Alice the Newsie

(20) Midnight Adventure

The days have felt like they have been going by so fast; it's already November, which means I have been a newsie for at least two months. Two. Whole. Months of: stuttering my heart out, doing puppy faces to random people, sleeping on a rock bed, and having newsies annoy me (Romeo.) Of course Specs has still been by my side, being the great friend he is, and I have also got used to being called Mouse. Sometimes I wonder how I lived in Ohio my whole life without having any friends, no one in school I went to in Ohio ever talked to me. They thought I was weird even though I am or was normal. It feels like my time at Brearley was only a dream. Maybe it just was at this point.

I walk by some stores, I was tired from selling papers all day: a chilly breeze was poking at my face. The sun was setting as a beautiful deep purple in the sky, even though it's only 20 degrees there's still people everywhere in the city. I look in the crowds of people for Romeo, most of the time i'm Romeo's selling partner, other times I sell with Specs or really whoever. I pass by a alleyway filled with trashcans, flashbacks of the devil dog comes to mind. When I hear something start to move the trashcans. I stay frozen in place, I know I should run away. But fear is gluing me in place. I see a figure jump up and scream at me, I quickly push the trashcans toward the figure, they fall down. "Ow.. me head." I look in the mess of trash and see Romeo rubbing his head. "R-Romeo! why.." He gets up, "Mousey you's can really put up a fight."

"Romeo what were you doing," I said annoyed, he smiles sheepishly. "I's was trying da scare ya," I sigh. "Romeo, what in your mind thought it would be fun to scare me."

"Just for some's fun."

I give Romeo my most disappointed face I could. I have learned Romeo could sometimes be a really stupid person. "Mousey, I's was thinking. Do ya want da go da Central Park?" I raise my eyebrows, "why?" He smiles and grabs my hand. "For fun!" he pulls me away and runs to Central Park. 

The run to the park really warmed us up. I could see how Central Park has changed for the upcoming winter; the trees were bare, the ponds frozen, and the only sound in the park was of people stepping on the wet leaves. Romeo takes us to a spot by a tree, we sit close by each other. I look at the sky, and already see stars starting to peak out in the purple sky. Romeo lies on his back. "Mouse, do ya think there's people watching us from up in da sky?"

"Well, there's only heavenly father watching us from heaven."

I hear him chuckle. "That's sounds like something a nun would say," I lightly punch him in the shoulder. "Well at least the nun's know how to use real english." He crosses his arms, "well me lady, I's didn't ask to not know how ta read." 

"Well I know it's not your fault. But sometimes the newsies can sound weird."

He sits up, "how's so?"

"Well; you add s to words that don't need one, you replace the with da and you with ya, and there's so much more. You all just sound and act like pirates." Romeo starts to laugh, "well at least I's don't sound like some proper person, like you's or Davey." I pick at some of the dead grass. One Newsie I know that everyone seems to make fun of is Davey. Someone always does at least once a day. "Why you do you guys make fun of Davey so much, you guys always say something about not wanting to be his selling partner."

"Because making fun of Davey is as easy's as making fun of Weasel, it's just so easy ta. What, you's love Davey or something." I slap Romeo's face, and that got him to shut up very quickly. 

For the rest of the night at the park we spend the time mostly finding rocks, and trying to break the ice. Which was dangerous for hundreds of reasons. But as Romeo said, we didn't die so everything is fine. Walking around the park we found this giant rock, it's as big as a store. We climb up it. We lie on the cold rock and stargaze for a while. "Mousey, do ya think da life we's living is real?"

"Yeah, why are you asking such deep questions tonight, Romeo?" 

"Well Buttons has just been making up these crazy theories." I think for a moment and remember Buttons saying something about birds taking over. "Don't believe Buttons Romeo."

"Yeah you's right Mousey, it's probably da fleas he has." After some more peaceful moments on the rock, I hear someone yelling at us. "HEY'A ROMEO, MOUSE, DON'T YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE'S BEEN WAITING? GET DOWN AND COME BACK TO DA LODGE." We both sit up quickly, in the moonlight I see Mush looking at us. "SORRY FINCH, I'S GUESS WE'S FORGET DA TIME." Romeo yells to Mush, Mush looks annoyed. "GET'S DOWN NOW." We get off the rock, and by that I mean basically fall off it. That's what happens when you're short. We follow Finch in the moonlight, back to the lodge.