A DEATH OF AN UNKNOWN!
By: KaLynn Wilde
Part one
Setting - a bunk room in the Manhattan lodging house a young girl about the age of 15-16 is laying in a bunk asleep.
"Ahhh!" She sat up from the horrible night mare it was just a dream she told her self but she knew that it was actual reality she was remembering how it all started
*****dream******
"STOP! Please!"
"This will teach you to be out late"a man slammed another burning cigarette down on her back
"but I wasn't"
"Shad up yah little brat before I soak yah a good one."
After a few more burns with the cigarette he left to go to his wife that was waiting for her turn to punish her, her mother said
"Whatever you get you deserve you were an accident an expensive joke"
The beating she gave her wasn't that bad cause she was weak from all da. drugs, She couldn't stand them anymore after she left Kira heard her father say
"if she makes one more mistakes she's gonna die"
"Oh, no Gotta get out ta here"
"trying to leave are yah"
dad I'm leaving this hell hole"
"Yah thinks yah is any way!"
As he started running down the stairs, he grabbed Kira's arm pulling her out into the street slapping her face and beating her up. She took one hit in his chest just below the opening of his ribs knocking the wind out she took her chance and started running she ran all the way to the middle of the city just before she could stop running she tripped over her foot and landed against an ally wall dat. knocked her out
part two
"HEY RACE! Des somtin over ere come take a
Look!"
"All right, All right I ant def. yah Knows, well. I'll bet da goyl got scared ta death by youse Mush dat aint no way treats a beautiful goyl"
"Huh?"
"Ah forget it. Looks like we's gonna have ta takes er back ta da lodgen house."
"She's pretty banged up. Hey race grab er feet."
Kira woke up the next day with millions of eyes watching her. dat was enough to knock her outta d. bed she was occupying. just when she fell on her bruised sides she let out a blood curldiling scream when she closed her mouth she herd a voice say
"Geese you all right goyl?"
"No," screamed "where in the heck am I and who the heck is you guys?" The voice belonged to a tall boy with dirty blond hair and gorgeous hazel eyes.
"We's da. Manhattan newsies and, well two of me. Boys' ere found yah out cold in da ally all bruised up."
"Well uh tanks, I guess I Beta gets going"
"Hey where do yah plans on goin?"
"I dunno! Some place far from me family"
"Youse got some money? Or a job?"
"No!"
"Well why don't yah stays here and youse can be a newsie"
"well, I guess"
"Whatcha name kid"
"Me names Kira O'Connor and you?"
"Kelly, jack Kelly but me friends call me cowboy!"
"And da two fellas that found me?"
"Oh yea dem. was race and mush me two best friends."
Jack then turned to the group of boys' that were still staring at her and said "we's got a new memba to da. newsies and we's gonna have ta finds er a name so start tinken."
"Hey jack I got one"
"Let's hear it snipes."
"Well how about screamer I mean when she yelled the whole woild probably hoid er"
he stood there for a minute and then finally said "Dat.'s a good one whatcha tink Kira"
"Well it sure does describe the quality I'm best at, sure why not but you can call me Kira or screamer it doesn't matter."
"Great's now youse beta put on dis. pants' and shoit so's you look like a newsie."
"Whose are dey?"
"Uh mine" he said blushing
"Oh!" with a smile on her face she went into da. Closet and came out dressed like a newsie it was about 8:00 when they left for the circulation office to buy their daily papes jack had handed her a quarter for fifty papes just after skittery had bought his she slammed the money down and said
part three
"Fifty papes!"
The guy behind the desk looked at her then shrugged and said "aint no goils post ta be sellen papes"
Just then jack came up beside her and said in a strong forceful voice "Dat.'s me friend yah tawken about, and I don't take kindly ta people insulting her specially you Mr. Weasel"
After jack gave his lecture to Mr. Weasel as he was called, I Ordered my papes she scooped them up and walked over to where jack, snipes, and kid blink was standing
"Hey tanks jack, but he kinda scared, me a bit dere."
"Don't worry about it If e evea does anyting like dat. again I'll soak em"
"I'm wit you jack" blink said" youse like a sista ta me and no one is gonna hoit yah evea"
Just then a whole stampede of boys rushed up to me patten me on da. back given me hugs and little kisses on da. cheek just then I herd a unfamiliar voice call out to jack
"HEY JACKIE BOY, so youse geten soaked by yah own boys now huh?"
