Where is Home
By: Kelly Kim

Abigail sat on the hard bed, that was know her's and looked around the dank orphanage. Her mother and father's butler came in with her suitcase moments later. He looked worriedly at his young mistress, "will u be alright here? I could try to find your father's brother again, and until then u could stay with me?"

Abigail smiled slightly, "Yes and where exactly would u get the money to look after me. U know that u don't make enough to keep anyone but yourself alive. Trust me I'll be fine here until my uncle is found really, Kramer." Abigail said not adding that he was getting on in age and looking after a 10 year old girl wasn't going to do him any good.

With that Kramer nodded and left the room slowly as if waiting for Abigail to tell him to stop and take her away with him. But not a word was uttered from Abigail's mouth until he reached the door. "wait .... You can't leave without saying goodbye" Abigail said with a single tear slowly falling down her face. "of course not" he turned around and she ran into his arms.

The special momet was soon destroyed when a very frail old man came walking by with what looked to be his nephew. The young man pulled Kramer from Abigail's reach and said "alright enough of this you probably won't see each other again so just say good bye and you can get out of here and let her settle in with me." the young man said emphatzing on the word ME.

Kramer didn't like this man the way he dressed or the way he talked. so he leaned over and asked once more if Abigail was sure if she wanted to stay. She nodded in return. After one last hug Kramer was reefed from Abigail's arms and dragged to the door.

Abigail looked at the young man who was now blocking the door way Abigail looked at him and he looked backwards down the hallway. He started to push Abigail back into the room. and then he turned and locked the door. Abigail didn't know what to do so she turned and ran to the window in some effort to open it . But he had thought one step ahead of her and pulled her from the window kicking and screaming.

Abigail awoke her whole body aching. She couldn't remember anything her mind was wuzzy and she didn't know where she was. She got up and slowly got dressed from one of her suitcases, and then when she was doing up the final button's, everything flashed through her head.

Abigail ran frantically to the window only to find that they were shut tight and there was bars across the windows. Abgail frowned, the window's of her room last night hadn't had bar, she looked around the room, and realeased that she was in another room.

Abigail sat down and tried to collect her thoughts. She was stuck in here, there was no way out. She had to get out. Suddenly a gruff voice whispered, "Don't even t'ink 'bout it. U can't get away, and if yer try d'en u just get in more trouble."

Abigail turned to look at a pretty blond girl, with hard brown eye's and a rough appearance. "What do u mean?" Abigail whimpered softly, "Cleveland will hurt yer more if yer try anyt'ing. So if yer stay out of trouble u r most likely safe from 'im, someone else will get it not you."

"I'm Avery Elisabeth Clements, everyone call me Birdy. What's yer name?" Birdy asked. "I'm...I'm Abigail Lohr." Birdy grinned suddenly, "Ohh yeah are you the goil who's parents died in d'at car accident? D'at was in all de papes." Birdy. "Yes that was my mummy and daddy." Abigail said quitely, tears streaming down her cheeks. Birdy looked uncomfortable, "Ohhh don't worry it's a'right. Look stick wit me and u'll be okay alright." Birdy said deciding to take Abigail under her wing.

As the months passed, Abigail and Birdy grew really close. Abigail learnt from Birdy how to hide her feeling's and emotions under a cold stare and the more time she spent with Birdy the less run in she had with Cleveland. Birdy in turn although she was 4 years older then Abigail learnt all about the world and history and life in the wealthy part of town.

One cold november morning, Birdy shook Caddy awake. "They r bringing in another one, look out the window." Birdy said with her cold emotionaless expression telling her that Cleveland had got to her last night.

Abigail got up and looked out the window. There was a burnette girl that looked about her age, kicking and screaming at the police officer that was dragging her in. Cleveland hurried out the door of the orhanage and the police office practically threw the girl at him.

"I wonder what she in for?" Birdy asked distantly. The girl didn't stop kicking and screaming when she was handed over to Cleveland. The 2 girls turned away from the window and got dressed quickly.

Moment's later Frank, looking older and weaker by the day, came in and put the girl's small carry all on the floor in their room. "Frank is that a new girl we saw out there?" Abigail asked. The old man looked saddened and nodded. All the girls in the room new that if he had been stronger Frank would have tried to stop his nephew but he felt helpless and old.

Abigail looked at Birdy, "Is...Is...Cleveland going to...." Abigail trailed off. Birdy nodded quickly and turned back to the book she had started reading. "Aren't you.......shouldn't we help her?" Abigail asked croakly remembering how she had felt.

