The Queen of New York

Chapter 13: Let's watch what happens!

"Come on, Dixie! Just let me in!" Race shouts from the opposite side of my locked door.

I don't know how long I've locked myself in my room for but everyone's been worried about me since I got back. I can't believe Jack would do that. He's brother, and he just left me along with everything we believed in together. "You gotta eat, Dix. And someone's gotta treat those bruises ya got!" Blink tells me.

"Just go away! All of youse!" I shout and I bury my head in my pillow.

I hear a gentle knock at the door, "Dixie? It's me, Katherine." I hear her soft voice.

"Just leave, Katherine." I sigh, loud enough for her to hear me.

"Please. I-I can't write this article alone. I need your help. It's for your boys." Katherine tries to convince me.

I sigh once again before getting out of my bed and walking over to the door. I unlock it and I quickly pull Katherine before slamming the door shut so the boys can't get in. "Why is you so keen on helpin' us?" I ask her while locking the door before turning to face her.

"Oh my, Dixie. Are you okay?" She asks, reaching to touch the bruises on my face.

I step away from her and attempt to hide the bruises with my hair, "I-I guess I could help ya." I sigh and she smiles.

"Thank you so much, Dixie." She softly hugs me before we walk out of my room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do ya think you're goin', Dixie Rose?" Race demands, while grabbing my arm.

"Out with Katherine." I reply in a 'duh' tone.

"No, no way. I made a promise to keep you safe here." Race tells me and I roll my eyes.

"Who made ya promise? Jack? Well, clearly he's not here. I don't need you, or anyone, protecting me, Anthony Higgins. I'm the Queen of New York, I can take care of myself!" I snap at him.

"I just don't want ya to get hurt." Race says quietly and I sigh before holding his hand.

"I promise you I'll be safe. I'll see ya guys tomorrow morning." I assure him as I leave the lodging house with Katherine.

"So, you and that Race boy--"

"I'll stop ya right there. Everyone's said that but Race is one of me best friends. He's protected me just as much as Ja-," I stop myself mid-sentence and look at the floor, "As much as the others."

"So....where do we start this report?" She asks me, opening the doors to The Sun and I follow her inside.

"Well, I ain't no reporter but ya gotta write it good. Or ya go back ta wheezing ya way through the flower show." I tease her.

Katherine sits on a chair, a table with a typewriter in front of her, while I sit on the table, "Eh..no pressure. Let's go!" She grins getting the paper set up in her typewriter.

"How's this for a headline, 'Newsies stop The World!'" I suggest with a small smile on my face.

"A little hyperbole never hurt anyone. With all eyes fixed on the Trolley Strike, there's another battle brewing in the city." She says with determination in her eyes but then she looks at me with concern, "Now if only I could write about it."

"Katherine, deep breaths, okay? My boys are countin' on us." I remind her.

Katherine: Write what you know so they say all I know is...I don't know what to write or the write way to write it

Dixie: This is big lady, don't screw it up.

Katherine: This is not some little Vaudeville I'm reviewing. Poor little kids versus rich greedy sour pusses.

Dixie: Ha! It's a cinch, it could practically write itself.

Katherine: And let's pray it does 'cause as I may have mentioned I have no clue what I'm doing! Am I insane? This is what I've been waiting for. Well that, plus the screaming of ten angry editors 'A girl? It's a girl!'

Dixie: 'How the hell? Is that even legal?'

Both: 'Look just go and get her'

Dixie: Not only that, there's a story behind the story. Thousands of children exploited, invisible. Speak up, take a stand, and there's someone to write about it. That's how things get better.

Katherine: Give life's little guys some ink and when it dries just watch what happens! Those kids will live and breath right on the page, and once they're center stage just watch what happens!

Dixie: And who's there with her camera and her pen, as boys turn into men.

Both: They'll storm the gates and then just watch what happens when they do!

Katherine and I looks at each other, wondering what to write for this report, "Hold on. You told Davey we were like 'David and Goliath.'" I smile at her.

"Yes! A modern day 'David' is poised to take on a rich, powerful 'Goliath' with the swagger of one twice his age, armed with nothing more than a few nuggets of truth, Jack Kelly, along with his sister, Dixie, stand ready to face the behemoth, Pulitzer." Katherine speaks out what she's typing.

"Now that's how you turn kids into legends." We say together.

Katherine: Picture a handsome, heroically, charismatic.

I roll my eyes and cut her off,

Dixie: Plain spoken, know nothing, skirt chasin', cocky little son of a-

Katherine: Lie down with dogs and you wake up with a raise, and a promotion. So he's a flirt-

Dixie: A complete ego-maniac!

Katherine: The fact is he's also the face of the strike. What a face! Face the fact that's a face that could save us all from sinking in the ocean!

Dixie: Like someone said, power tends to corrupt and absolute power-

Katherine: Wait, wait, corrupts! Absolutely! That is genius! But give me some time, I'll be twice as good as that.

Dixie: Six months from never! Just look around at the world we're inheriting and think of the one we'll create!

Katherine: Their mistake is they got old, that is not a mistake we'll be making.

Both: No sir, we'll stay young forever! Give those kids and me a brand new century, and watch what happens! 

Dixie: It's David and Goliath! Do or die! The fight is on!

Katherine: And I can't watch what happens! But all I know is nothing happens if you just give in.

Dixie: It can't be any worse than how it's been!

Both: And it just so happens that we might just win! So whatever happens.....let's begin!