The Disgraced Newsie: Part 2( Rewritten)

Chapter 13: Jack Kelly's POV

The Harlem newsies dragged me into their Lodging House and took me into a room. Despite the fact that I could not see anything because of the bag that was still over my head, I could tell that I was being taken into the basement because of the stairs that I had to walk down.

The Harlem newsies pushed me against the wall, then started to tie me up with ropes around my wrists and ankles, so I wasn't able to go anywhere. I heard someone coming down the stairs and walking toward me.

"Welcome back to New York, Jack Kelly. It is nice to see you again", he said. Slingshot. I remember that stupid leader of Harlem. Always causing trouble for me and the... Manhattan newsies. He roughly pulled the bag off of my head and took the rag out of my mouth.

"What do you want from me?", I asked with a harsh tone.

"I don't want anything from you. I just want something from the Manhattan newsies"

"And what would that be? If I even have to ask?"

"You know very well what I want. I want Manhattan. As you might know, Jack, Harlem doesn't not have that many selling spots and we are in danger of going out of business. And Manhattan is one of the best places to sell papers in New York. Mostly because of the strike that made you so famous"

"So why do I have to be involved in this plan of yours? Last time I checked, I am no longer a Manhattan newsie. Or any newsie of any kind in New York"

"Really? Is that what you think?", he chuckled at me. "Oh, Jack. You really are so stupid"

"What are you talking about?"

"The Manhattan newsies would do anything to have you come back to them"

"To do what? To beat me up again?"

"No, they would do anything to have you back because they miss their precious leader and want you to come home. It is pathetic if you ask me". Don't you dare call them pathetic! "The funny thing is that we planned to capture the pitiful crip and one of your younger boys, but since we saw you come off the train with the crip and another younger newsie, we just followed you and waited for the perfect moment to capture you. Too bad we could not get the crip and that younger newsie of yours, but with just you, Manhattan will definitely be ours"

I scoffed at that. "Good luck with that, Slingshot. My boys... I mean, the Manhattan newsies won't come for me. They don't even like me or care about me anymore, especially I am not the leader anymore and I am a traitor. So, just like the last time you tried to take over Manhattan, your plan won't work. So, you lose again, you pathetic excuse of a newsie!"

"You know what, Kelly". He grabbed me by the neck and started to squeeze it, but it was not enough to actually choke me. "I have always waited for the day that you would finally break down and lose everything that made you think that you are so powerful and tough. I waited for the day that I would take everything away from you, starting with the Manhattan turf. And I waited for the day that everyone you loved would turn against you and you would just run away just like the coward that I always knew that you were. And now, the waiting is finally over. You have nothing. You are nothing, and I am in control of you right now, so if I were you, I would watch that wisecracking mouth of yours before I watch it for you. You should be thankful that I am even keeping alive right now". He pushed my head away from him, which caused me to hit the back of my head against the wall. Then, he ordered his newsies to put the rag back into my mouth and watch me, so that I would not try to escape. "Before I forget". He took my hat off of my head, then placed the bag back over my head. "I will need this, so that my plan will work. Boys, you can have some fun with him any time that you want. You deserve it". He left the basement.

It is bad enough that I am trapped in here, but it is even worse to have the boys choosing between me and their only source of pay. They should not have to lose their jobs because of me, but I shouldn't have to worry that much. They don't care about me anymore, so I doubt that they would show up to rescue me, so I don't have anything to worry about. Manhattan will be fine.