Spot Conlon: A New Adventure [2]

Chapter 11

Ise groan and roll me head. Ise open me eyes and sit up. Ise in a dark room, with almost no light. It's cold and damp, and Ise de only one there, odda dan Jack. 

"Jack?" Ise whisper yell. He looks at me. 

"Jazzer! Thank goodness youse okay." Jack says, comin' ova to sit next to me. 

"W-where are wese?" Ise ask. He shakes his head. 

"Ise don't know. Ise was knocked out, too. Woke up three hours ago." Jus' then, da door opens. Two men come in with cuffs. 

"Get up, both of you. You're going to see a judge." One of them growls. Ise stand up, slower that Jack. Ise still kinda dizzy. Ise cuffed harshly and led into a room where Ise see Spot and Race, lookin' at me. 

"Sir, I will speak for this young man." Snyder says, his wife behind him. 

"And I will speak for the girl." Mrs. Snyder glares at me. Snyder speak foist, but Ise ain't payin' attention. Then Mrs. Snyder speaks. 

"This girl is Lizzy Higgins, daughter of Caroline and Peter Higgins. They were killed when she was six and she was sent to an orphanage in Philadelphia. She was sent to several orphanages throughout the states for disruptive behaviour until she was finally sent to me. She escaped after four years in my custody, and I have been looking for her ever since. She is such a dear part of our family, and is dearly missed by me and the other girls. I ask for you to stay in my custody until she is nineteen years of age with no offers for adoption." Mrs. Snyder said. 

Ise could feel the blood drain from me face. "No. Please, don't, please." Ise plead in a whisper. But the judge agrees to Mrs. Snyder's request. 

"Agreed." He sighs. 

"NO!" Ise hear. Ise turn to see Race and Spot bein' held back by every odda newsie. Spot broke free. He jumped ova da small fence that separated us and he pulled his cane out. Ise broke free from de guard holdin' me. 

"Spot, stop!" Ise say. He stops in front of me, pantin'. "Dis won't make nutin' bedda. If youse do dis, they're jus' gonna take youse, too. Youse a leada, Spot, youse got bois ta care foi. I-Ise gonna be fine." Me voice broke at de end. Spot stayed put. Mush and Blink took him back and I was dragged back, too.

*Spot's POV*

When lady Snyder began to talk, Jazzer began to pant. Then Ise heard she was goin' back to da refuge foi four years. Ise was angry. Really angry. 

"NO!" Ise yell. 'Er newsies hold me back,  but Ise broke free, holdin' me cane. 

"Spot, stop!" Jazzer ordered me, steppin' in front of me. Ise pantin' from anga. "Dis won't male nutin' edda. If youse do dis, they're jus' gonna take youse, too. Youse a leada, Spot, youse got bois ta care foi. I-Ise gonna be fine." 'Er voice broke at da end. Blink and Must pulled me back with them. Ise didn't take me eyes off of her. 

No! Not again. Ise already lost one Lizzy. Ise can't lose 'er too. Ise think. Ise stalk outta da room,  angry. Ise gonna get 'er outta there. Tonight.

*Jazzer's POV*

Ise stand in Mista Pulitzer's office. Jack jus' left from his meetin' wit 'im, and no is my turn. Ise nervous 'bout what he's gonna say, but Ise don't show it.

"So, you the newsie that is helping Jack Kelly with the strike." 

Ise stay silent. 

"Ise have an offer of a life time: you continue being one of my newsies, and I will give you more money than you can even imagine." 

"That's a lot of money, Joe." 

"Yes, yes, I'm aware." Joe said dismissively. 

"Well, thanks a lot, but Ise don't want it." Ise say, walkin' towards da door." 

"Oh, youse should take me up on it. I'd hate to see what would happen to your brother or that other boy. What was his name? Spot? Yes, I believe it's Spot." 

Ise froze. "What would youse do to dem?" Ise ask, me voice shakin'. 

"Let's just say I have a couple of men ready with a few guns or knives." Pulitzer whispers into me ear. 

Ise begin to shake. "If Ise do take youse up on youse offa... you'll leave dem alone? Youse promise?" 

"You have my word, girl. You have my word. But you don't have to make your choice tonight. Sleep on it." He rung a small bell on his desk and three men came in. Ise was taken to da goils refuge and Mrs. Snyda sent me to a cell instead of a bedroom wit da odda goils. 

Ise sat by da window, and started sobbin'. Ise was scared. Foi da foist time in almost a year, Ise was scared and lonely and wanted somebody to keep me company. Ise sobbed so hard it racked me body. Ise cried until Ise had no more tears left. Then Ise hear somethin' on me window. The bared door swung open, so Ise could climb out if Ise wanted. Spot appeared in da window and he stepped into da room. 

"Spot!" Ise cry, runnin' ova to him. He wrapped me in a hug. 

"Ise come ta get youse outta here." He says, pullin' me towards da window. 

Ise almost go wit him, but then Ise remember what Pulitzer had said. 

"No, Spot. Ise not goin'." Ise say. 

"What? Jazzer, youse gotta come wit me. Youse ain't safe here." Spot said, starin' me in da eye. 

"And youse won't be safe if Ise escape and they find out it was youse who helped me. Go, Spot. Leave me here." Ise order. 

"No, Jazzer, Ise already lost-" 

"Spot, go!" Ise scream, pointin' to da window. It hurts me bad ta yell at him, but Ise gotta do it.

"Jazzer, Ise don't undastand. Dis is da place of youse nightmares, and youse wanna stay here?" Spot asks, me. 

"No, Spot Ise don't wanna stay but -" 

"Then come wit me. Ise can take youse home. Youse can be safe." 

"Spot, Ise not goin' and dat's final." Ise say. Ise turn me back on him until Ise can hear da bars bein' locked again. Good. He left. Not he'll be safe. 

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Da next day, Ise in a new dress wit papes in me hand. Jack and Ise stand next to each odda, both of us regrettin' goin' out there. Wese both took a deep breath and walked out. Ise could see Race, Mush, Blink, Boots, Davey, Les, Skittery.... and Spot. Ise hope they don't see me, but they do. 

"Hey, Race. Come here." Ise hear Spot sayin'. "Tell me Ise seein' things. Jus' tell me Ise seein' things. 

"Nah, youse ain't seeing things. Dat's Jack.... and.... Jazzer?" Race says, disbelievingly. 

Ise look Spot in da eye. He looks angry. But he doesn't move. 

"Jack! Jazzer! Get ova here! Ise gonna soak youse!" Race screams. Spot pulls him back. 

"All right, lemme get me hand dirty. COME HERE YOUSE DIRTY ROTTEN SCABBER! ISE GONNA SOAK YOUSE! ISE TRUSTED YOUSE, JAZZER! ISE TRUSTED YOUSE!" He's bein' pulled back by every newsie and pushed back by a few police. Ise feel a tear runnin' down me face. Ise run as fast as Ise can, as far as Ise can. Ise neva wanna face dem eva again.