Birdy stared at her in surprise, "Forget 'bout it Abby, it'll just get yer in trouble." Birdy said going back once agin to her book. Abigail stared at her best friend, "But if we stood up to him now maybe..." Maybe we would just get in ter more trouble." Birdy finished for her.

Abigail frowned, she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Suddenly she heard a scream from Clevelands room, and she rushed out of the door. Birdy looked up and cursed before chasing after her. Abigail burst into Clevelands room, and saw the girl throw a punch at Cleveland and she fleetingly noticed that Cleveland had a cut lip and a bruised eye.

"Come with us." Abigail shouted to the new girl. The girl spun around her long brown hair that was highlighted with red flicked into Cleveland's face. The girl ran from the room after kicking Cleveland in his shins.

Birdy sighed and ran in and kicked Cleveland while he was down as Abigail led the other girl into their room. Both girl's ran in and moment's later Birdy followed, once Birdy was inside, all 3 girls slammed the door.

The other girl's got up from wherever it was they were and looked stunned at the 3 girls. Abigail, slowly turned to look at Birdy shamefaced yet defiant. "I'm sorry Birdy but I couldn't let....." Abigail trailed off as Birdy sunk to the ground laughing.

"Did yer see d'e look on Clevelands face when she hit 'im." Birdy laughed loudly and started Abigail laughing as well. The other girl's looked at them strangely wondering what had happened. The new girl looked around and then ran to the window. She saw Cleveland storm out of the orhange in his cloak before quickly hopping in a waiting carriage and heading through the front gates.

The girl turned and looked at the other 2 girls that had helped her. "Thank you both. That dirty dingo has left so now is my chance to leave."

Abigail stood up and shook her head quickly, "No u can't. He will find you and u will be punished." The girl looked, desperately as she added, "But my brother is waiting for me. I have to get to him."

Birdy looked at Abigail and she stood up and walked over to the girl grabbing her roughly by the arm's, "We risked getting, in strife fer yer and yer still wanna leave. Look forget 'bout your brudder. Yer were lucky d'at yer knew how ter fight or u would 'ave tasted Clevelands form of justice just now. By der way where did yer learn ter fight like d'at?" Birdy asked admiringly.

"I spent some time on a sailing ship when me and my brother came over here from Australia. Then no sooner do we get here then some cobber come's along and say's that I'm to young to be on the streets and bring me here."

Abigail frowned so that was why she had an accent, "Why did you come here from Australia?"

"I have an aunt and uncle here. After my mother died they said that they would take us in. Do u think you might know them?"

"Well Birdy prolly would she know's almost everyone around here." Abigail said looking at Birdy.

"Their name was Lohr. I think they were rich." The girl added in after thought.

"Lohr? That's my name. You sure it wasn't something else?" Abigail said unconcernedly.

"No it was Courtney and Micheal Lohr," the girl said firmly.

"That......That was my parent's names. You said that they were your Uncle and Aunt's didn't you? Was Your Uncle your Father's brother?" Abigail said unsteadily.

"Yeah me father had a younger brother called Micheal and he moved to America when he meet his future wife, she was American you see. Why do you ask anyway?" The girl asked.

"I......I think that we are cousin's. Is your name Phyllis? Do you have a brother Benjamin? Was your mother's maiden name Clem's?" Abigail fired the question's at the girl.

"Yeah my names Pyhllis but not by choice. My brother is Benjamin and my mother was a Clem. How do you know all this?" Phyllis asked.

"I'm your cousin Abigail. My father used to speak of you and your father all the time." Abigail said still reeling from the shock.

Phyllis looked disbelievingly at Abigail, "You expect me to believe that you are my cousin, who just happens to live in the same place I end up. Where are your parents, don't tell me they own the joint right?" Phyllis asked sarcastically.

"No d'ere dead alright, leave 'er alone, if she say's d'at your her cousin your her cousin." Birdy said threateningly.

"Alright alright she's my cousin. What a cheery family reunion, but I ain't gonna be here long, me brother is coming to get me out. He will be suspicious by now."

"Well ain't she d'e cheery one." Birdy said to the rest of the group and laughed.

"Awww what would u know about me. Since u all r about as useful as tit's on a bull, I'll just get myself free." Phyllis added. She felt so alone. She had never been seperated from Bingles, like this before, without him knowing where she was, she was scared, but she wasn't going to let the other's know.

