Hidden ( A Newsies Fan Fiction)

Chapter 4: Don't Let them In

The next day, Julie hurried to meet the others. Oddly, she found herself looking forward to seeing them again. She had never had friends before. It was.... kind of nice.

Sure enough, Crutchie, Jack, Race, and all of the others were there, just as they were the previous day. "So kid, how'd your first day of selling go?" Jack asked when she arrived.

"Pretty good! It took me 'bout thirty seconds ta sell the first fifty, but I think I'll do better today!" she replied laughing. "But I really did sell 'em all." 

"Here dat? Da newbie's a natural!" Crutchie announced. Julie couldn't help but grin. Suddenly, she felt warm and happy inside. She shook her head.

"I can't forget who I am," she thought, firmly. "I am Julie Spear, and I am completely independent. You can't rely on anyone, unless you want to get hurt." She killed her smile and turned.

"So, Mikey, what's your secret?" one of the boys-Romeo- inquired. It startled Julie to hear her new name.

"Whatcha mean?" she asked, slightly panicked. Secret? Did they know?

"Well, we all have different ways of gettin da papes ta sell," Jack answered for him. "Me, I'm handsome and charismatic." Race shoved him and he glared back. "Crutchie 'ere has 'is limp."

"I don't need the limp ta sell papes," Crutchie stated. "Ise got personality!"

"So you've said. But what I don't get is whiles dozens of other kids are faking a gimp leg to sell da papes, you're pretending you ain't got one!" one of the other newsies, Mush, exclaimed.

"Yeah, well if people start ta think Ise can't take care of myself, it's to da refuge wit me!" he replied.

Julie gave n involuntary shudder thinking about her former prison. "You're from around here right?" Jack asked. "You've heard of the refuge?"

"The refuge? Oh yeah, I've definitely heard of the refuge," she laughed.

"Jack's pretty infamous there," Romeo grinned. " It's said dat he escaped by climbing on the back of Governor Roosevelt's carriage!"

"Ah, so you're one for dramatic escapes. I just climbed out da window in da middle of da night, done and done," Julie said.

"That roof is 'bout ten feet off da ground; a hard fall," Specs stated plainly. "How did you get off it, and past the gates?"

It's called, I jumped!"Julie answered with a chuckle. "Over the gate."

"Woah," Mush stared at her. "Dat's pretty 'mazing."

"Yeah, I guess," she smiled. "Well, let's be on our way. I'll take fifty papes." She waved to the boys and hurried off, grinning to herself.

About an hour later, Julie was standing on the side of the street, yelling at the top of her lungs. "Papes! Get your papes here! Just a penny a pape!" she shouted. "Sir, would you like to buy a pape?" When the man she had stopped turned around, it took all of her self control not to cry out. The man she had just requested buy a newspaper was none other than Snyder.

Snyder was the one who ran the refuge. He had kept her and so many others prisoner. He denied them decent food and packed them all into one or two dirty, overcrowded rooms crawling with rats, all while he stayed in a large, well furnished bedroom just up the stairs.

Unfortunately, Julie had gotten to know him quite well over the four years she had been at the refuge. Being the only female resident, he had decided that she would get "special treatment". This meant frequent beatings, brought on by a wide variety of things. She stood out, and this meant her mistakes also stood out.

The bruises from the numerous beatings still decorated Julie's arms. It was because of this that she always wore long sleeves. She didn't want anyone's pity.

Now, seeing the man she had grown to loathe with all her heart, her breathing grew ragged. Would he recognize her? Snyder turned and glared at her.

"No, I will not buy a pape. Get lost." Then, he stalked off. Julie breathed a sigh of relief. Safe.