Jack grabbed Kira's hand and led her to a boy that was only about two inches' taller dens her and about the same age as her, seventeen! When she was finally outta, da. Crowds she almost fell right on her face, the boy that was standing there was the most handsome boy she'd have ever seen except for jack, blink skittery and mush and race okey she admitted it in her mind that she was boy crazy but this boy was asume. She said to her self
"Hey yah, spot how's it rollen" ( jack spit in his palm den extended it to ward the boy he called spot and he did da. same )
"So Jackie Boy who's da. beautiful, lady?" ( He said smiling)
"Dis ere is Kira a new newsie"
"Well, I taught dat. I'd drop in on me ole pal, and sell papes with yah"
"Well Kira is gonna tag along, ta loin how ta sell papes I mean she's gotta loin from da. best! " (Jack said holding his shirt and smiling then with a lot of sarcasm spot said)
"Well Geese cowboy dat. means a lot ta me I neva new yah tought a me dat way" spot said wrapping his arm around her shoulders and taking half of jacks hundred papes then they walked down da. Street just as they were about ta round da. corner jack caught up with them and said
"I meant me spotty boy"
( taking spots' place around me shoulder. When we got to jacks' selling spot he had already told her the basics of selling papes so she decided to try it out she held up a pape and shouted
"TWO CORPS FOUND IN MAIN STREET HOTEL POLICE SUSPECT MURDER!"
Spot and jack exchanged glances then raised a pape and shouted there own headlines just when the contest got good and jack was a head by four papes Kira held one and shouted
"MAN AND WOMAN KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE BLOOD EVERYWHERE BUT BODY'S UN RECOVERED!"
A whole rush of people ran over buying papes and putting money in her hand all she could do was smile, and thank the people. When the crowd finally left, she turned to see that jack and spot's mouth were dropped open in amazement
"Wow! Youse getten good at dis. I guess I tought yah well"
" hey A Jackie boy yah cant taken all da credit"
Just for safe measures that a fight wouldn't break out she walked up to spot and said
"Tanks spot" ( then giving him a kiss on the cheeks then went over to jack and said
"Tank's jack for teaching me and taken me in you don't know how much it means ta me"
"Uh! no problem lets just get to that kiss"
( with a giggle jack embraced her then bringing his lips close to hers he kissed her with the most passionate kiss she had Evea Gotten finally letting go she waked back over to spot and did the same that jack had did to her then when letting go jack said with shock in his voice
" How come yah did dat.?"
"Oh I was jist seein whose kiss was better"
"Well whose was it" ( jack said eagerly)
"I can't tell yah on an empty stomach, when's lunch?"
part four
With that she wrapped both arms around their waists as they went to a restaurant jack called tibby's when they walked in I could smell the aroma of mashed patios with just the right amount of salt on them but unfornunently she only had enough for a manhattan hotdog, mush and race had wanted her to sit by them she asked jack if it would be al right he said
"Yeah me and spot have ta tawk a lone any way"
so she went to sit with race and mush, and jack went with spot to a corner booth and started to tawk
"So spot what does yah tink of Kira?"
"I tink dat she's da most beautiful goyl in da woild, she' s poifict in every way the way her auburn hair falls down just a little past her shoulders, her smile is perfect her dark eye lashes' make her blue eye 's just glow"
" You really like er don'tcha spot?"
"Yeah jack I do she means' da woild to me, and I can't stop thinken about er!"
"Hey spot, jack guess, what Kira jist told me and race!"
"What mush" (spot demanded)
.. "She told us dat. tomorrow's er birthday and she. Want's ta Spend it with er, best friends."
"Who are dey" (jack asked?)
" Well me, skittery, blink, race, snipeshooter, spot and you, jack but she doesn't know were to go!"
"Well how about a surprise birthday party( spot suggested) hey Kira was yah goin" ( not knowing that they spent the rest of the day eating and it was already dark)
" well its getting late and I'm getten tired and I thought I walk home I mean back to the lodging house."
"I'll walk yah"
"Hey spot"
"Yeah blink?"
"Um I don't mean ta embarrass yah Kira but I think we all consider yah a sista and well spot take care of er watch er with yah life we's don't want nothin ta happen to er!"
She walked over to blink even though her head only came to his collar bone and said almost in tears'
" Oh blink da was da sweetest ting anybody has ever said to me I love all of you as my big brothers"
And with that she walked out of the resraunte with spot as they walked she lost all trak of time she couldn't care all she wanted was to be with her new friend and time could neva touch them suddenly they stopped in front of a house not knowing dat. is was da one dat gave the greatest pain.
" Uh Kira, I was just wonderin yah known how yah told me and Jackie Boy that yah couldn't tell whose kiss yah liked best on an empty stomach?"
"Yeah so?"
"Well I was wondering if you could tell me?"
"I guess I could tell you or should I say show you"
"What does yah mean shhh!"
( just before spot could finish his sentence she pulled their lips to gather into a long kiss and during the kiss all her pain had been lifted up she felt like she was in heaven after she had un locked lips she said
"Does that answer your question?"
She suddenly looked up realized it was her old home and suddenly all the pain and memories were put back, feeling so scared that her father would rise from the house like a monster to destroy them both she was too scared for words she hung on spots shoulder to scared to move just then spot said in a concerned voice
"Kira what's da. matta, what's wrong "
"I's Gotta gets away from dis. house if he finds me he'll kill me, get me a way spot please"
" Don't worry I'll get yah away."
They walked back to the lodging house in silence. As they walked into the bunk room where everybody stared she walked over to her bed and started to cry jack, blink, race, mush, skittery and snipshooter walked to the side of her bed blink knelt down and asked in a whisper
" What's da. matta?"