Phyllis grabbed her bag holding it tightly, then she realiazed that she didn't know where her bed was. Not that she would ask any of the girls. She would just have to find it herself. Phyllis looked up and her gaze clashed momentarily with Abigail's.

Phyllis had to admit however begrudingly that she was almost the spitting image of her father. Phyllis noticed Abigail nod towards a bed near the window. Phyllis frowned and walked over to the bed and sat down gingerly.

Phyllis had to think of a way to get out of this place, and she would have to do it alone. Phyllis lay down on the bed curled in a little ball hugging her bag tightly. slowly Phyllis opened the bag and pulled out a picture of her father, his brother, phyllis's mother and Abigail's supposed mother.

Phyllis fell asleep holding the picture tightly in her hand. When Phyllis awoke she realized instantly that the picture was gone. She jumped out of bed not realizing that she had dozed off, for a moment. She looked frantically around the room and her eye's fell on the bed next to her's and the pale girl holding the photo she had been looking so frantically for.

Abigail didn't look up but just said staring intently at the picture, "I never saw them looking as happy as they did here. Mummy looked so beautiful and daddy so handsome. You know my daddy worshipped your father. His older brother, everyone loved him espically daddy, he would tell me. Your dad could play cricket and rugby like a expert yet he always chose my daddy on his team when he couldn't play at all." Abigail said lost in her own mind.

Phyllis sat down on her bed across from Abigail and listened to her talk of her father with such love and tender joy. "You really are my cousin aren't you?" Phyllis asked softly. Abigail nodded and kept staring at the picture.

Both girl sat in silence for a few moments. Phyllis looking at Abigail and Abigail looking at the photo. Finally Abigail shook herself out of her daze and smiled slightly handing the picture back to Phyllis. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to look at it so long, It's just that I don't have any pictures of my parents. We just never seemed to think it was nessacary. I guess I just thought that they'd be around forever."

Phyllis placed the photo back in to her bag gently and carefully before turning back to Abigail. "You really miss them hmmmm? How long ago did they..............die?" Phyllis asked gently.

"About 4 months 2 weeks and 4 days ago. They died in a train crash. They had gone away on a holiday and were on their way home when it happened. I don't know much about it." Abigail said softly. "You said you were here with your brother, what happened to your parents?"

"My mother died a year ago. There was some problems at home so we left, Ben had got work on a sailing ship. He managed to get me on broad as well. After a few days at sea, I started to cook the meals, because well because Hans couldn't cook at all he was the ship's look-out and the only one who could spare the time to cook.

"So I started cooking all the meals and the crew loved them. When we found out that the captain was docking her, we remember your parents lived here so we decided to try and find them. So the captain paid us for our work and said we could stay on the ship until they left. That was yesterday. Ben and I went out today to try and find your parents and that's when that cobber found me and dragged me in here." Phyllis explained quickly.

Abigail frowned, "where was your father in all of this? You never mentioned him." Abigail said worriedly. Phyllis grunted out, "I don't know where he is. When I was 2 he left with the school teacher. News came that he was dead but I'm not sure."

Abigail looked down at the ground, "Ohhh I'm sorry. But at least that explains why no-one could find him after my parents died. Looks like I'm going to have to stay here with Cleveland." Abigail shuddered.

"If you stand up to him, he will back down. I know his type. They are cowards, at least that's what Ben say's." Phyllis said wrapping herself up into a little ball. Abigail looked at her newly found cousin curiously, "You said there was trouble were you used to live. What kind of trouble?"

Phyllis looked at Abigail and smiled humorlessly, "It had to do with the man that was looking after me while mum was sick. It's a long story you sure you want to hear it?" Abigail was intrigued now so she nodded quickly. "Go on."

" I remember Ben and I walking into the court house in Australia. I walked up the isle and sat in the witness box I was so worried. Ben stood in the bellow's with, Mr branaham, a large cruel looking man standing in the bellow's across from him.

I heard Mrs Jones say "she is pale, wisp of a girl. She is thin hin only half the size of her former self. The girl is 10 years old yet she is so pale and thin that she doesn't look a day over 16" I ignored her and looked at Ben almost in tears as the counsellers asked me complicated question's. It did not take long at all for both lawyers to finishes their interragation, and dismiss me the first witness of the day from the court room to wait outside, for the judge to come to a verdict.

Ben walked out of the courthouse at midday and hugged me as I hugged him tightly back. "Did u win Ben?" I asked him he looked like he was 18 years old rather then 14, u see that was why he had managed to get the court to have a custody hearing for the custody of me.

