Spot Conlon: A New Adventure [2]

Chapter 7

*Spot's POV*

Ise flip 'er ova on 'er stomach. Apparently, Ise accidentally caused 'er breathin' problem ta act up, and she starts gaspin' foi breath, clutchin' 'er side. Race comes runnin' ova and lifts 'er head onto his knees. Ise guess he's 'er brodda, 'er twin brodda at dat. They look alike, a lot. 

"Call it off." Race tells me. Ise jus' nod. Ise hate seein' 'er in pain, and knowing dat Ise caused it. 

What are youse thinkin'? You woulda hoit 'er anyways. Ise think, holdin' up an x wit me arms. 

Race picks his sista up, but she blacks out. Jack toins ta me. 

"What did youse do?" He asks. Mush comes up to me, vouchin' foi his leada. 

"Ise ain't done nutin'. It was a fair fight and youse knows it. How was Ise supposed ta know dat would happen? Youse would do it, too." Ise pointed out, wavin' me cane in front o' his face. Mush and Jack frown. They knows Ise right. Then they leave. Ace and Reptile, two of me friends, come up to me. 

"Spot, are youse okay?" Ace asks. "Youse ain't neva had a fight like dat before. She didn't even look like she was tirin' out. It was like she could've fought foreva." 

"Yeah." Ise muse. She's one tough goil. "Ise goin' ta bed. See youse in da mornin'." Ise walk to da lodge Ise moved into three years earlier, and enter me own room. Since Ise da King and Ise like me space, Ise got me own room. Ise looked into a mirror on da dresser. Ise bleedin' a little on me left cheek where she punched me hard. Me shouldas are sore from when she pulled me arms to me back, and me leg hoits. Ise ain't neva gotten' hoit in a fight before. 

She's got potential. Ise think. No! Don't think like dat. Youse ain't got time foi goils or feelings. Youse got bois ta lead and papes ta sell and... and... Ise allow me thoughts ta trail off. Ise don't got any excuse. She's... amazing. And beautiful, too. Ise not worth 'er. She's too nice, too respectful. Ise da King, da punisha, da feared. She ain't like youse. Youse ain't worth 'er.

Ise finish thinking and clean me face. Ise lay in me bed, me hands behind me hands, lookin' at da ceiling. Ise gotta do somethin' ta make her happy. But what?

*Jazzer's POV*

Ise wake up in me bed, Race sleepin' in a chair next to me, his head bent and his arms crossed.

"What happened?" Ise ask. Race starts. He looks at me, a huge smile on his face. 

"Youse been asleep since youse fight wit Spot. Ise was scared half ta death, youse know." 

"Youse didn't have ta be." Ise say. Ise still in me clothes. Ise get outta bed and notice that da odda bois are gone. 

"Where is everyone?" Ise ask. 

"Down at da station, singin'. " Race says. "Youse gonna go?" 

"O' course. Wese on strike. Ise a newsie, and Ise gotta be there." 

When wese get to da station, da bois are linkin' arms. Wese run ova to join them, but are interrupted by a cart of papes goin' by. The entrance to da station is blocked by newsie bois, all holdin' papes. 

"C'mon, ya graftas, cross da line." Race urges. 

"Okay, everyone, remain calm." Davey tells us. Jack and Ise look at him like he's crazy. 

"Let's soak 'em foi Crutchie!" Wese cry. Da bois cheer, well, not Davey. Wese run towards da bois, but they run to a green gate and begin bangin' on it. It opens to reveal men of all ages, carryin' makeshift weapons like chains and things like dat.