The Story of a News Girl

Jack

It was sometime in the afternoon and the newsies were waiting for the headline to be put up. Jack was waiting in a shady spot by the gate as he watched the other boys run around or play with something that amused them. He would be playing with them, but he was pretty tired from that morning. So the Jack sat and watched his brother, and sister mess around with each other with a smile on his face. "Hey Cowboy," Wolf said as he walked up to the younger boy. "Jumps an' I are headin' ta Brooklyn, somethin' bout a few kids in Bronx causin' trouble, Jumps is comin' with me, an' I's leavin' you'se in charge, ok?"

"Me? But, I -" Jack stammered, trying to find the correct words. Yes, he's been in charge of the boys here and there, but Jumps was always with him to help wrangle them up, but never has he been given this kind of...it was a big word and the only thing Jack knew it was that it started with an R. Nevertheless, he was being put in charge, and Jack was less than sure if he could handle it.

"Relax kid, you'll do just fine," Wolf reassured as he patted Jack's shoulder. "Just make sure ya sell with the new kids. They's tiny things an' we's don't want Spider gettin' his hands on 'em. Especially Feisty. Girls don't do so good in that place Jack," Wolf said, making Jack gulp and become tense at just the sound of Spider and the Refuge.

"I's got 'em Wolfy," Jack reassured with a firm nod. And with that being said, Wolf and Jumps headed off to Brooklyn, leaving Jack in charge of a bunch of high energy boys and a girl that's at least two handfuls. Jack took a deep breath. It wouldn't be so bad. After all, he's looked after the boys a few times while Wolf and Jumps were away. He brought in half of them in when they were lost puppies. How bad could it possibly -

"Get off of me blondie!" Albert yelled while shoving Race away.

"I know you'se got my cigar Bert!" Race yelled back.

"He used the forbidden name," Jojo yelled out dramatically.

"Poke me one more time Sniper an' - YER DEAD KID!" Finch yelled as he went to chase Sniper around while loading up his slingshot.

"Please, I's can out sell you any day," little Feister retorted as she stood up on a bundle of newspapers so now she was just a couple inches taller than Mush, who huffed and poked her in the chest while saying, "Well, it ain't fair cause you'se bein' a goil. Pullin' out those innocent eyes when in fact you'se far from innocent."

"HA! Yer just jealous that yer a blue eyed freak!" Feister laughed as Mush made some odd offended sound.

"You'se wearin' my shirt, I's knows you'se is," Mike yelled.

"Nuh-uh," Ike replied. "I's the one who wears the stripes."

- Be?

"Oh for the love of papes," Jack groaned, wondering just how in the world he was going to fix this mess?. After composing himself, Jack somehow managed to get the boys, and Feister in order and send them off to sell the papers instead of bickering with each other. Though there was already a system for who sells with who, He was still paranoid that something would go wrong while he was watching the newbies. What if one of them got hurt? What if Snyder was around looking to send the next kid to the Refuge? Jack wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened.

"Last one ta the tree is a rotten egg!" The sound of Feister's voice rang through the air.

Jack returned to the real world and smiled as Feister began to sprint to the tree. He began to run after her seeming to forget any worries that swirled around his mind. He was glad to see that she was starting to settle into the newsie life. Or at least taking a baby step. There was a little ways to go before she fully got into the swing of things. 

Soon enough Feister got there first seeing as she got an unfair head start. Jack placed second and Mush in third.

"I let ya win," Mush said out of breath as he approached the tree.