The Key to Love [Discontinued]

Starting Over

My name is Dawn.  This is my story.

At age twelve I was a runaway.  My parents never cared for me.  I always knew. 

I left with the promise of a new life, and a new identity. 

At fifteen I was nearly settled in Manhattan.  I found a place, an alleyway more like it, where I tried to forget the horrible life I'd left behind. 

-

It was cold, the winter air beat down hard.  Flakes of snow blew about in mad swirls and frost covered everything.  It was the year 1900.  A new century, a new beginning.  Just like this winter - a new layer of white would soon be upon us. 

I repeated the routine that I practiced everyday.  Get up, dress up, transform, and sell papes.

If you haven't put two and two together yet, I'm a newsie - a female newsie - and a darn good one.  I don't set all kinds of records, but I know how to twist the headlines just right to get by. 

Presently I put on my black boots, dirtied my pale face, and topped it off with my old grey cap.  I'd had it even before I was a newsie - before I ran away.  It was a gift from my brother before he... he...

The memories flooded my mind.  Troubled memories of his gentle smile and kind eyes; the way he stood up for me...

Now he was gone.

A lone tear graced my cheek. 

I brushed it away.  Today was just another day; a new day to start again.

I raced from my secluded hideaway into the crowded streets.  I could already hear the shouts of the early-to-rise newsies.  I felt a breeze up behind me.

My ponytail.

I'd forgotten to hide it under the cap.  Quickly, I stood in the middle of the street desperately trying to tuck it under.

Success.

I ran on, heading for The World building. 

-

"60 papes." I said confidently.  I placed my two bits on the counter and snatched up the papes with a swooping motion. 

I didn't give Wiesel a chance to say a word. 

"Spin, spot me two bits." I heard Jack call from across the crowd of kids.  I smiled.

Jack Kelly happened to be my cousin, and my only friend.  When I first ran away from home, he found me crying in the streets of a dark, stormy Manhattan.  He comforted me as if I were his kid sister.  He said he'd take care of me, get me a job as a newsie, and look after me.  And so he did.

"I'd spot 'ya a hundred bits if I had it." I joked, grinning.  I gave him a playful punch to the shoulder.  He too grinned.  "How 'ya doin' Spin?" he asked me with a knowing wink.  He was the only one who knew my secret, of course.

"I'm right as the rain, Cowboy, thanks for asking." I gave him the same silly wink. 

"Good, good... got yer route planned out?" he asked casually.

"Nah, I'll go wherever I feel like goin' today."

"I wouldn't plan on makin' too much then."

"What if I feel like goin' where the goin' happens to be good?" I joked.

"Then you'll has it made." he replied in the same joking tone.

"See 'ya 'round, Kelly." I said before giving him a playful salute.  He saluted back, and I went on my way.@