She took out a piece of paper from her pillow and handed it to him and told him to read it out loud so everyone should know why I was up set. Blink walked to the center of da. room cleared his throat and began
Part five
MY NAME IS MISTY, I'M BUT SEVENTEEN, MY EYES ARE SWOLLEN SHUT, I CAN HARDLY SEE, I MUST BE GOOD IT'S THE LESSON I'VE LEARNED
"I can't read the rest"( he said bursting into tears as jack took his place.)
OR I'M PUNISHED WITH CIGARETTE BURNS, I MUST DO GOOD, I CAN'T DO
WRONG, OR I 'M PUNISHED ALL WEEK LONG, WHEN I AWAKE I'LL BE ALONE, THE HOUSE IS DARK MY FOLKS AREN'T HOME, DEEP DOWN INSIDE I'M VERY SAD, FOR I'M HATED BY MY MOM AND DAD, A PAINFUL BURDEN I MUST ENDURE, I'M LOTS OF TROUBLE THAT'S FOR SURE, TO THEM I'M JUST AN EXPENSIVE JOKE, NO MORE SPEED AND NO MORE COKE, ACCIDENTAL THAT'S THEIR WORD, MANY TIMES THAT PHRASE I'VE HEARD, QUIET NOW HE'S NOT THAT FAR, DADDY'S HOME FROM CHARLEY'S BAR, I HEAR HIM BECAUSE MY NAME HE CALLS, I PRESS MY SELF AGAINST THE WALLS, OH MY GOSH IT'S TO LATE, HIS FACE IS ALL TWISTED UP WITH HATE, I FEEL THE PAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN, PLEASE DEAR LORD LET IT END, MY NAME IS MISTY I'M BUT SEVENTEEN, THAT NIGHT MY FATHER MURDERED ME.
"Jack you gave me a home you be came my mother and my father but what if the horrible dreams come true what if they catch me and I no longer exist" spot knelt down beside her bed as blink started to scream and holler
" I'll kill em I'll kill im fer what he done I swear to the living end"
( Blink had knocked a hole through the window from his anger blink then ran to the side of my bed where the newsies were trying to cheer her up he had pushed his way through and sat down then engulfed her in his chest holding her till the feeling of security had filled her entire body she knew for once in her life she was safe blink had finally let go then said) "nobody's evea gonna hoit yah like dat again and if dey do use dat. voice to scream for help cause we's all love yah" after he had finished and walked to the side of jack came another rush of hugs and kisses on the cheek's the last newsie that was left was spot and then he sat on the edge of her bed holding her close as She whispered in his ear
"How many mountains will I have to climb, how many memories will I leave be hind, how many day dreams will I make come true, how many times do I have to say you're the best?"
(Then with a smile he whispered)" till the end of time"
He pulled her close to a kiss but she had pulled away she said in a whisper "spot I didn't mean to lead you on I'm not ready for a relation ship I hope you're not mad at me."
"I understand Kira But I'll always love yah until I die but whenever you're ready you let me know"
She sat up and gave her a hug and then let go and laid back down and fell asleep she then heard crutchy talking in his sleep. " Lace, oh lace where did you go?" She then fell asleep wonders who lace was and where she went she spent the next month with the newsies jack seemed to be moving farther and farther away from her she was scared she only wanted to pull him closer but their friend ship seemed to fade it made her sad the next day she got up and went to sell her papes she sold almost all her papes but it was growing late and she started toward the lodging house when she stopped race "hey have you seen jack?"
" yeah he's up on the roof of the lodging house!"
" Thanks race."
part six
Setting Three boys lying on the edge of a building with their shirts off. Not saying a word, but watching the sun go down, feeling the cool night air against their sweaty body's suddenly, a sandy blond turned to the sound of his friend, Kira.
"Hey Kira how yah doin?" the boy said to her as she walked to wards them.
"I'm doin good, but you look like you're a big drip." She said referring to the sweat on his body,
"well, yeah that tend's to happen when your sellen papes all day, how did you do?"
he asked Kira as she sat between him and a tall brown curly haired boy that had his face covered with his shirt. " Oh, I guess all right, I didn't sell all my papes but most of them I did! How did you do spot? . "
"Well I sold all mine, and I won more money playin poker with race."
They both chuckled under their breath's as the tall brown haired Boy sat up and rubbed his eyes for a second, then looked over at spot and Kira in confusion
" When did you get here Kira?"
he asked very confused at this point, but Kira just smiled then said
" who is Kira? You must have mistaken me for someone else because my name is cysa what's your's?"
the boy then turned to spot and asked the same question but spot just played along.
Who is Kira? This is cysa and I'm joe what's your name? ."
The boy then turned to the boy beside him, his face was covered with a cowboy hat, he was sound asleep and then the boy woke him up.
" Hey what does youse think yah doin waken me up when I'm tryin ta sleep, geese's mush!" The boy said stretching
" sorry jack, But I have a question to ask yah, is that spot and Kira, or cysa and joe?" mush asked very confused
"its spot and Kira, why do you guys' have ta keep confusing the poor guy huh?"
jack then got up and started toward the latter down to the street, then one by one they followed just before mush got to the latter he was stopped by Kira's voice.
