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Chapter 13: Our real good pals the Delancys

After a while Spot came and stood with me.
He didn't say anything but I could tell.

"Am I aloud to ask what happened? Or ask if we can talk about it or something?"

"Whats dere ta talk bout?"
I sighed "Alright then. I'll just keep assuming things and letting my anxiety levels rise, its fine."

"Lia- I don't know what ya want from me?"
"Did it mean anything? At all?"
I felt him shrug.

"Okay." I said softly.
We stood there not talking for a long time.

Maybe I had done something wrong.
This did only happen because I kissed him.

After another long stretch of time I heard the boys starting to leave.
"Do you have the time Spottie?"

I heard a pocket watch quickly open and then close. "'S bout 6."

I nodded "Thanks, come on Blue."
As I walked away and out of the square I could just make out a tiny, barely audible 'i'm sorry"

There were more scabs today.
Most of them were probably sellouts.

Small fights in our own group were becoming more frequent, but Spot, Race and I all tried to break them up as soon as they started.

Things were going well though.
We were really starting to scare whoevers really in charge.

In the total of eight days we'd been on strike we had already amassed an army of kids join.
Spot still refused to acknowledge anything more that happened that day.

"So he's still not willing to talk about it?" Tommy Boy asked.

"Yeah pretty much. I don't know what to do anymore."
"He must really be hung up on it."

I shrugged "Maybe. Probably not though."
He patted my arm "Come on, everyones startin ta leave."

I stood up and got a hand of Blue's harness.
"Do ya want me ta walk ya home?"

"No, thank you though."
We made our way out of the square with the rest of the boys, who all turned to head to the lodging house.

"Goodnight!" I called.
A few of them echoed it back and then I turned and began to count my way back home.

I had been getting pretty close when someone came up from behind me.
"Well if it ain't little Miss Natalia." Oscars voice said teasingly.

"Go away Oscar."
"We just need ta talk ta ya." Morris said.
"What if I don't want to talk."

"Well, it's a business proposition bout ya strike so ya might want to."

I sighed "What is it?"
One of them grabbed my elbow and half dragged me into an alley.

"We need ya ta get them boys ta quit it wit all dis strike nonsense."

"Well What if i don't want to stop them?"
"We have ways of convincing ya."

Suddenly someone's fist connected with my stomach and I doubled over in pain.

Blue started jumping at them as soon as I let go of his harness.

"Morris deal wit da dog."
I heard Blue yelp and take off running as a loud thud reached my ears.

"No! Don't hurt Blue!"
One of them laughed harshly. "So are ya gonna get em ta stop?"

"Never." I spat.
The next thing I knew one of them shoved me back against the wall and held something to my throat.

"You move and I slit your throat."