Something felt wrong when I got back from going to Tibby’s with Race. Spot wasn’t there and the sun had already gone down. I asked the boys and they said they hadn’t seen their leader all day. I was getting very worried. I snuck away to Manhattan to look for him. I went to all his usual places. The cellar of the bar, Medda’s, the alley next to Tibby’s. He wasn’t anywhere to be found. I went to the Newsboy’s Lounge. By the time I got there, my back and feet hurt. I had to sit down in one of the chairs by the door. The boys were in the back playing cards as always and I could hear them from where I sat. Race was smoking a cigar in his bed and was the first to see me.
“Didn’ I just see ya?” Race asked, “Ya couldn’ stay away?”
I scowled. “Can it, Racetrack. I’m lookin’ for Spot. I was hopin’ he was here.”
“Nah, he ain’t here. Ya know he don’ come ova to Manhattan durin’ da night. Not unless he’s at da bar cellar.”
“He ain’t dere. I checked. I’m startin’ ta worry, Race. It ain’t like him to just disappear.”
“Maybe ya worried for nothin’. He could be dere right now.”
“I know he ain’t. There’s something wrong.”
“Ok, fine. I’ll help ya look and I’ll round up some of da others. But if he’s fine, ya owe me a cigar.”
I smirk and watch him leave to go get the others. I go outside to get fresh air. The key dangling around my neck feels like a weight on my chest. I hear something shuffle and I look around. Someone comes out of the shadows. I almost gasp loudly but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.
“So, you’re back?”
Jack looked up at me and smiled. He still looked the same. The Jack that had saved me from an orphanage. Yet he was different. I knew that. He moved closer. “Who said I ever left?”
“I know you did. The big city ain’t all dat big. Where did ya go?” I sounded calmer than I felt.
“Jersey. It’s pretty nice up dere. I see you’ve changed.”
“Just gotten bigger.”
“Keeping my baby safe.”
“I’m keeping my baby safe.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’ve decided to give it up for adoption. I can’t take care of it.”
“You can’t…”
“I can, and I am. It’ll be safe dat way. Safe from the streets and from you.”
Jack said nothing. He looked angry and annoyed. I saw his eyes flit to Spot’s key.” Where’s Spot?”
I stared at him. Something in his back pocket caught my attention. Spot’s slingshot. “I think you know. Where is he, Jack? What did you do to him?”
“Some of my friends got him locked nice and tight. If you come with me, he won’t get hurt.”
“I don’t trust you, Jack.”
“But you want Spot to be fine, don’ ya?” He held out his hand to me.
I was afraid of him. I hadn’t been for a long time. I was afraid of what he would do to Spot. The crazed look in his eye told me he wasn’t afraid to hurt him. I reached out my hand and took his. He closed his fingers over my hand gently like I was a fragile doll. He pulled me to my feet. “You promise you won’ hurt Spot?”
“You have my word, pretty face. You have my word.”
*It’s not too late to make your submissions on what should happen next. Make your submission and it may appear in the next part :D*
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My Newsie Baby Too (A Spot Conlon Love Story)
FanfictionLes and Spot have already been dating for a year. Everything is looking up except for Jack acting more and more irriated by the minute. But could there be another reason he's being so hostile to Les and Spot other than the fact that Sarah left?