"Hey mush, I'm sorry for confusing you, spot and I was just playin with yah head."
" Ah dat.'s okey I know you were just haven fun, but um Kira the last one back to the bunk room kisses race."
He said with a huge grin on his face then Kira said
" you're on, and whoever wins' get's to kiss him on the lips and a big wet one to."
They climbed down the latter and onto the street they caught up to jack and spot and then began the race both of them were neck and neck but just then Kira got a burst of energy and pulled out in front by about ten feet and kept the lead all the way back to the lodging house and then she slammed open the door and ran up the stairs and into the bunk room and over to mushes bed then waited till he came in, about five minutes later mush came in breathing heavily then with a huge grin on Kira's face she said
" There's race over there playin poker with blink and the others, so go to it."
She said as she pointed to a group of boys sitting on the floor laughing then he said in a sarcastic voice
"don't you worry Kira I'll get yah back you just wait."
She then called back to him.
" I changed my mind I'll do it you don't have to, beside's the guys won't think you're, um you know."
She walked over to race tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned his head she said.
" Race I need to talk to you alone."
"Okey"
Race dropped his cards and gathered his winnings and followed Kira onto the roof then he asked
" what did you need to talk to me about?"
Kira then walked closer to race the said
"oh nothing really"
she put her arms' around races neck the pulled him into a kiss that was long and sweet, it seemed like an Eternity when she finally let go, race was shocked not only by what had happened but by how good it felt. She then said
"I'm sorry it's just that me and mush had a race I won but I didn't think you'd like having mush kiss yah so I said I would, are you mad at me?"
"No, no I'm not mad it felt good it really did."
"Well um, thanks"
they walked back to the bunk room and when they got in they seemed to glow in the low candle light race walked her to the door and said good night, then closed the door as she walked up the last flight of stairs she opened the door to her room and closed it again then undid her pants and left them on the floor she then climbed in bed and fell asleep the next morning when she awoke she got dressed and then went down stairs to find the guys all she found was crutchy lying on his bed she walked to where he was lying and sat at the foot of his bed he then said "hey how's it going Kira?"
"Not so good what about you, how's your leg feeling?"
"A little bit, better!"
"Can I tell you a, Secret?"
"sure"
"well it's jack I don't think he likes me that much because he never seems to give me the time of day anymore, like he use to now all he wants to do is be around spot or race and never invites me to do any thing now don't think I like, like him because I don't it would just make things better if he were my friend again."
She put her hand on her fore, head and stared at her feet then crutchy put his arm around her shoulder and said
"even if jack won't be your friend you know you have plenty of friends without him"
" yeah, I know"
" in time he will be your friend again"
Kira then got up and started toward's the door and then was stopped by the same voice she had been listening to.
" Hey Kira, I'm always here when you need to talk."
She smiled and left the room she headed down stairs out onto the street, she kept walking not paying attention to where she was going she turned a corner and she was suddenly knocked to the ground it was jack, his chest was heaving trying to get air he grabbed her by the arm and started running through alleys', in and out of streets they kept running till jack skidded to a stop Kira tried to speak but nothing came out she then took a deep breath and then spoke
part seven
"why were we running, and who were we running form"
"I was running from the delanceys, why? Because they were looken for yeah and they's say's you soaked em pretty good when yah foists came here and well I thought I was gonna go and straighten them out but dey's had the crip wid em, geese's why do goils make all the trouble around here. ?"
When jack had finished Kira was so mad, she walked up to him and slugged him in the stomach leaving him wincing in pain.
She kept running her legs felt numb and her lungs were burning she didn't know where she was all she knew is that she had to get as far away form jack and manhattan as she could. She was at the peak of her energy level that she tripped and slammed down onto the cobble stone and fell asleep instantly it was about ten o'clock at night when she finally woke up she walked around the back of a bakery and lied on a pile of flour sacks and grabbed an old potato sack and covered her self and fell asleep again she tossed and turned all night dreaming about how things were and about what jack had said and what she was going to do now.
The next morning she woke up to newsies yelling the headlines of their morning newspapers. She started walking surely the newspaper would tell her where she was, she walked up to a newsie and asked him for a newspaper the title said
TRIBUNE BEST REPORTING IN QUEENS
she looked up from the newspaper and asked the boy in a tired voice
"Um I'm new here, could you tell me where the less expensive hotels are?"
He then lifted up his hat to see the full length of Kira's body
"Nope they's all filled up because of the big fight, people from all over come to see squire he's woild champion, but I'm almost done wid me papes so I'll show yah around."
The boy sold his papes all in just ten minutes, as they walked down the street they made light conversatition.
"So um what's yah, name misses?"
"Oh yeah I'm Kira what's yours?"
"I'm Jessie, leader of the queen's newsies nice to meetcha"
he said as he held out his hand.
" You to Jessie"
she said as she spit in her hand and shook his. They walked around a corner on 1895 Westminister Ave. And, walked into a fairly large building and instead of a man running the joint it was a woman.
