Hidden ( A Newsies Fan Fiction)

Chapter 20: The Rally

The next morning, Julie hurried to the distribution center, where the rally was being held. When she arrived, some of the boys were already there. 

"Hey!" she grinned. "Where is everybody?" 

"Looks like we're the only ones," Jack sighed. Julie looked around at the others. The only one's who had showed up were Jack, Crutchie, Mikey, Specs, Race, Davey, Les, Romeo, and Mush. It was a pretty sad showing. 

"Um, look what I made," Crutchie said attempting to be cheerful. He raised up his wooden crutch. Attached to it was a sign that said "STRIKE". Julie smiled at him.

Davey stepped up and surveyed the disheartened group of strikers. "Now is the time to seize the day," he sang. "Stare down the odds and seize the day. MInute by minute, that's how you win it. We will find a way. But let us seize the day." he continued his song, urging the group not to give up. 

"Yeah!" the newsies shouted. They all started yelling at Weisel. 

"STRIKE!" Romeo yelled. 

Mush threw rotten fruit at the man.

Race turned toward the gates of the world. Standing on a balcony, looking down at them, was Joseph Pulitzer. "See this Mr. Pulitzer?" he screamed. The man shook his head slightly and went back inside the tall building, slamming the door behind him. 

Jack was yelling at some scabs that were standing on the sidelines clutching stacks of newspapers.

Crutchie stood at the gates of The World, waving his crutch in the air. Mikey stood beside him, yelling.

Specs leaned against the wall, talking strategy with Davey. Les looked around at the action, eyes wide with admiration.

Julie surveyed the group of determined boys and grinned. Suddenly, a small motion in the shadows caught her eye. Standing there, just out of sight, waiting, were Morris and Oscar Delancey. Standing behind them were about a dozen cops. 

Julie and Morris locked eyes and he gave her a crooked smirk before gesturing to the others behind him. Julie didn't even get a chance to warn the newsies.

They stormed the small rally group with astonishing force. Julie was pushed to the ground by a tall, muscular police man. Lying on the ground, she saw Oscar Delancey punch Mikey in the jaw. She let out a strangled scream. The boy took the hit hard and stumbled backward clutching his mouth. He turned and sprinted away. Julie breathed a sigh of relief. Mikey was fast. He'd be fine.

Julie scrambled to her feet. She looked around. Jack was in an intense fistfight with Morris Delancey. Mush and Romeo were both running, Race was dodging a dark-eyed police man's strong hits.

Her eyes fell on Crutchie. He was lying on the ground, his crutch broken in half and lying a couple feet away. She watched in horror as  the police man standing over him beat him with a club. He screamed in pain. "Jack!" he called out to his friend. But his friend was running in the opposite direction.