Rewrite the Stars - A Spot Conlon Fan fiction

Prologue

Brooklyn
1893

"Come back here, you little bitch," he screamed at me breaking glass against the door-frame. Despite my protesting lungs, I took off, running as fast as my nine-year-old legs could carry me. I had to get as far away from him as possible. I knew what would happen if he found me. My body felt hot in the January snow, and I knew I'd have to stop at some point. He hadn't fed me for two days and it was gonna affect me sooner or later. Get to Manhattan, I thought to myself. If I could cross the bridge into Manhattan, he would give up looking in enough time to where I could escape for good.

I didn't make it...about halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge, I collapsed. "Miss?" I heard an unfamiliar voice say and I looked up to see two boys, my age who looked as if they'd been having a conversation. "I have - I have to get - get to Manhattan," I stuttered, the cold weather ripping into my body, "He's after - He's after me."

"Who's after you?" the taller one said. "My - My father," I said, grabbing at the other one's shirt. His eyes went wide, his blond hair ripping in the wind. "Please - Please help. Please help me. I can't - I can't go back."

"C'mon Spot," the taller one said to the blond, "Let's take her back to the Manhattan Lodging house. You can go back to Brooklyn later and tell Brooks what happened." The blond one - Spot the boy called him - reached for me and I instinctively blanched. "It's okay," Spot spoke softly to me, "My name's Spot. This is Jack Kelly. We're gonna help you get somewhere safe."

I nodded as he helped me up and they brought me to a Lodging House for Newsboys in Manhattan. This will work for a while, then I can escape this dreadful city.
________________________________________

Brooklyn
1895

"Looks like you moved up in the world, Spot," I said as I made my way towards the edge of the docks. "If it isn't Speedy Del Toro," Spot said, sitting up straighter in his handmade throne, "What is one of Jackie Boy's Newsies doin' in Brooklyn?"

"That hurts." I faked hurt with a smirk at him. A lot of people were afraid of him, Brooklyn was a rough neighborhood at the best of times, the people there were just as tough, becoming King of Brooklyn was no easy feat, but I wasn't the least bit scared of Spot. "Honorary Brooklyn, remember? Everyone knows I'm your favorite Manhattan Newsie."

Two goons started to walk up behind Spot as if to be backup for a fight. "Don't think that means that you can just walk yourself into Brooklyn uninvited," Spot said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"You two goons," I said, pointing to Spot's cronies, "Beat it. I ain't here to start a fight. I'm just here to deliver a message from Cowboy."

Spot looked over at them, gave them a nod, and they left me and Spot alone...mostly. Spot's newsies were still crowded around the docks, play fighting and basically being idiots.

"What's your message?" Spot said impatiently. "You know the rules," I told him, crossing my arms across my chest, "The leaders of the other boroughs have called a meeting to discuss the new leadership."

"What's the plan?" Spot asked, listening to me intently, his dark blue eyes fixed, unmoving on mine.

I shrugged. "The usual...turf, rules, the normal leader hoo ha."

Spot cracked a grin. "You're hardly one to complain," he said, slipping off his 'throne' and standing in front of me. "Congratulations, leader of the Girl Manhattan Newsies. I'll pretend you didn't decline when I offered you that title in Brooklyn."

I frowned. "You know why I can't come back to Brooklyn. Selling papes at the Sheepshead and the Navy Yard Pier are fine, but I can't live here. Not anymore."

We were silent for a minute. From the corner of my eye, I could see Spot's boys watching us. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked back up at Spot. "Tibby's Diner, tomorrow at sundown. Don't be late."

"Where are you runnin' off to?" Spot asked as I started to make my way towards the bridge again, "It's not even supper time yet."

I turned to look at him, smirking. "I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting. I did my job. Now I need to leave."

"One more question," Spot smirked, "If this invite was from Jackie Boy, then why'd he send you?"

"He didn't," I said, "I volunteered." I turned on my heel and made my way back to Manhattan.