"Hey Mrs. potter, listen Kira here needs a place to stay, do we have another bunk?"
"Hello Kira I'm Mrs. Potters and yes we do have an extra bunk Jessie, take her to C-7 right next to ash, All right!"
Jessie and Kira walked up the stairs that had a whole bunch of pictures of the family they soon got to the flight that had the bunk rooms they walked down the hall and then Jessie opened the fifth door and walked in and led Kira to the back corner then he said
"here we are C-7 okey Kira this is Ash, mint, mouse, bird, and laces girls this is Kira she'll be spending some time here."
They all said Hi in unison and invited her to sit down and talk.
" So where yah from Kira?" Ash asked
" I'm from manhattan!"
" how could you stand it there that jack Kelly is enough to make You throw up" mouse blurted out
" That's why I ran away he mad every thing hard for me and one day he told me that women make all the trouble for him but he wasn't all ways like that I mean when I first came to be with his group he was just like the big brother I never had but something happened to him. But when he said that about girls I just went nuts' and I guess you could say he has a very big boo, boo on his stomach."
"Wow I never new a person who could leave jack a mark of pain, yah sees we were all at one time part of jack's group but not at the same time especially me and laces I was jack's girl and laces was Crutchy's until he drove us away with his drinking binges he had so much hate when he drank he would scare us to death so finally we came here."
"I wasn't anyone's girl did want him to be the old jack again he was my best friend then and crutchy told me that he would be my friend again and that to be patient with him but who could be patient when he hates me?"
part eight
" Crutchy, you know crutchy do you know how he's doing"
laces asked "well he was laid up because of his leg he kinda fell running from the new warden at the refuge for taking an apple off of one of the carts at the market."
" He got hurt from running from the warden over a stupid apple, I'll kill the rat warden!"
"Okey girls' light's out"
Jessie said
"Kira you're a good friend we'd be happy if you stayed"
Ash whispered down at Kira on the bottom bunk.
" So would I Ash, so would I."
"They both fell asleep, Kira didn't have any trouble sleeping she felt loved here but she missed her friends and so she made up her mind, that she would go, and see them the next morning. But back at the manhattan lodging house every newsie was up just waiting for Kira to walk in the door but so far nothing. Suddenly blink stood up on the table and started shouting
"Hey fellas did she say anything to anybody if she was Goin any where or did she talk to any of yah?"
"Yeah she talked to me!"
crutchy said laying on his bed race walked over to his bed and sat on the foot of his bed and then said
"wad she say crutchy?"
"Well she was kinda depressed because of jack, now she don't like, like him she just said that he'd changed for the worst and she thought that he hated her because he wasn't acting like he cared anymore like he used to."
Race, got up and walked over to where jack was standing in the corner.
"Do you know where she is Jack?"
"Who?"
" Kira that's who!" Race, said getting mad at jacks apathy.
"Yeah, but she's run off!"
"Where?"
"I dunno she just hauled off and slugged me in the stomach then ran away."
" She must of had good reason to wad yah say to her that made her slug yah?"
"All I said was that woman make all the trouble for us men."
"She didn't make any trouble for me or any of the others in fact we like her as a friend and as a sister why can't you?"
"What are yah saying that I don care wells I do I tried to save her butt from the Delanceys!"
by this time the two guys were face to face arguing
" then why do you all ways push someone you care about away?"
"Because every time I meet a new goyl I try not to fall in love because I love Ash still and I can't figure out why she left and I can't find her any where to say I 'm sorry for whatever I did To make her leave."
The next day Kira woke up and the room was empty except a note on her bunk from Ash which read
Dear Kira we thought we would let you sleep while we went and sold papes when you wake up ask Mrs. potter where the distribution center is and I'll be waiting for you there or just stay in the lodging house till we get back okey.
Love Ash and the others.
She had decided that she would go and get her stuff from Manhattan, it took her about two hours to find the right way she, walked down the street it was hot and she was sweating like nothing else, but she kept walking until she heard a familiar voice she didn't even have to turn around to know it was race.
"Hey Kira is that you?"
" Hey, race how yah doin?"
"Where were yah we, was worried about yah last night we thought somethin might of happened to yah?"
" It's good to know I still have a few friends back here."
"You, know I'll always be your friend, Kira!"
"Yeah I know but I have new friends and they're great we have so much in common."
"Oh,! You must be happy?"
race said in a surprised tone then it changed into a sad one.
"Don't get me wrong I love you guys', it's just that I have to stay where I'm wanted until jack realizes what he's doing to every body and then maybe Ash will come back with the others. But race who was your girl I know you too well for you not to of had one? ."
"Your right I did have one her name was mouse. She was so quiet, and so beautiful. We were to gather for one year I was going to ask her to marry me when she left I, never got the chance to say good bye, I miss her so much I thought the first time you we met you were going to take her place but I guess I love her still."
"And you should, she's a great girl and a great friend."
"You know where she is?"
" yeah I know where she is, come with me to gather my things and I'll take yah back to see her in queen's okey?"
"OKEY!"
