Brooklyn's Queen: A Spot Conlon Love Story

Chapter 31: Still Living In Brooklyn

It has been 3 weeks, and I am still living here in Brooklyn. Not that I'm complaining, I love being with Spot, but I miss some of my friends over in Manhattan. I guess Jack is being very strict about where the boys go, because some murders have now taken place in broad day light and more and more newsies have been killed. These murders had to know us newsies, because they were also going after some of the top newsies girls. Elizabeth, Harry's girl was murdered when she was going home at dusk. Another boy from the Bronx was killed, he was only 9 years old. Only those two in these past few weeks, but any murder is not good. We don't want any one of us newsies, or any one in that matter, to be killed. 

Word has spread and the papers have only printed that they are going after young adults. Since newsboys were not very well behaved according to them, they didn't want to give us sympathy. They simply stated that it was teens and young adults who were being killed, and those being reckless, not abiding to rules and regulations. Bullshit, is all I have to say. Every newsie has taken a stand and has been on watch. I'm just praying there is no more and that these murders will stop...

"Finn!" I heard a boy call my name. I was sitting on some crates, next to Spot, and a few other Brooklyn boys. We all turned out head to see Boots running down the dock. I smiled when I saw him.

"Heya Boots!" I called out to him, it was good to see him. He was out of breath and hunch over for a few seconds to regain it. He then straightened his back and looked at me. His eyes were red, like he was crying, and his face was sad. My smile faded from my face. I hoped off the crates and walked over to him. 

"Everythin' okay?" I asked. 

Boots swallowed. "Can I's talk to ya, alone?"

I glanced over at Spot, worried. "Yeah, of course."

I led him over to a quieter spot on the dock. His hands were shaking and he looked scared.

"Boots, what's wrong?" I said.

"We's, we's been hit." Boots told me. Been hit? What was he talking about.

"Been, been hit by what?"

"It's Skittery, he's, he's..." Tears rolled down Boots' face. It then clicked in my mind. The murderers. 

"Oh no." I started to draw heavy breaths. This couldn't happen, not to us. "Oh no." I repeated. I buried my face in my hands. My eyes began to water and tears began to stream down my face. I needed Boots to say it though, I needed to hear him say it.

"So, he's..."

"Dead." Boots choked up. He wiped the tears off his face. "Jack told me to tell ya, it's hard on us, but he thought yous should knows."

"Thanks for comin' ova here Boots." I gave him and big hug. We stood there for a few seconds, hugging each other tightly.

"H-, how did it happen?" I asked, pulling away.

"He's went out early dis mornin' because Grace wanted his help wit somethin' before work." Boots told me. "And, we's come outside to find his body next to the lodgin' house. So, theys were close, too close... Waitin' to strike."

More tears came down my face. "Thats awful, that's just terrible."

"I's should be headin' back, Jack's waitin' for meh." Boots said. I nodded, knowing Jack would not want any boys out for too long. Boots then turned away, leaving me by my self.

"Wait, Boots!" I called out. He turned his head back towards me. "Can ya, tell Jack to come see me wheneva he can?"

"Of course." He then took off down the dock.