From Manhattan To Brooklyn

Prologue

Brooklyn New York City, New York- 1889

10 Years Earlier-

3rd Person's POV

It wasn't uncommon that the Italians were immigrating to New York and the Higgins family was no exception. The family wanted a change they wanted new beginnings so they did just that. Their two twins Anthony and Clarice were thriving and nothing could possibly go wrong.

But the only problem is after only being in America for two years things took a turn for the absolute worst.

Not only was there rumored to be a huge blizzard which in New York it was HELL! But the family was running out of money faster than the horses at Sheepshead Bay.

Violetta was becoming sicker than a dog due to the freezing weather and she came down with Pneumonia which caused her to become bed ridden. She couldn't sing lullabies to her children anymore. Poor Clarice ran into her parents bedroom.

"Momma, are you gonna sing to me and Tony tonight." The young girl's eyes lit up. Violetta placed her cold hand on her daughter's cheek and sighed.

"My dear Clarice, non penso che sarò più in grado di farlo." She spoke in Italian. Clarice, feeling heartbroken ran out of her parent's bedroom tears flowing from her cheeks. Their mother ALWAYS sang lullabies to help them sleep especially in Italian.

"What's wrong Clar?!" Tony noticed his sister feeling distraught. "Momma can't sing us lullabies anymore." She hugged her twin desperately.

"She's really sick though, Sorella." He said sadly. Knowing she was getting sicker and sicker as each day passed.

A few days had past and it began to look like Violetta was dying. Which wasn't sitting well with her husband Santuccio. He began to become more violent and started drinking more often.

Clarice and Tony were sitting in the living room playing a game of Jacks when their father started pleading for his wife to wake up.

The man furiously stormed out of the room and began throwing things throughout the apartment. Various items could be heard crashing to the floor and things being thrown at the wall.

"These DAMN kids were the ones who killed her! You little Stronzo's." He cussed at his kids in Italian.

He began unbuckeling his belt in an attempted to whip his children. But before he could Tony grabbed Clarice's hand and the pair ran as fast as they could out of the apartment building.

Their father could be heard in the apartment building still screaming. It was so cold outside and the snow didn't help the situation.

It had been hours since the twins ran out and it was getting colder by the minute. The poor children didn't even have enough time to get their coats.

Poor Clarice was shivering her hands and toes were starting to turn red. "Tony, I'm cold and my fingers hurt," she cried. Tony snuggled up to his twin more to keep her warm the best he could.

"We're safe now, Sempre." He kissed her cheek. That was their word.

"Sempre." She replied softly, teeth clattering together from the freezing wind.

It seemed to be that on the crowded streets of New York that knowone seemed to notice the two orphans. It was nearly a solid day until a boy a few years older that the twins found them.

"Are you two alright?" He asked noticing how cold and red the small children were. The boy was no more than 8 or 9 years old. He was a bit rugged but also clean cut.

"Cccold." The younger girl's teeth clattered together when she spoke. "We've been out here for days, and we're starving, we got no place to go." Tony noted huddling closer to his sister who was nearly dead from the cold, the poor girl's body was practically cold.

The older boy quickly picked up the girl and took the younger boy's hand. "I know a place the two of you can go, follow me." He soon led them to a building which soon led them to an upstairs with bunk beds and an open washroom.

The older boy set the two kids down in a bunk. "You two can sleep here for tonight." He said giving the two a blanket to keep them warm. The older boy sat down from across the twins.

"The name's Jack, Jack Kelly." He introduced, a smile plastered on his face.

"I'm Anthony and this here is my other half Clarice." Anthony smiled back feeling accepted right away.

Later on the twins adjusted to their new life and Jack taught them everything they needed to know about selling newspapers.