Race and her walked back to the Manhattan lodging house and gathered her stuff and then she wrote a letter to crutchy and the others.
Dear crutchy I want to thank you for listening to my problems and being a great friend and all and I'll bring laces to see you some time but for now
fare well love you Lot's.
Dear, Fella's thanks for being the best friends I've got I'll come back when jack cleans up his act so save my room for me okey!
Love Kira always and forever.
part nine
After Kira had gotten all her stuff to gather they headed back to queen's and race listened to everything that Kira had to say about why mouse and everybody else left, he had a hard time trying to understand but it was all to confusing it made no sense at all he had so may questions he needed to find answers for he couldn't understand why jack could push the one person he loved so much away. It was breaking his heart to see her leave but what could he do to make her stay. They walked in and out of alleys around town until they found the building she was staying in at this point it was about seven thirty, they barley had time to get in the door before Ash ran down the stairs and grabbed Kira's arm and led her up the stairs to the bunk room while race followed Ash said in a whisper as she led Kira to the bed where laces was laying.
" Its laces she's been hurt bad!"
"How did it happen"
Kira asked
"The delanceys found her they saw the she was following you back to manhattan, I guess that they thought that she was you but I don't understand, nothing like this has ever happened before, she didn't do any thing to them why would they do something like this especially to her."
Ash plopped on a bunk and cried she knew everybody was watching her make a fool out of her Kira put her arms around her soothing her until she stopped crying then Kira spoke
" They did this to get revenge on me."
" What! Why?"
"Because when I first came to Manhattan they tried"
Kira paused for a moment to collect her thought's then began again.
"They tried to rape me but I was stronger than them both and I left them a lying on the cobble stone But they left of fear on me I live my life looking over my shoulder and learning to expect the unexpected not what will happen when I wake living the day like it was my last."
Jessie walked over to where Kira was sitting and knelt down and put his hands on her thighs to help balance.
" No, one will ever have to live like that not if I can help it"
he said to everybody in the room and they trusted him he was their leader he then gathered all the guys in the room and even race to help plan their stratagy and sat down in a half circle to try and degauss their problem then Jessie spoke to race
"Race,! I need you to go back to manhattan and try to convince jack to help us take care of the delanceys and see if the others will be willing to join to."
"All-right but I will need Ash to come back with me she might be able to help convince jack."
" All right, Ash could you come over here for a second"
ash got up and walked over to wards the group and sat down beside race and they looked at each other as to say that it was good to see each other then Jessie spoke
"I need you to go back to Manhattan with race to help convince jack to help us do you think you can do that? I know it's not going to be easy because you ran away because of Jack but I need you to do it for laces sake"
" okey I will all I can promise is that I'll try my best."
"That's all I want and that's all you can give is you're best."
Ash got up and walked back to her bunk and tried to go back to sleep but she had jack on her mind she was nervus about seeing Jack again because she didn't know if he had changed or stayed the same she stayed awake all night and at 7:30 in the morning she woke race up by yelling in his ear "WAKE UP!" Race had jumped and landed on the floor with only his long johns on which had made him blush a little he jumped up and got his pants and shirt on and gathered his vest and his hat and his lucky pocket watch and walked out the bedroom closing it behind him and walking down the stairs and out onto the street feeling the cool morning air on his still sleepy body they started walking after race had gotten all the way dressed they didn't talk for about the first half an hour but race interrupted the silence
"Hey Ash what made you leave?"
"Well remember when jack started to drink on the weekends and then started drinking on the week days right after he got done selling his papes he would often come back to the lodging house as drunk as a stuffed pig I tried to talk to him about his problem but he would get angry, a little two angry he hit me about twice every other day and it went on for about two months and I believed I deserved it until he hit laces and we left and came here I'm sorry for taking her away from you I know you loved her she loved you very much but she insisted that she come with me I tried to convince her to stay but she said she was too scared to stay because she was involved and she said if I went She went she is a really good friend I'm sorry you got hurt." Race looked at the ground then back at Ash and opened up his mouth but instead of saying anything he stopped walking and wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug then started to speak.
" I'm sorry I didn't know, if only you would've told me I would of tried to make him understand what he was doing, he listens to me most of the time but he still loves you he's pushed all the new girls away from being his friend he couldn't bare loving anybody else he went nuts when you left that's why Kira ran away all she wanted to have him be her friend again because after you left we rescued her from her step father and he seemed to get better but then he went back down about six months after and she was a good friend blink had the biggest crush on her so did spot but she wanted them as friends not any thing more not anything less but jack couldn't handle it that's why I Wanted you to come with me so you could help maybe he will want to give it another try?"
"Yeah I guess I could but if he hasn't changed I'm not staying to see if he will."
They kept walking it took them about ten thirty they walked into Manhattan and they kept walking they met mush by a corner by the distribution center
"hey mush how's it goin? How come you arnt out selling papes wid da others?."
"Well jack got kinda worried that you didn't come back last night he thought you might of went to look for Kira, by the way where did you go?."
" well mush I did go out to find Kira and I found ash instead you remember ash don'tcha "
"course I do how yah doin ash long time no see."
