Letters and Dances | Skittery

A Dead Brother and No Songs - 05

Y/N climbed down from the platform as quickly as she could, excitement running through her veins as Jack followed her down. Y/N ran up behind Skittery and jumped onto his back. Skittery stumbled at first but gained his balance and grabbed onto her legs.

"We're really goin' on a strike, huh?" She buried her face in his shoulder. He hummed in agreement, starting to walk over to Jack who was announcing something. Y/N still attached to him like a koala.

"We gotta get word out to all the newsies of New York. I need some of those....what'dja call 'em?" Y/N bit her lip in thought, 'amb... ambidords? Ambastards? Nah that can't be right."

"Ambassadors?" Dave asked.

"Ambassadors!"

"Yeah, right. Okay, you guys, you gotta be ambastards and go tell the other that we're on strike." Everyone chuckled at Jack's mistake. Y/N slid of Skittery's back and instead stood beside him, leaning her hand on his shoulder and the other on Tumblers. 

Kid Blink spoke up, "Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem." And walked away.

Skittery went to adjust Y/N's cap, but was met with her hair. He quickly took his off and placed it on her head. She looked up at him in confusion, "Ya lost ya cap." He whispered.

Her face went sheet white. It was Michael's cap.

"Shit." She breathed out. "I'll see yous tonight." And ran quickly, not giving him the chance to say anything.

✄

Y/N rounded a corner, she'd been looking for the dark grey cap for nearly an hour.

So she began heading towards the distribution centre. Maybe the wind took it there?

Her brown boots clicked on the cobblestone, but still no sight of her cap. She turned around, giving up and ready to head home, but a body crashed into hers. Stumbling back she apologised until she saw who it was. Her eyes grew wide, "Looking for this, Ballad? Or should I say Y/N?" Oscar spoke, showing her the grey cap.

"Give it back Oscar," She said through gritted teeth. "Give it or ise gonna have to soak ya."
The boy laughed, "Oh really?"

Without realising it, Y/N had been backed up into an alley in which Morris was waiting for his brother to bring in the prey.

"Do you know how much bliss it'll give Oscar and myself to put you into one of those work homes? Or perhaps the refuge? To see your brother blame himself again, maybe? To see all you Newsies down? Seeing you begging for mercy?" Morris spoke, getting extremely close to her, his fingers brushing against her shoulder before pushing it away harshly.

"I don't beg." Y/N spat before punching him in the face and kicking Oscar in the crotch. He dropped her cap as he covered his area in pain, so she grabbed the material and ran like her life depended on it.

Keeping the other hat on her head with her other hand, she ran towards the Lodging House. Knowing only Kloppman would be present there, she pulled the door open and ran towards the Newsies bedroom. Her panting the only sound in the room before her eyes filled with tears and legs gave up, making her crumble to the floor.

Kloppman who was startled by her quick appearance, went upstairs to check up on her. He heard the soft sobbing and felt really sorry for the girl, but knew better than to disturb her. So he would wait for her to come downstairs by herself.

Quite quickly, Y/N picked herself up off the floor and wiped her tears away.

She left through the window, and down the fire escape.

Herself and Jack managed to find some money that their father had left them before he did what he did, and put it towards a small patch of land for their brother to rest. And yet somehow she hadn't visited it in a long time.

The sky was still a cool blue and none of the boys had returned yet from whatever Jack had ordered for them to spread. Well obviously something about the strike.

Y/N walked down the street, her eyes immediately setting themselves on the cemetery.

She ran once again, but this time towards and not away.

Picking up a dandelion, they weren't the prettiest of flowers but you could find them anywhere aside from Daisy's, she sat down in front of the gravestone which read, "Michael Jack Sullivan - A beloved brother and friend 1886-1897"
"Heya Mike." She whispered. Placing the dandelion at the foot of the stone, "It's been quite the while since we's last spoke. Heck, I don't even know if yous can hear me."

Wind brushed against her cheek and then blew loose hairs out of her face. A smile etched itself onto Y/N's face.

"Jackie started a strike, or is tryin' to. Oh yeah, he joined me in being Newsies! But that old geezer Joe decided to raise the price, it's why we are going on strike actually."

✄

Y/N sat there till the sky began to turn dark pink. Still talking to her absent brother.

"Well, ise got to go. The boys may start getting worried." She kissed her fingers and placed them on the cold stone, bidding goodbye.

She walked away, her hands in her pockets. Skittery's cap was replaced with her brothers, her hair tucked in tightly. Y/N wasn't paying attention to where she was going and yet again walked into someone, both of them fell over. "I'm so sorry!" The other girl spoke up.

She was wearing a pale shirt with a dark skirt and her hair was brown and curled.

"No, no, sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." She laughed awkwardly, standing up and dusting herself off and helping the other one of the ground.

"You're a Newsie?" She asked.
"Umm yeah." Y/N unsure.
The other girl responded with a smile, "my brothers work with you, I think so anyway."

"What're their names?"
"David and Les, I'm Sarah." She outstretched her hand.

"Ballad Kelly." Y/N shook Sarah's hand.

••••

Edited: 5 October 2020
Words: 1023