured that Mr. Snyder's abuses will be fully investigated. Officers, take him away."

Crutchie hobbles over and shouts at Roosevelt. "Please, Your Highness, may I do the honors?" Aww he is so cute he called the Governor, Highness. I'd missed that. Roosevelt nods at him.

An officer hands Crutchie a pair of handcuffs. My boyfriend is tough that's right! Synder growls in a deep voice. "You gotta be joking."

Crutchie starts to laugh as he locks Synder up. "Then you'll be laughing, all the way to the pen, little man." He lifts his bad leg up and uses it to kick Stnder over to the officers. "So long, sucker!"