" I'm doing good and what about yah self?"
"I'm doin good, so what yah hear for?"
" well, mush the queen's newsies need our help with the delanceys and well ash is here to help convince jack to help them, I need you to gather all the newsies and jack and tell them to meet at the bunk room and hurry we don't have much time."
"Okey"
mush ran down the street gathering all the newsies and telling them where to go saying it was urgent and that they had to go he told every newsie including Jack they all met in the bunk room of the lodging house they all sat on their bunks and on the floor talking until jack walked then they were all silent.
" So, what's the big emergency that you couldn't wait to talk about?"
Ash walked up behind jack and taped him on the shoulder and when he turned around he was shocked to see a face he hadn't seen in months a face he knew so well and loved.
" Ash, how, where, Oh ash I love you"
he grabbed her around the neck and pulled her into a hug and she felt so much better about asking him to join it felt like old times she missed him so much then race spoke
" I need every body's attention for a couple minutes now in queens they've been having some trouble with the delanceys and they need you're, help to shall we say dispose of the problem and many of you're goils are their crutchy, laces got hurt by the delanceys, mush bird is there and blink mint is there too. And many others so it worth you're while to help them out."
Everybody looked around whispering and talking to each other then crutchy spoke up.
"I don't know about any of you guy's but I need to help especially if laces is involved because I love her and she's definitely worth it."
One by one they all agreed and decided that tomorrow they would go to queens and do their battle jack led ash to the roof and sat on the edge and looked up at the sky then back at her and said
"why did yah leave ash I loved yah so much, why?"
" well jack you remember when you started drinking to ease the pain from you're leg!"
"Yeah!"
" Well I don't think you remember but after you would come back to the bunk room you were so drunk and so mad you beat me I took the abuse for two months jack, two months and honestly I believed I deserved it cause you told me I did and I always believed you but when you hit my best friend, laces I realized that nobody deserved to get hit so me and her left and went to queens."
" I'm so sorry I didn't mean to do that, I love you so much and after you left I just kept pushing any girl that came to be a newsie away I didn't want to be their friend, and I didn't want to have any thing to do with them."
part ten
"Im sorry you had to go through that but maybe if you've changed things can go back to the way they used to be, will you help Jessie fight off the delanceys?"
"Yeah, I will."
They walked back down to the bunk room everybody was almost ready to fall asleep until ash tripped over a bucket and woke everybody up
"shhhhhh!"
they muttered as ash said
"sorry guys!"
she, walked up the stairs to where Kira had slept and laid down feeling better about the things jack said she soon fell asleep and dreamed of what would happen the next day.
" Hey ash wake up its time to go"
"hmm, go where?"
"Back to queens yah know ta help Jessie!"
Oh Yeah, well lets go"
not noticing that she had only her long Johns on she started to blush then she wrapped a blanket around her waist
" well don't just stand there turn around."
Once Jack was turned she hurried and slipped her pants and shirt on and then said
" you can look now!"
Jack turned and smiled and grabbed Ashes had and kissed her cheek and said
" you look beautiful"
ashes cheeks were flushed and very hot to the touch but it felt good. They walked down the stairs and out the door to where the other newsies were waiting soon as they walked down the stairs they started off for queens. They walked not saying a word but anger on their faces they soon met spot and his group near the end of Brooklyn.
" hey, spot what are you doin here?"
" News travels fast around here, I'm goin to help Kira and Jessie."
"Join the party, well lets go"
they walked and walked till they got to the building and saw Jessie standing out on the stairs just in space not noticing Ash talking to him until she screamed at him.
" JESSIE WAKE UP!"
"huh?"
"Are you all right?"
"Well It's Kira she kinda got caught by the delanceys and they says they wont let her go until you and spot and blink and jack come and get her. I feel so helpless"
he bent down and put his arms on his cheeks and you could see the tears just start to fall.
"She was taken from her selling spot last night probably by the delanceys they sent a note with one of the younger kids and it said that they won't give er up until you guys come to get her and they said if they don't receive a response by sun down they'll do some thing bad and we have to send the same boy who brought the note back to them and if he's followed they'll kill er."
"What are we going to do jack?"
"The only thing we can do, respond I guess. Where's a piece of paper?"
they walked in the building Mrs potter wasn't there because she was out doing the laundry, she did the laundry every Thursday at one o'clock in the after noon so they had at least six hours to plan there attack. Jessie handed Jack a piece of paper and a quill pen and then jack started writing.
part eleven
Oscar I'm responding to you're demand just tell us where you want us to meet you and we'll be there but if you hurt her you'll have me to deal with.
Jack
spot
blink
ash.
Jack folded up the letter and gave it to a short curly red head boy then he scurried off now all they had to do was plan and wait Jessie brought all the newsies out side because all of the newsies including Brooklyn&manhattan could not fit in the lodging house. An hour and a half went by and no sight of the little boy but in five minutes he came running back with another note.
Jack, you meet us at the old river pub at 9:00 to night sharp.
And don't threaten me because you just might never see you're friend again and you'll live with that guilt here's to show I'm serious .
