Rewrite the Stars - A Spot Conlon Fan fiction

Chapter 3 - The New Kid

One Week later...

"Ah Oh!"

There was a collective groan around the room. Next thing I knew, a pillow was thrown at my head.

"The morning bell ain't rung yet," Box complained, bunching up her thin sheets to replace her pillow. "Go back to sleep Speedy." She turned over on her other side.

I turned to Slides, who avoided my gaze, "I ain't gettin' up till I hear Miss Castellan. No matter what you do."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked slyly, pulling on my clothes before anyone else.

"That's a promise," Slides said, she looked over at the bunk next to her, "Mints isn't up yet either, and you know that she will not be getting up unless Miss Castellan is up."

"Fine, suit yourself, flaquitas," I said, grabbing a newsie cap and putting it on my head, "I'm leaving to the boys' lodging house."

By the time I got there, the morning bell rang. I saw Mr. Kloppman heading up the stairs to wake the boys up. They were all still sleeping. He got really close to Boots's face and shouted, "Boots!"

He startled awake, as did other boys in the room. No doubt nearly everyone was, there were still a few stragglers sleeping. "Skittery!" Mr. Kloppman kept shouting, hitting Skittery's foot that hung off his bunk, "Skittery! Skittery!"

"Wha..I didn't do it!" He protested shooting up from his pillow, shaking his head.

Kloppman looked at him funny. "What do you mean you didn't do it? Will you get up? When you get up, it's time to get up! Snitch! Get up! Get up! Everybody's sleeping. They sleep their lives away these kids! The presses are rolling! Sell the papers, sell the papers! Come on, come on."

He finally got to Jack's bunk. "You dreaming about selling papers?"

Jack turned on his side and opened one eye, "Mmmmmm? What's the matta with you?"

"What's the matter with me?"

"What's the matta with you? Wanna...go...back...to..."

Kloppman started shoving him playfully. "Come on!"

Jack smirked and started playfully roughhousing with Kloppman, "Get away from me, you're mad!"

Kloppman started chuckling, "Get up boy! Come on. Alright! Carry the banner! Sell the papers!"

I chuckled under my breath, leaning against the door frame.

"Speedy, what'da ya doing here this early?" Racetrack asked from his bunk.

"Got nothing to do, I woke up before the mornin' bell and everyone else refused to get up," I replied, smirking at him and making my way over.

Race nodded and looked around for his cigar, showing a look of panic that he couldn't find it. He finally looked up and saw that Snipeshooter had stolen it.

"That's my cigar," Race said.

"You'll steal anudder," Snipeshooter said.

"Hey bummers, we got work tah do," Kid Blink said.

"Since when did you become me mudder?"said Specs.

"Aww, stop your bawling!" Said Crutchy.

"Hey, who asked you?" A couple of boys said to him.

"So, how'd you sleep Jack?" Mush asked.

"On me back Mush."

"Ha ha. Hear that fellas? Hear what Jack said?" He started playfully punching him, that which Jack dodged. "I asked Jack how he slept and he said 'On me back Mush'"