Newsies: On the frontier.

Chapter 9: The truth.

Uh-oh. The truth's about to be spilled, but Will like it? Probably not.

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Chapter 9: The truth.

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Anastasia Picket rung in my head for the next few seconds, before William finally caught on. He turned towards me, his face turning bright red.

'Yous' de' girl.' He stammered. 'Yous' killed Ollie!' He roared. Davey had already started to pull William away when he went to attack me. Spot being the gentleman he is, pulled me behind him, protecting me. I slammed my fist into his shoulder, and moved around him. I didn't need any ones help. I needed my mother, and my father. I knew I'd gotten into trouble, that I'd never dig myself out of. I'd gone too deep, gotten to caught up.

'OI!' He yelled. He swung a punch at Jack's stomach, I could hear him heaving. But I didn't care. I just kept running. Once again, I was running away. That was the only thing I'd ever been good at doing. I'd ran from my mother, and ran from Jack. I ran from facing the truth, avoided it for so long, it finally caught up and bit me. It karma finally smacked me right across the mouth. Thanks.

I turned up my street, where the sky was just falling. The sun hid behind thick clouds, and stars appeared high in the orange sky. I ripped off my denim clothing, leaving me in an over shirt and white pants. I ran through the streets, screaming loudly. I had forced tears to stream down my face, as I dropped to the floor in front of a man.

'HELP!' I squealed. I sobbed into his shoes, now on my hands and knees. The man looked appalled, and took a step back. He took one look at my face and knew who I was. It was a blur, the reunion with my parents. I took a statement on my capture, and said I didn't remember anything. And that I got away while they were loading me onto the train. My mother sobbed, my father cheered. I slept in my own bed for the first time in what felt like years. I dressed in silk clothes, and had a hot bath. I had nightmares about Jack and Spot, Crutchie starving, William crying over Oliver's death. I had visions of Oliver, lying under the carriage. It always ended the same. Me waking up in cold sweats, screaming.

I had breakfast taken to me by my mother. We talked for a minute before she left me to rest, doctors orders. I ate my breakfast in silence, letting all the emotions of the last week wash over me. I ended up not eating much at all, and that made me feel even worse. Like I was a waste. I went back to sleep until lunchtime. My mother had left the paper on my table, and when I woke up, I sprang to read it.

'Newsies revolt in a Strike against Joseph Pulitzer.' I read on. 'Jack Kelly blocked the gates of the paper depo', not allowing any Newsies to get through, unless they wanted to get 'soaked'. As the boy told reporters.' I shook my head. So they really were revolting. Jack couldn't do it without Spot. And I had a feeling he wouldn't do it without me. And I certainly couldn't do it - not now. All I could do is sit back and watch them fail, and it stung me to the core. I couldn't allow myself to hurt them any further. I had to do something, I had to get them to win, to bring justice to Oliver. Rights to all, not just the Newsies, but all children workers. It's not fair, and I think it needs to be stopped.

I climbed out of bed, and headed down the stairs to the dinner table. My father sat their, looking through the paper. My mother was taking a bite out of her sandwich, when she put it down and smiled.

'Hello Anastasia.' She smiled. I nodded in reply, but bluntly ignored her, and spoke to my father instead.

'What's your view on the Newsie's strike?' I asked him. He looked up from the paper, arching his brows. Like it was important or not.

'Why?' He asked.

'Because. I'd like to know.' I continued.

'I think they've got no choice, Pulitzer won't give in, not to kids like them.' He shook his head sadly.

'Un-intelligent ones?' I asked, my brows furrowed. 'So if they had someone smart doing it - he'd listen?' I asked. 'Like me?' I could feel my heart rate picking up. Maybe I could of been helpful, after all.

'Yes - Perhaps. But - Haha, don't get any ideas, Anastasia.' My father chuckled, ruffling my hair. 'Jack's head is full of pathetic little ideas, and he deserves to go back to prison, for what he did.' I was so confused. What?

