The Only Girl Newsie

I see Carriage Boy

Stray's POV

Clyde is hopping around the room talking to other kids. He being social trying to keep the little ones calm whenever a guard comes in a yells at them and us.

As if on cue a guard I have never seen before and Synder the Spider walk in. "ALRIGHT TRASH." He shouts at us. "Who sent their army?"

It can't be. They didn't. Jack is so stupid. My face reads guilt and I look up to see a guard starring at me. Try and act calm Stray.

I make a silly face and stick out my tongue at him like the little kids do. He narrows his eyes at me and turns towards Clyde. I look over at Victor who is completely confused on what is going on.

Synder walks around and through out the beds watching all of us like hawks. "If you think a bunch of kids can get you out of here, well then you're wrong. To the rest of you. Well let's just say we are going to have some new guest." When he finishes he laughed himself out of the room.

Clyde runs over to Victor and I with the biggest smirk on his face. "Fella, we just gotten yelled and your smiling like you missed a soak." Victor says as Clyde climbs up onto our shared bed.

"I know that guard." Clyde says shaking victors shoulders.

"Huh?" I say.

"Stray. I need ta tell yous something... You were a newsie. Well I was a newsie. Except on here in Manhattan. In Brooklyn."

What? Why didn't he tell me this sooner? "That's Spot Conlon's territory." I say excited.

"Yeah and you gots Jack."

Poor Victor is completely lost in everything that is happening. "So wait. How do ya knew da guard?" To be fair I wanted to know about the guard too.

"Yeah. Well to be fair he's not a guard. That's Wrench. He was a newsie till he got a job up in an apartment building. Cleaning an' crap. But he's loyal ta Spot no matta what!" Clyde says.

"Wait. Spot let you have a common name like Clyde?" I know that newsie names are everything. Especially Brooklyn.

"Let's not talk about that." Clyde says as fast as he can.

Victor is looking at both of us like wild animals. Newsies. We've done worse.

A click is heard by the window. Little ones run over there and shout things like. "Carriage Fella." "Look at dem." "What day doing?"

I jump down and grab Clyde by his wrist. He pushes others out of the way. A swarm of newsies are covered around the building. Brooklyn and Manhattan. "Open the window." If they can see me through the bars maybe that will help them.

Clyde pushes it open and nudges me towards it. he whispers in my ear. "Say something to them."

"NEWSIES!" I scream. "HOW?!?"

I see Buttons in the crowd and he jumps up. "See ya soon Stray."

Before I could even question anything about ten guards cover them. It's from all sides. I gasp a little and see Synder walk out to them. "Think you'd tough." Is all I hear from him. I feel a tug on my arm.

It's the new guard from earlier. Brooklyn Newsie. Wrench. "Yous Stray?" He says. I nod and he turns to Clyde.

"Hey Wrench." Clyde says.

"Keys. We are getting you and Stray out of here." He says. Keys?

"Keys? Really Clyde?" I say looking at him. Clyde's face is burning red.

"I play piano." he mumbles and says quick so no one could hear him, but I did. I smile, only because my mom used to play piano.

Victor or Vic walks up to us. "It was nice knowing you two." He leans over and hugs me. He kept me calm through out my days here in the Refuge. How could I let him go? I squeeze him tight in a big bear hug. He makes his way over to Clyde or Keys.

Clyde stops him by putting his hand on his chest. "Victor you are my best friend. I am not leaving you here is dis Hell hole."

I walk over to the guys and put my hand on Vic's shoulder. "Jack once told me family looks out for each other. No way you staying here. You have to come with us."

All three of us refugees look over at Wrench. "Fine. But we have ta hurry!" He says.

I run over to that window to see the guys again and my eyes burn at the sight. Punches are thrown. I see Race on top of a guard's shoulders slapping his face. It makes me smile, until I see Jack taunting Synder.

"Spider! Miss me?" He says running away and stopping behind a group of guys. What is he doing? He's gonna hurt himself!

"KELLY!" Synder says running trying to catch up to that cowboy. "YOU DID THIS!" He shouts turning some heads. Synder chases Jack to th-

"Stray! We have to go." Clyde says tugging my a pulling me out the door with Victor follow and Wrench leads the way for us.