Newsies' Little Sister

Chapter 9 - Queen of New York

A/N Hey guys! I'm really sorry about everything and if you read the message everyone got, you'll get why. Btw, it's really ooc because I haven't written anything in quite a while. 

TW: Beating up and swearing

Emmeline's POV

"Welcome to the Newsie family Emmeline! But first, you need a Newsie name..." The boy in front of me was wearing a deep blue shirt, like the water under the Brooklyn Bridge. He was quite good looking, but he looked like he'd been through some pretty bad stuff, I could see it in his eyes...

"Got any ideas about what yer nickname's gonna be?" He asked.

"Ummm no...sorry." I replied, shaking my head. It was all a bit overwhelming to be honest, which I wasn't most of the time... I turned to Elmer and my brother.

"You guys got any ideas?" They thought for a bit, but before they could get a word in edgeways, I heard a noise coming from outside the door.

Loud footsteps marching up the front steps. I was curious to see who it was, so I pushed through the crowd of boys and went to the door. I was just about to open it, when it suddenly burst open and three men came in. 

I backed up fast to get out of their way, and I heard shouts from behind me. They were mostly 'get outta here!', and 'hey get away from them!'. That last one stood out to me, but I froze when I saw the man in the middle of the group. I knew that I had seen him before, but I couldn't figure out where from. He started to move towards me.

"Hello..." He smiled meanly. "You'd better stay right here girl...You cost me a lot of money!" When he said that, I felt everyone collectively stare at me. I tried to ignore them, but it was hard, seeming as I was already the odd one out, being the only girl

"Oh shit!" I somehow managed to move again, I started to get away from them, when the big man in the middle grabbed my arm. Then I realised where I had seen him before. I fought against him, and all of a sudden, I felt more hands on my other arm pulling me away. 

The man let go and I fell to the floor. I scrambled to my feet quickly and tried to run to the back of the room. I glanced back at the door and heard more yells. I saw the men were shoving the newsies away to the side. They were trying to get to me! 

Then a figure stepped in between me and the men. But he was shoved away easily. He ended up on the floor and I saw who it was. 

"I'm so sorry Nick!"

"It's fine Em! Just get away!" He winced in pain from the fall and he held his ankle in a strange way. I nodded to him and pushed my way through even more. I was used to running away from people. It was usually the bulls I was running from, but I didn't know who these men worked for.

"Hey you! Stop girl! Wait till I get my hands on you kid!"

I raced down the corridors, turning down different ones ever so often, until I saw a door at the end of the hall. I had nothing to lose at that point, so I sped up and burst out of the door. I turned back to see if they were following me. They weren't. I'd lost them, thank god! The boys must've stalled them. Or they had given up.

I stopped to catch my breath and sat down on the floor of the dark alleyway, with my back against the wall. I sat and waited there for a while, breathing surprisingly hard. Then I heard the door slam. I span my head around to see if there was anyone there. There wasn't; but the door was closed.

I jumped up and rushed to the door, I tugged on the handle but it wouldn't open. I banged on the door a bit, but then gave up on that and went out into the street. I walked around the building and towards the front steps again. I glanced into the front window and began to climb the steps.