Oscar.
They saw a big puddle of dark red blood along with a piece of Kira's cloths jack crumpled up the note and walked over to the wall and started to punch and kick the wall blurting obscenity's he hated the delanceys and what they did who know's how hurt she was he wanted to kill them. Ash ran over to where jack was hitting the wall and she said
" jack please stop she'll be okey I promise, you've got to save you're strength please jack!"
Jack had stopped hitting the wall and grabbed Ash and hugged her and he started to cry and he couldn't stop after a couple of minutes he gathered him self to gather and then said.
"I'm fine now. We've got to start our plan and decide how were going to do things and all you goyl's stay here."
" I don't think so jack" said one of the girls
" she's our friend to and we don't leave friends hangen."
she said with a persistent frown on her face
" besides we can help were not weak little girls that most boy's think we are we can handle it."
Jack thought for a minute and then said
"all-right but you goyl's gotta be careful I don't want anybody dead."
"Don't worry we can take care of our selves."
they all agreed that the rest of the newsies would spread out around the drop off point then attack. Around 8:30 they reached the drop off point and they tried to see for any sign's of Kira any where but none. They waited till the stoke of 9:00
then a figure came out of an alley and a stepped out on to the misty street of Harlem the figure walked to wards the four newsies he then asked
" You jack, and the other three?"
" Yeah!"
The figure started to walk back to the alley he motioned for them to follow they entered the mouth of the alley and the walked where the lantern light was just right they could see Kira tied and gagged in front of Oscar and morris delancey and a bunch of other gang members and other people jack walked up to Oscar and then he said
" Can we have Kira back?"
Oscar then pushed Kira all the way back to the back of the group and then he stepped to wards jack and said.
" You want her you're going to have to deal with me first because I still owe you for the broken nose."
Oscar stared at jack for a minute but then with a sudden thought Oscars arm swung up and hit Jack and knocked him down as soon as blink and spot saw jack fall down they ran and started there own fight. Ash then ran out of the alley and started to yell and scream for the other newsies to help them out. As soon as they heard ashes voice the ran in side the alley the battle had begun. People were being hit and knocked down left and write it went on for two hours until the delanceys retreated out the alley and took their group with them. Ash pushed their way through the newsies to where Kira was lying barely alive she asked for jack he walked over and knelt down and said
"You rang?"
" I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you coming to help me it's good of you to do so. You're a good friend I didn't mean to be a bother to you I just wanted to say thanks for all that you did for me."
She then closed her eyes and let all her strength out Jack grabbed her shoulders and began to shake her but he got no response and in a whisper he said
" she's dead, I didn't even get a chance to know her."
Tears had started to fall down his cheeks but he didn't make a sound but the other newsies gathered and mourned over their friend they carried Kira back to manhattan and buried her the next morning in the manhattan cemetery after the ceremony was over Jack went back to the lodging house feeling worse than ever he knew that he hadn't killed Kira but in a sense he had. He felt so guilty so helpless, that night as jack laid in his bed fast asleep he had a dream that Kira came back from the dead to talk to him.
part. twelve ******* dream********
She stroked his head until he woke up she then said
"Jack, I couldn't leave knowing you thought you killed me, because you didn't you saved me in every way a person can be saved I just wanted you to know that.
" how can you say that, I pushed you away I put you in that situation."
" yeah, you did but I can forgive the past it was all a mistake you didn't mean to hurt anybody but please don't forget me please."
Kira got up and walked through the door, then she said before she left
" until, we meet again jack, I'll be waiting Tell spot that I'll always love him always."
Jack woke up in a sweat he knew it was a dream but it felt so real he went over to the window and walked out onto the fire escape and he cold wind flew against his warm body giving him goose bumps. He then heard a voice in the wind it said
" take ash in you're arms and never let her go jack never let her go."
He then walked over to where ash was sleeping and climbed in her bed and put his arms around her she woke up at the shock of his cold skin.
" what are you doing jack?"
" Kira told me to take you in my arms and never let you go"
ash smiled and kissed him on the nose and fell asleep again. Jack whispered in her ear before she was completely asleep
" how long can I keep you?"
ash replied with a smile on her face and a tired voice
" forever my love forever."
The next morning jack got dressed and walked down stairs and saw spot waiting. His face was sad but it had sort of an emptiness to it he walked over to spot and sat on the table and then asked
" what's wrong spot?"
spot looked up to jack and said
" I can't believe she's dead, I loved her so much I don't even know if she cared about me."
" well spot she did care,"
" how, do you know?"
" she came to me last night in a dream and told me to tell you that she'll always love you she loved you from the first moment you guys kissed."
" She, did?"
" yea, she did."
" So every things going to be all right now isn't it?"
" yeah, every things going to be all right."
epilogue- and everything was going to be all right the year's went by and nobody for got Kira especially spot but life went on race married mouse and crutch and laces were as happy as could be and ash was the proud wife of a loving husband they lived in a happy lodging house for ever and jack says once and a while that Kira still comes to visit him. he never can forget what the last thing she said to him
" love is for ever, love is for always"
The end.