Newsies- VA Edition

Chapter 1- Santa Fe

A boy in a blue shirt and grey vest climbed up to the top of the New York News Lodger Building. It was already dark out and the stars were still hanging prominently in the sky, demanding the attention of all those below. Little did the boy know he was being followed up the fire escaped by a girl in red pants struggling to climb up due to the crutch she was holding. "Hey what're ya doin? De bell ain't rung yet, go back to sleep" he said pushing the girls hat down over her eyes. "I wanna beat the others to the streets! Since ya know I don't often get to do that Paul" she said reaching the top and pointing at her leg.

"Ah quit ya gripin Punzie" Paul said helping her up the rest of the latter. "Ya know how many guys fake a limp just to sell a few extra? That bum leg a yours is a gold mine" Paul said as Punzie sat down next to him. "Someone's gotta get the idea, if I can't make it out alive and get tossed in the refuge. Now can ya atleast help me DOWN" she yelled as she lost her grip and almost fell off the building. Luckily for her Paul grabbed her just in the nick of time and pulled her back up "what the hell are ya doin ya wanna bust ya other leg too?!". "No I wanna get down" Punzie said. "Well you'll be down there soon enough, now be careful or else those stars ain't the only ones you'll be seein" Paul pushed her hat down again "take a moment and drink in my penthouse, high above the stinkin streets of New York". Punzie chuckled "You're crazy"

"What don't ya like the fresh air?" He asked Punzie as she only responded with a sarcastic look. Paul walked across the roof, "them streets down there, they sucked the life right outa my old man, years of rotten jobs stomped him right into the ground till they tossed him out on the streets like yesterday's paper, well they ain't doin that to me"
"But everyone wants to come to New York" Punzie said confused.
"Punzie there's a whole other world out there, so you keep your small life in the big city, gimme a big life, in a small town, they say folks is dying to get here, me I'm dyin to get away, to a little town out west that's spankin new. And while I ain't never been there I can see it clear as day, if ya want I bet ya you could see it too." He said to Punzie. "Close your eyes come with me, where it's clean and green and pretty" he said as Punzie closed her eyes and began to imagine the scene and placed his arm over her neck. "And they went and made a city outa clay" he laughed "why the minute that ya get there, folks'll walk right up n say 'welcome home son, welcome home to Santa Fe" he pat Punzie on the back.

"Planting crops, splittin rails, swappin tales around the fire, Cept for Sunday when ya lie around all day. Soon ya friends are more like family and they'd begging ya to stay ain't that neat? Livin sweet, in Santa Fe." Paul said staring out at the sky. He turned to Punz "no folks Punz, no folks not worried no bosses you?"
"I don't need no folks, I got friends" Punzie said punching Paul in the shoulder. Paul sprung up "hey! How about you come with me!? No one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe! You just hop on the Palomino, you riding in style!" Punzie laughed "heheh yeah picture me, riiidin in style". "Hey I bet a few months of clean air you can toss that crutch for good! We won't let them bastards beat us!" Paul began to get excited. "Watch me stand! Watch me run..." As Punz heard the promise of her gaining her mobility back, she nearly started to tear up. "Hey hey, don't ya know that We's a family, would I let ya down? No way" paul put his arm around his crippled friend. "Just hold on kid, till that train hits Santa Fe."

The clock rang out as six o'clock took its presence in time kicking five o'clock out "the clock chimes, cmon let's get back down there" Paul said helping Punzie onto the latter. "HEY ALEX, CHRIS, KENDALL, REGAN GET A MOVE ON THEM PAPES DONT SELL THEMSELVES" he yelled banging on the ground attempting to wake everyone else. Once he heard the sound of scuffling feet below him, he followed his friend down the latter.