The Only Girl Newsie

Selling Synder Sunsets.

The gates open and all of us newsies are piling in. I get in line behind Race. He try to siwdle Weasel into bettin for the papers. Long story short. It didn't work.

It's my turn now so I approach him. "50 papes." I say and slam my money down in the box. "50 papes for the Girlie!" Weasel shouts towards to the Delaneys for them to give me my newspapers. Morris hands them to me with a smug expression on his face. I ignore him not wanting to stir up what happened last night.

Once I'm far out from the gates. I hear a familiar shout of a Newsie. "Aye Stray sell with me?" Jack said putting his arm around me from behind. I reply with a simple "Sure."

We are walking down to Jack's selling spot. He's selling papers left and right. Now I'm selling papes but just not as fast as him. Fake headlines, lies, and acting to sell these stupid papers. If I ever meet Joseph Pulitzer I'm a tell him to share most interesting news. This stuff is junk. The Sun and The Journal aren't better either. Theses big shots need to write what people want to read.

I notice a old man in a suit who has been starring at us like a hawk. "Aye Jack?" I say tapping his shoulder. "What?" He says turning towards me. "Do you know that guy?" I say pointing to the man. When Jack realizes who I'm pointing too. He take any papers out of my hand, grabs my other hand, and starts running pulling me with him. "KELLY!!!" I hear the man shout behind us as we are running through allys and back-ways.

I don't even know why I'm running. Jack hasn't explained a thing. "KELLY!" I hear again. I see the lodging house in the distance and I have an idea to get this guy off our tails. "Jack follow me!" I say letting go of his hand and running around the lodging house. He follows but with little faith. I knock down a few trash cans to slow the man down. It's worked. While he was pushing the cans out of the way we climb up the fire escape and up to Jack's penthouse. (AKA The roof.)

I guess he lost us because I heard footsteps and grunts below us. "Stray you're a genius!" Jack said throwing the papers in the ground and hugging me.

"Hold up! Who was that? Why was he chasing us? You have some explaining to do?" I shout at him pushing him away from our hug. He face gave a hurt expression. But I trusted him. And it turns out that he was keeping secrets from me. I sigh and lean over the edge. He does the same.

"That was Synder. He runs the Refuge. It's a jail for underage children. Whenever he gets a new kid more money goes to the refuge. Expect the money goes into his own pockets. I got out. Synder has been trying to get me back in ever since." he spits out. Every word seems to hurt him when he says it.

"How did you get out?" I say slumly. He takes off his hat and whips his brow. And then he opens his mouth to speak. "I caught a ride on Teddy Roosevelt's carriage." I laugh straight into his face. The Governor? Ha ha ha.

"Oh yous think I'm lying. Well it just so happens dat he was running for office and wanted to show dat he cared for kids. Oh and did he care. He CARErryed me straight out of that hell hole. I jumped in the back of the carriage when no one was a looking." Jack says slapping his hat back in his head.

"So that's why he was chasing you? To get more money in his pocket!" I half scream half ask.

"Exactly!" He says back in away from the ledge of the roof. "Synder the Spider. That's what we call him." Jack elaborates. He looks down over the city. "We should probably head back down?"

"The Suns about to set. Do you really want to miss that? Especially with this view." I say wavering my hands in the air.

"You know in Santa Fe. Those sunsets make the sunsets here look like trash. When we get there every night we'll soak up the sun. Just wait." His voice is now in a sudden change from when he was talking about Synder.

Just then both of our heads turn to the sound of something coming up the ladder. We both rush over there to see Crutchie. Smiling his adorable smile. "Hiya." he says. Me and Jack help him up.

"Done selling papes aye?" Jack asks. Crutchie adjust himself and his crutch when he is fully on the roof. "Yeah...finished early taday." he says. The way he mispronounces words with his accent is soooo adorable. "Well......Where did the guys go?" Jack asks.

"Where do you think they are? There still some sun out. They're down by da Square." Crutchie answers fixing his vest.

I walk around them for a second realizing that we are probably gonna stay here, but the thing is. I want to have some fun. Not that I don't enjoy the rooftop. I just want some adventure. "Well What are you lumps waiting for? Let's go!"