Author's POV
Jess waited patiently in the streets for Jack. The rally was about to begin and almost everyone was there.
"Come on boys, don't do this to me now." Jess groans looking around.
Race runs up and pats Jess. "What's up, Conlon. How ya doin this fine morning?" Jess death glares him.
"Don't talk to me like that unless you want me to bust something else up." Jess continues to look around. Race rolls his eyes.
"Where's ya brotha?" Race asks. Jess shrugs. Before she can answer, a familiar drumbeat sounds in military style.
"Oh gosh." Jess huffs. They look up to see the Brooklyn Newsies emerging from the streets.
Brooklyn's Here
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
"Newsies need our help today!
(Newsies need our help today)
Tell 'em Brooklyn's on their way!
(Tell 'em Brooklyn's on their way!)
We're from... (Brooklyn!)
We are... (Newsies!)
We are... (Brooklyn) Newsies!"
Medda starts directing them into the Theater.
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
"JUST GOT WORD THAT OUR BUDDIES IS HURTIN', FACIN' TOTAL
DISASTER FOR CERTAIN.
THAT'S OUR CUE, BOYS:
IT'S TIME TO GO SLUMMIN'.
HEY MANHATTAN,
THE CAVALRY'S COMIN'!"
BROOKLYN NEWSIES GROUP 1:
HAVE NO FEAR!
BROOKLYN NEWSIES GROUP 2:
YOU KNOW WE GOT YOUR BACK FROM WAY BACK!
BROOKLYN NEWSIES GROUP 1: BROOKLYN'S HERE!
BROOKLYN NEWSIES GROUP 2:
WE'LL GET YOU PAY BACK WITH SOME PAYBACK!
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
"WE'RE THE BOYS FROM THE BEACHES OF BRIGHTON, PROSPECT PARK AND THE NAVY YARD PIER. STRIKES AIN'T FUN, BUT THEY SURE IS EXCITIN'.
LOUD AND CLEAR! BROOKLYN'S HERE!"
SPOT:
"BOROUGH WHAT GAVE ME BIRTH,"
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
"FRIENDLIEST PLACE ON EARTH.
PAY US A VISIT AND SEE WHAT WE MEAN,
AND WHEN YA DO,
(WHEN YA DO, WHEN YA DO)
WE'LL KICK YA HALFWAY TO QUEENS!"
Jess rolls her eyes and every Newsie in New York crams into the Theater.
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
"NOW THEM SOAKERS
IS IN FOR A SOAKIN'.
WHAT A SAD WAY TO END A CAREER.
THEY'S A JOKE, BUT IF THEY THINKS WE'RE JOKIN'. LOUD AND CLEAR!"
MANHATTAN NEWSIES:
"MANHATTAN'S HERE!"
FLUSHING NEWSIES:
"FLUSHING'S HERE!"
RICHMOND NEWSIES:
"RICHMOND'S HERE!"
WOODSIDE NEWSIES:
"WOODSIDE'S HERE!"
BRONX NEWSIE:
"SO'S DA BRONX!"
BROOKLYN NEWSIES:
BROOKLYN'S HERE!
ALL NEWSIES:
LOUD AND CLEAR:
WE IS HERE!!
Song Ends
The Newsies cheer and go crazy. Spot shakes hands with Davey in the center of the stage as Medda steps forward.
"Welcome, Newsies of New York City. Welcome to my theater and your revolution!" Medda yells and the crowd cheers. The voices fade out as Jess watches Spot walk towards her.
"Afternoon, Conlon." He tips his hat making Jess punch his arm.
"About time you goons showed up." She huffs.
"Sorry, the traffic was bad." He shrugs sarcastically.
"Why didn't you show up sooner? We needed you." Jess whispers.
"I wanted to hear it from my sister. Not her eye candy." Spot say making Jess clench her jaw.
"Let's hear it for Spot Conlon and Brooklyn!" Davey yells. Everyone gets louder.
"Newsies united! Let's see what Pulitzer has to say to you now." Spot says.
"Aye Jess, where is Jack?" Finch asks. All of the Newsies turn to Jess who was hiding in the corner.
"Yeah. We want Jack! Where is he?" The Newsies talk over each other. She looks to Medda for help.
"Sorry, kid. No sign of him yet. Looks like you're doing a solo." Medda says. Jess panics.
"JACK! JACK! JACK! JACK!" Jess timidly takes the stage.
"Newsies of New York... look at what we've done! We've got Newsies from every pape and every neighborhood here tonight. Tonight you're making history. Tonight we declare that we're just as much a part of the newspaper as any reporter or editor. We're done being treated like kids. From now on they will treat us as equals." The Newsies cheer. Jack appears from the back of the theater and starts down the aisle.
"You wanna be talked to like an adult? Then start actin' like one. Don't just run your mouth. Make some sense." Jack says.
"And here's Jack!" Davey yells.
"Jack! Jack! Jack!" Jack climbs up onto the stage as Jess heaves a sigh of relief.
"Where have you been?!" Jess whisper yells. Jack shakes his head and calms the Newsies down.
"All right. Pulitzer raised the price of papes without so much as a word to us. That was a lousy thing to do. So we got made and let 'em know we ain't gonna be pushed around. So we go on strike. Then what happens? Pulitzer lowers the price so's we'll go back to work! And a few weeks later he hikes the price back up again, and don't think he won't. So what do we do then? And what do we do if he decides to raise his price again after that?" Jess and the Newsies look to each other, confused by what Jack is saying.
"Fellas, we gotta be realistic. We don't work, we don't get paid." Jack turns to Davey. "How many days can you go without makin' money?" Davey looks down. "However long, believe me, Pulitzer can go longer. But I have spoken to Mr. Pulitzer and he has given me his word: if we disband the union, he will not raise prices again for two years. He will even put it in writing."
The boos are now drowning out Jack. "I say we take the deal. Go back to work knowing that our price is secure. All we need to do is vote "NO" on the strike. Vote "NO"!" The boos overwhelm Jack. Spot shoves him. Jess breaks them up. Jack walks toward the wings, where Bunsen is waiting with a wad of cash. He holds out the money out and Jack pockets it, looking around guiltily. Les reaches out, but Jack muscles him away and rushes out. The Newsies are furious, and their booing echoes across the theater, and the city. Jack looks to Jess for help but she runs out the door. He runs out after her.
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 • 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐊𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐘
Fanfiction"You snuck up on me, Jack Kelly. I never even saw it coming." Jack Kelly x OC Jess Conlon. Spot Conlon's little sister, who ran away from home when she was fifteen years old. The now seventeen year old is living with the Manhattan Newsies, life is g...
