The Grave Digger

Chapter 12: You Again

   It took Brooklyn a while to recover from the war. It had taken a toll on everyone, they were still scared of something happening, and people were still not allowed in. Of course, they let the other parts of the city go, but not even Racetrack was allowed in. And Bones was paranoid. She'd always look three times before crossing the street, and she trained herself to hear the really quiet noises with only one ear. Not only that, but Spaz had been dropping little comments, and acting strange around her. But finally, after nearly a year of Brooklyn being "closed," suddenly she let people start coming in. No one knew what had happened, but Bones seemed at peace. Jack visited most evenings with Race, and the three would sit on the docks and smoke, with Chuckles and Spot tagging along. She always joked and laughed, but all four of the others could tell she was faking her smile.
   Bones wished she had opened Brooklyn back up sooner. She didn't tell anyone, and she thought she never would. They weren't going to know. After a week of Brooklyn being open again, Bones decided it had been plenty of time since anyone had sold at the Navy Pier, and thought she could sell more papers. She had the spot to herself, no one ever sold there since Rebel disappeared, it had always been his spot. But she went.
   She had sold very well, selling most of her papers by the end of the day, and she was getting ready to leave, as one last navy sailor came her way. "One pape, please." He said.  Before she could turn to face him, she stopped. That voice was vaguely familiar, and she slightly hoped it would be accompanied by a tall, brown haired man with blue eyes and dimples. To her delight, it was. "Rebel?" she asked, shocked. He smiled his goofy smile, and flicked her shoulder. "Wha' d'ya do, try and get ya-self killed while I was gone?" he laughed. Bones couldn't stop smiling. "No, I actially got hit by a streetcar." He nodded, and poked the left side of her head where her ear should have been. "Ya missin' summin. So, how's it been?" Bones looked at her feet. "We got in a war wit Queens las' year. I didn' even let uddah Newsies visit Brooklyn until las' week, we was still recoverin'." Rebel nodded. "So, Bones, how come no one's sellin' down here no more? We have ta walk abou' three blocks ta get our papers." She gave a half-smile. "We's all thought you was dead, an' we thought it weren't fair ta take ya spot." Rebel was quiet for a moment. "It's been two years, huh? Dat's a long time. A lot can change. People grow up, wars start and end," he jabbed her side, making her laugh, "but you, ya still mad at me, an' I didn' mean ta hoit ya, but I had ta leave. I wish you could understand dat. But I don't wanna lose ya again. So, if in da papers ya see anythin' about tha USS Maine, or a Samuel Jacobs, dat's me. Okay?" Bones nodded, and hugged him.  He took her paper, and gave her a dollar. She looked at him. "I can' take dis." He squatted down, and looked in her eyes. "Trus' me, I got plenty where dat came from. You need it more'n I do. Promise me you'll start sellin' here again? We don't like walkin' three blocks ta spend two cents." He smiled, and patted her back. She smiled back at him, and took off back towards the docks. She ran into Race again, walking back to the bridge, plenty of papers still in hand. "How'd ya sell all o' yours? An' why are ya so happy? Ya ain't nevah smiled dat big since ya came King." She put her arm around his waist, and said, "miracles happen sometimes."