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Chapter Seven: How am I supposed to SEzie the day if i cant See the day

"So now your helping the newsboys with a strike? Are you sure thats a good idea?" Dad asked.

"I have to help them Dad. If I don't, no one else will."

Dad took a sip of his drink "I understand that. What's the strike about?"

"Mr. Pulitzer raised the price of newspapers for the newsies. All the papers did. We're trying to get them to put it back."

"It's about pennies?"

I sighed.  "Those boys need those pennies to survive. They were already barely eating as it is! I owe it to them to help them keep surviving! And it's not just about Pennies! It's about proving that we can change things! That we can make a difference! We have to show Pulitzer and the others that they can't just take advantage of us because we are kids! We have to show them that it's the people that seem the most powerless, that have the power to change things!" I said throwing my arms out dramatically.

Oliva began to laugh and clap at the same time. "Oh yall are in for it! You can't stop 'er now! She's stuck on this, bring on the rampage!" She managed between laughs.

"Oh I wasn't planning on stopping her." Dad said.

I grinned.
"Speaking of those boy's how's RaceTrack?" Olivia asked.

"'Ey guys? Wheres Spot? 'Es comin ain't 'e?" Race asked as I met up with the boys at the circulation gate the next day.

"Well we know tree tings fo sure, Spot tinks we ain't got what it takes, Spot ain't comin today, and Sights is a lying liar who lies!" Jack said.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I never lied, you just never asked! And I don't lie near as much as you!" I yelled.

"You just kept a very big part of the truth from us!" Davie called.

"You shut up! You didn't even know me till a few days ago!" I yelled back.

"What are youse goin on about?" Specs yelled.

"Sights friend Spottie, ya know da one she goes to see just about everyday?" Jack yelled.

I heard a bunch a bunch of 'ya's' and 'yes's'

"Turns out Sight's good friend 'spottie' is really Spot freaking Colon! Da King a Brooklyn! She was goin round wit 'im!"

People all started yelling at once.

"Can you all shut up and get over yourselves!" I yelled.

"She's right! We got bigger things to worry about!" Davie called.

"So is Spot with us or not?"

"No he ain't."

"Well if we don't have Brooklyn we don't have a chance, maybe we should hold off." Race said.

"Yeah Jack, maybe we're moving too soon. Maybe we ain't ready." Mush added.

"I definitely think we should forget about this for a little while." Skittery said.

"Oh do ya?" Jack asked.

"Yeah I do."

"Yeah I mean without Brooklyn, don't gotta chance." Race said.

"Spot was right, this is just a game to you." I crossed my arm, letting go of Blue's harness.

"Open the gates and seize the day. Don't be afraid and don't delay Nothing can break us No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and seize the day!" Davie began to sing.

"Now is the time to seize the day, send out the call and join the fray!" We all joined in.

"Wrongs will be righted if we're united." I sang.

"Let us seize the day! Friends of the friendless seize the day, Raise up the torch and light the way, Proud and defiant We'll slay the giant Let us seize the day, Neighbor to neighbor Father to son One for all and all for one! Open the gates and seize the day Don't be afraid and don't delay Nothing can break us No one can make us Give our rights away Neighbor to neighbor Father to son! One for all and all for one!" Everyone sang.

The circulation bell began to ring.
"Do you hear that?" Jack yelled.

"No!" The boys called.

It sounded like a couple other people entered the bullpen.

"Scabs. Four of 'em." Tommy Boy muttered.

I heard a thud, and then another and another.
"Three a dem threw da papes down, Jack knocked his papers down."

The next thing I knew it sounded like another scuffle.

"Scabs are gone." Tommy Boy added a moment later.

The next thing I knew the square erupted in chaos.

The boy's were running, chanting and throwing papers.

I couldn't help but grin as they all ran around.
Tommy Boy grabbed my hand and spun me around.

When I found Blue's harness again he immediately began to lead me around and through the chaos of the bullpen.

Suddenly I heard whistles begin to blow.
"What is it?"

"Cheese it! Cheese it! It's the bulls!" Jack yelled.

"The what?"

"The cops, come on we gotta go." Tommy Boy grabbed my arm and began to help me out of the bullpen.

Blue moved pretty fast and pulled me along getting me to keep up with Tommy Boy as we doged around big animals.

"Bulls on horses, come on."

He continued to pull me along.
"Crutchie! Scram!" Race yelled.

"No! Crutchie!" Jack yelled.

"What happened?"

Tommy Boy didn't answer, just kept pulling me along.

"Tommy? What happened?"

"Dey got Crutchie." He muttered.