Back to the Newsies

The Rally

I sat at one of the tables in Medda's theater, stroking Quicksilver's fur. I watched as Jack, David, and Spot bickered on the stage. Earlier, Jack had explained the basics of the strike and what we should do.

But the newsies from different boroughs fought amongst each other in the mezzanine seats. They didn't trust each other. Grumbling, I got up from my seat and jumped onto the stage with Quicksilver on my heels. She slunk to the back of the stage and into the shadows. I let out the shrill whistle and everyone instantly quieted. I saw Spot smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Ya got no brains! Why're we starting ta fight each odda? It's just what da big shots wanna see! Dat we's street rats! Street rats wit no brains." I yelled, my voice carrying out over to all the newsies assembled. "No respect for nothin', including ourselves! So here's how it's gonna be. If we don't act togedda, den we's nothin'. If we's don't stick togedda, den we's nothin'. And if we's can't even trust each odda, den we's nothin'."

"Tell 'em, Arrow!" Blink called. I momentarily scowled. After what happened, the kid still had nerve.

But at the same time, another newsie shouted out from one of the seats in the balcony. They were probably from the Bronx or Queens because they were the boldest next to Brooklyn, but Brooklyn knew better than to mess with me.

"Why's should we listen ta you'se?" he yelled. "You'se not even a boy!"

"So? Why's dat matta?" I replied, motioning with two fingers down by my side for Quicksilver to come up next to me. She trotted up to my side and I was satisfied to see that the newsies that didn't know I had a wolf let out shrieks of fear and tried to get away. Funny they didn't realize that there were more of them than there were of her. 

"I's can soak anybody just as well as any a you boy newsies." I shouted, but the comment was aimed more at everybody than the random newsie. 

He-You know what? Let's just call him Random.

Random crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Prove it." he dared. 

I smirked back at him. "Gladly."

In the blink of an eye, I whipped out one of my newer arrows, notched it, and let it fly to Random's head. But I purposefully aimed about a centimeter higher than his head so that it flew towards his cap instead of his head. The arrow flew through his cap, and hooked it, pegging it to the wooden beam he stood in front of.

I shouted a warning to everyone assembled. "Dis is ta prove how close ya all will be ta death if ya mess wit me. An' me pet will not hesitate ta join me in soakin' ya."  

He turned around and yanked my arrow out of the wood. The newsies waited with bated breath to see what his reaction was. He calmly and carefully wove the arrow out of his cap and tossed it back down to me. I caught it with ease and stared him down*.

Finally, he smirked. "You'se would make a good borough leada someday." he remarked. The newsies around him cheered in agreement, shoving him around.

Amid the laughter and cheers, I hear Race shout to us, "We're wit ya, Arrow."

I nod and turn to Spot. "So, what about you'se, Spot?"

He smirks at me. "I say.......dat what you say.......is what I say."

He spits into his hand and holds it out for me to shake. I copy his motions and shake his hand. The others cheer and their cheering gets louder when the curtains open and Medda appears.

I hop off the stage and sit back down at the table. Spot joins me-or rather, sits down next to me and puts his head in my lap. Not that I'm complaining.