'Jack is a criminal. He stole some food, and broke from jail, he hasn't done his time.' He shook his head, upset at how he had gotten away freely with breatking the law. 'Go back to bed Ana.' My father said.

I nodded and flashed a sweet smile. I skipped back up stairs, preparing myself for the journey into the city again. I got dressed into a yellow summer dress, and grabbed my bag. I jumped the balcony, and sped down the fire escape.

I was soon back out on the streets, were I thought I truly belonged. I headed down the street, swinging my arms with every confident stride. I moved down to the lodging house, were I knew they'd all be. I cleared my throat, cocking my head back. I hadn't seen them all in 12 days. It was now the 23rd of June, and I felt like I was going out for the first time. I knew the streets like the back of my hand, but the nerves were jitting around in my stomach. But I was doing this. I was NOT under any circumstances running home, again.

I cleared my throat as I headed into the house. I could hear the yelling upstairs. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and climbed the stairs. I moved slowly up the staircase, waiting on the last step to hear the conversation.

'We'll go to the bridge, then Brooklyn might help out.' Davey said. A bunch a murmuring followed, but quieted down as quickly as they started, once I made my entrance. Jack's jaw tightend the way it always did. Crutchie avoided my eyes, Mush and Ritchie rubbed their necks, and William shook his head, eyes narrowed on me like I was some disgusting monster.

'I came to tell the truth, and to apologize to everyone of you.' I said. Jack watched me like prey. William kept a lid on his anger, but Crutchie ignored me completely. I began where I started.

'It started with me standing on my balcony, and I could hear William and Oliver talking'. The mention of Ollie made William sit down, hanging his head. 'I waved to him, and he waved back.' I smiled at the thought of him. 'We often did that.' I glanced across the other faces, Sweets, Isaac and the Asian boy from before also sat in the room. Jonsey watched from a top bank, his face expressionless. 'My mother and father ignored me like I didn't exist. I felt like an orphan.' I shrugged. 'Without the poorness, and I had a house.' I glanced to Crutchie, still no response. 'I then decided I needed to get away, so I became a newsie. But before that, I went out on the street, looking for some clothes. I then followed a newsie down an alleyway, and that's how I came across William and Oliver, and the carriage. I also met Isaac and Sweets there. When William hit me, Isaac carried me to the Church. Sweets nursed me back to health'. I shot both of them a grateful one, and happily got both returned. 'I then borrowed some of the nunnery's clothes, and became a Newsie. I found Crutchie coming out of the market place, and he asked if I was blind, and went with it.' I chewed my lip, glancing around for any questions. But none came.

'And so then it went from there. I kept up the act, until I got shot - and Jack saved me.' I cleared my throat, my cheeks clearly flushing red. I looked around at the faces, Crutchie was finally looking at me, and thank the lord, he was smiling at me. I smiled back, pushing my hair from my eyes.

A loud banging came from the stairs, and Clancy emerged arm in arm with the Locket twins, he was laughing his head off, as the Locket girls smirked. I stepped sideways, clearly not liking what I saw.

'Looks like we won't needs your sob story, Ana.' Jack sneered. He rubbed his jawline, as the Locket twins sat down, glaring at me. They whispered between eachother, judging me with fiery eyes.

'So you can leave, we don't need you.' He spat. He moved up from his feet, his shoulder brushed mine as he headed for the stairs, I span around, my face bright red.

'YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A ROTTEN RAT!' I screamed, stamping my feet. 'YOU WANT THE TRUTH?' I asked. Jack turned around, his eyes glaring down to me.

'Go on then.' He whispered, he leaned onto the banister, as I started to yell again.

'MY FATHER WAS RIGHT.' I glared at them all, and then brought my eyes back to Jack. 'YOU'RE PATHETIC. AND YOU DESERVE TO GO BACK TO THE JAIL YOU CAME FROM!'

Well, that was - er .. Eventful.