The King of Manhattan | Spot Conlon

" It's all my fault..."

" How's you'se head doin' Cat?" Mush asked once we reached Tibby's.

" 'bit better... I never did see what happened to you guys..."

" Most of us got knocked out..." we fell into silence.

" It's all my fault..." I said after a minute." I'se shouldn't have pressured you guys to join the strike..."

" It ain't your fault Catnip. We all did somethin' wrong."

" Yeah but you'se guys didn't urge Jack to go along with his plan. That was 'lmost all me! I lead us into the second fight! And if we hadn't entered that fight than we'se wouldn't 've gotten in the papes and Jack wouldn't 've gotten recognized..."

" Stop beatin' yourself up Cat, we d've done it even if you hadn't dragged us into the strike. I don't mean that in a bad way! Just that we would've all done the same."

" They'se all right," Spot said, sitting down next to me and draping his arm across my shoulders." It ain't youse fault beauty. You saved your skins by comin' to get us Brooklyn Newsies."

" Oh I am so glad that your cockiness survived all that's happened in the past two days," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

" He's right though Catnip. You saved all of us by going to talk to Spot."

" But that wasn't even my idea! You guys talked me into going to talk to him! It was your idea! You saved us all, not me! And Spot didn't even have to come! That was his choice to save the day!" Denton entered the restaurant as I sighed and got up." I need some time alone... to think things over. You guys talk to Denton."

I marched out of Tibby's and started to walk. Not in any specific direction. Just somewhere. After a few minutes, I'd broken into a run. I made it to the gates of Pulitzer's buildings before balling my hand into a fist and punching the gates. Creating a small dent. Feeling pain shoot through my arm only made me angrier at everything that was happening. So I punched the gate again. And Again. And again. All in the same spot until there was a small hole in the gate where I'd punched it.

" Well. Well. Well." A voice came behind me as two sets of footsteps approached me." If it ain't Catnip. The failure of last night's stupid rally didn't convince you that this strike is a lost cause?"

I spun around full force punching Morris in the face." THIS ISN'T OUR FAULT YOU DAMN IDIOTS!" I yelled at them." ALL WE EVER DID WAS SELL YOUR STUPID PAPES BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN LUCKIER THAN US. WE WEREN'T SO PRIVILEGED THAT WE COULD BE STUPID, SELFISH, MORONS AND STILL HAVE LOADS OF MONEY IN OUR POCKETS THAT LET US GET AWAY WITH WHATEVER WE WANTED WITHOUT HAVING TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES."

I socked Oscar in the stomach before kicking Morris in the head." THIS AIN'T OUR FAULTS THAT YOUR BOSS RAISED THE PRICES THAT WE WORKED OUR BUTTS OFF TO AFFORD AND YOU DID NOTHING. YOU INCOMPETENT FOOLS. YOU'RE A DISSAPOINTMENT TO SOCIETY EVEN THOUGH ALL THE DISAPPOINTMENTS PIN THAT AT ON THOSE OF US WHO HOLD UP SOCIETY WHILE YOU DO NOTHING."

Once I'd finished yelling at them I punched Oscar in the jaw without noticing as Morris brought out a set of brass knuckles. The last thing I saw before everything went dark was the Delancy's hovering over me as I dropped to the ground.

The next thing I knew I was lying in a small alleyway that I recognized as being right by the 'hattan Newsies' lodging house. I got up from the ground and started to walk out of the ally before a familiar voice came from the shadows." 'spose I ain't even gonna get a ' thank you' for savin' your life."

" I'se could've handled myself." I responded, stopping right at the edge of the ally and crossing my arms." I'se done it b'fore. And I don't need people savin' me."

" Not even a kiss? That's how Lady's thank gentlemen isn't it?"

" I ain't a Lady. And you definitely ain't a gentleman Spot Conlon." With that remark, I walked out of the ally and into the lodging house before heading upstairs and grabbing my rope.

I turned to the others who'd watched me come in." We'se getting Jack out of the compound tonight. Am I wrong about that?"

They all quickly shook their heads, walking away as a drip of something red fell onto my vest. Confused, I walked to a nearby window and checked my reflection, noticing blood dripping from my left cheek and my right ear. For the first time since the rally I grinned. These would leave scars, with-out a doubt. And it would enforce the fact that no one should ever mess with Catnip.