Rebuilt

Chapter 6

    I continue walking down the halway with Elmer until we reach the bunk you.  "What's a Newsies?"

    "You'se dont know what a Newsie is?" he says.   I shake my head.  Elmer sighs, "well thats what ten years in the refuge will do to ya.  You'se wasn't a Newsie before you'se got tossed in?"

    I shake my head again.  "I'se heard of 'em.  I'se just got no clue what they do."

    He scratches behind his head.  "You'se sell papes, you'se soak da Delanceys," he laughed at himself.  "And you'se do you'se best to survive."

    Frowning, I look at Elmer, and thinking of the rest of the boys.

    "Don't be sorry doll.  It can be fun sometimes.  And I'se got the fellas. And now you."  He gives me a another toothy grin. "My family."

    "I'se haven't had a family in a long time," I admit.  I dont remember much of my home life.  I remember having a brother, and how I was separated from him young when both of my parents died in a house fire.

    "Get ya shoes on Elmer!" Jack shouts from the hallway.  "And you'se too goil.  We'se got papes to sell an' a banna da carry."

    I tap Elmer on the shoulder once he finished tying his shoes.  "I dont got no shoes."

    "Sit down," he says to me while he sticks his head under the bed.  I sit down on the bed and watch as he rummages under his bed.  Coming out from underneath the bed he looks up to early and slams his head against the supporting metal bar.

    I put a hand over my mouth and bend down to his side.  "Ya numskull." 

    He looks at me and grins, again.  "Ya so kind, doll."

    Elmer pulls out a pair of older looking brown ankle shoes.  The same shoes I see him and the rest of the boys wearing.  "These was from when I'se was younger.  They'se might fit you'se."

    I take the shoes and pull the sock on my feet that Race had given me with the rest of my clothes and slip on the shoes Elmer had given me.  "They'se a bit big, but I'll take 'em."  Elmer smiles and stands up.  He tightens the laces, and offers his hand.

    Taking it I smile and we walk towards the exit of the lodge house.

    JoJo walks up to my opposite side and smiles looking at me up and down.  "You'se clean up nice."  Was all he said, then walks away.  I looked at my now clean skin, focusing on my hair. 

    "JoJo's right ya know, you'se do got some nice hair," Elmer said.  He looked at my back and stared at how it fell down is messy waves.

    Flustering I nod my thanks.

    We exit the lodge house and start to walk down the sidewalk to a place Elmer called "Newsies Square".

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"Hey! Elmer, I'se assuming you'se want to sell with ya goil t'day?" Jack asks.

"She ain't my goil, but I'd love ta show her the ropes."  Elmer smiles a big smile.

"Or I could!" Race says.

"Or me!" Albert counters.

To stop their bickering I just step behind Elmer's back.

"Oh dear me," I hear Race drawl.  "What is the unpleasant aroma? I-"

Morris Delancey grabs Race's shirt through the gates bars.  "Shut it Racer or you'se wont be talkin' for weeks."  Morris held Race there for a second before pushing him back through the crowd of Newsboys.  Morris unlocked the gate and let the group pass through.

He stared and watched as each boy ran through.  Elmer and I walking at our own leisurely pace, keeping our heads down trying to avoid trouble.  I looked up briefly before catching Morris's eye.  I quickly look away.

Morris notices me and my gaze and walk towards us.  "Well, well," he says looking at me.  "You'se certainly clean up nice dont ya doll."  He takes his hand and places it under my chin forcing me to look at him in the eyes.  "What ever are you doin' hangin' with dis street rat?  They'se cant treat you'se right.  But come with me."  He looks at my lips.  "Oh, come with me and I'se treat you like the luckiest goil in all of New York."

My voice comes out barely audible, "ok."  I take his hand from my chin and place it back at his side, before I turn and walk away.

Elmer quickly joins my side.  "He's not goin' to be happy 'bout that.  I'll get the papes and then we'se got's to go."

After Jack pulled Elmer to the head of the line, he stared Morris's brother Oscar down.  "'Hundred papes."  After grabbing my hand he see's Morris walking in our direction.

And with sight of that, with Elmer's hand in mine we sprint off running down the street.