FAMILIAR | Spot Conlon

Chp. 36: Saving Jack

I look around but don't see anything we could use to save Jack. David nods his head at the carriage.

"We's can't ride in the carriage they'll see us dummy" I whisper.

"Not in, on" He points to the bottom of the carriage where they're a little ledge. We sneak over to it and David gets on the ledge and lays down.

"Get on top of me"

"Whoa David I like yous and all but~"

"Not like that"

"Oh. That's embarrassing" I look away suddenly finding the trees very interesting. David laughs.

"You have to lay on top of me so we's can both get to Jack"

"Right. Sorry"

"Don't worry about it" I get onto the ledge and lay on David's back. I wrap my arms around his torso so I don't fall off. How could I think he~ oh god I feel so stupid.

The carriage starts moving and I hold onto him tighter. It ends up stopping in front of a really big house. No not even a house it's a frickin mansion. And it's bigger than mine too. Wherever we are this guy's got some serious money.

Snyder and Jack get out of the carriage and a guy with a grey beard tells them to go inside. I let go of David and get off of him and we sneak to the side so we can see Jack.

"Watch this"

Before I know it David is under the carriage. He pulls out the nail that holds the carriage to the horse.

"Nice one Davey"

We look for ways to get to Jack but once he went into the house we can't see him or get in.

We wait by the steps until we see Jack again.

"Jack come on. Come on" David waves his hands in the air.

Jack gets away from the old dudes with grey beards and slides down the banister.

"I'll distract, you guys go" They nod and start running away from me.

One of the guys gets onto the carriage and the horse takes off launching him forward. I go over to the old guys. I recognize one of them as the mayor.

I start babbling on and on to distract them until I think Jack and David are far enough away. Snyder comes out and sees me and I start running. He'll definitely hand me over to my mom if he catches me.

I run until I get pulled into an alley. I put my hands up but see it's only David and Jack.

"You guys shouldn't have done this" I hunch over to catch my breath.

"They could put ya in jail" Jack looks at me now.

"Yer mom could find ya and take ya back" He looks at us.

"I don't care" David says. Jack grabs David and pins him to the wall.

"What about your family. What happens ta them if yous go ta jail" Why is Jack doing this. He should be happy we risked our asses to come save him.

"Ya don't know nothin about jail!"

"Jack we did this for yous" I finally catch my breath and say.

"I's didn't ask ya too" He lets David go and walks over to me.

"But we's did. Cause we need ya" I point a finger at his chest.

"Thanks for what you've done but you guys get outta ere" He moves my finger and leans on the wall.

"I don't understand" David walks over to me and stands next to me.

"I's don't understand either, but just get outta here!" Jack yells at us.

"No!" David yells back at him.

"Go!"

"We's should go it's gettin late" I say to David.

"Fine. But when you wanna get out of that place don't blame us"

David and I turn around and walk away leaving Jack alone in an alley. As we walk away I can hear the guards grabbing him and taking him away.
~~~~
We walk in with our heads hung low. All of the newsies are waiting to see Jack.

"He's didn't come wit us" I say.

"Why not" Boots says.

"Who knows" I shrug my shoulders and I can tell everyone is disappointed.

"I'm tired, I think i'm just gonna go ta bed guys" I exchange a few good nights and head up to the room. I just want this terrible day to be over.

I change and lay down on my bed. I try falling asleep but I can't. My kind is racing about what they're gonna do to Jack. And why he didn't come with us.

I hear a knock on the door and then Kid Blink comes in.

"Hey Blink" I sit up in my bed and pat the spot next to me. He comes over and sits on the bed.

"How ya holdin up Camryn" I haven't really talked to him much. Now that I think about it I really only hang with David, Race, and Jack.

"Honestly, not great"

"Ya wanna talk about it?"

"Actually that sounds pretty nice"

We spend what I think was about the next hour talking. My tiredness seemed to melt away talking to him. About Jack, the strike, me, the newsies. Really anything we could.

"So why haven't I ever really hung out wit yous" I ask.

"Well I'm kinda shy around certain people"

"Like me?"

"Yeah. I mean look at ya. The only goil newsie in all of Hattan. And not ta mention yous stunnin"

"Aw Blink that's so nice of ya ta say that"

"Well Camryn if I's bein real honest I dig ya" He leans closer to me and I try to find a way out.

"That's great and all but I really don~" Before I can finish my sentence he grabs my face in his hands and kisses me. I immediately pull away.

"What the hell was that?!" He avoids my eye contact and I ask him again.

"I'm gonna go" He gets up off the bed and walks out the door completely ignoring me. I was definitely not expecting that.