" I don't know poppet, even though they think I'm 18 they still thing it's slightly young to be looking after u by myself. I have this bad feeling in my stomach that he is going to win. But don't worry I have a plan. We have to act now though because they have a 2 hour reccess to think the matter over." he told me

I looked at Mr Branaham as he walked out of the courthouse with his 2 children, "I don't want to live with him, please don't make me Benny I'll do what ever u say." I pleaded teary eye'd.

Ben looked at me hugging me tightier. I knew he still felt responsible for what had happend to me, but he spoke quitely when he told me, "I promise u won't have to go anywhere near him if u do exactly what I say. We r going to go home and pack our clothes then go on down to the dock's alright? Don't ask why just do it poppet." I nodded and walked home with Ben.

Just then my mind wandered to my time spent with Cody Branaham. He had been cruel from the start, but I couldn't do anything with ma sick and my father gone. Ma said she needed Benjamin to look after her but she didn't want me to be an added burden on Ben's shoulders, not that she would tell me that but I just knew. So when Mr Branaham had offered to look after me she jumped at the chance and packed me off to the property a mile or so down the lane.

I had been happy at the time I liked Mr Branaham's kids and the man himself was always nice and polite. But things changed straight away. It was almost straight after I had unpacked my clothes, Mr Branaham ordered me to tutor his children in pyshics and chemisty. I was only10 year old so I had no idea how to teach his children of 14 and 13 when I hadn't even finished school, after the 2 grade, and I told him so.

I was called insolent and punished by being beaten badly with the his belt and then sent to the closet and locked in there for 2 days. The abuse continued over the next year My mother was getting sicker and sicker and needing more and more help from Ben.

One day Mr Branaham had tried to force himself on me, I couldn't take abuse any longer and managed to free myself from Mr Branaham's overtures and ran from the house. I screamed over and over again for Ben as Mr Branaham chased me down when he reached me I was near the woods, I knew that if I had made it into the wood's he wouldn't have been able to catch me," Phyllis said feircely, "but I had no such luck and Mr Branaham caught me by the flying pelt of me hair.

Mr Branaham had recently gotten a new belt with a large ornery buckle on it. As he layed into me the buckle sliced my skin leaving large welt's. The buckle was like a stamp leaving it's impression on my soft skin over and over again, it was the worst beating I had ever had and I screamed in pain.

Then Mr Branaham was spent he picked me up and threw me repeatedly into a tree. Lucky I fainted the second time so the pain wasn't felt and my body moved looser and conformed to the tree more causing less damage to the already brusied skin and my fragile bones."

Phyllis shudder in rembrance, thanking god that Benjamin had heard her screams and came and rescued her.

Abigail gaped at Phyllis, "Ohh my lord how did you servive it." She said thinking of Cleveland. "I just took it a day at a time, and I had my brother to look out for as well. We r really close now that our ma is dead. Just like Birdy and you probably. You both seem really close.

"We are. She looked after me, after I got here. She is my best friend." Abigail said softly. Phyllis felt a slightly pang of jealousy. She had never had a best friend, she was just reliazing how much she might like one.

2 days past before Bingles arrived at the orphange with the captain. "Abby, Birdy that's my brother. Right there." Phyllis said calling the girls over to the window, it was one of their rare day's off and it seemed, the day Phyllis had been waiting for.

Birdy looked out the window at the good looking blond boy smiling slightly, "He's real nice looking, Phyllis. "Ey I just taught if yer git out, go ter New Yoirk, I 'ave friends d'ere d'ey'll look after yer both."

Phyllis looked shocked, "No No you are both coming with me, right? The captain will take you with us. I promise." Phyllis added. She had just mee the 2 girls but she already felt like they were her sisters.

"It won't work Phyl, Cleveland will try desperately not to let go of you but if he does, there is no way he will let go of both of us." Abigail said despairingly.

"But...." just then Ben walked into the room and opened his arms to Phyllis and she ran into them. "Ohhhhhh Ben I missed you. I was so scared and alone." Phyllis muttered into his chest.

"I know poppet, but I'm here know, and the Captain managed to bribe the owner enough to let you go with us." Ben said hugging his precious little sister tightly. "You should have known that I would come for you." Bingles said.

Phyllis grabbed hold of his shirt suddenly, "Ben I have to introduce you to some people." Ben wasn't sure wheather it was a good idea for Phyllis to become so attached to people she probably wouldn't see again.

"This is Abigail she is our cousin amazing isn't it. Then this is Birdy, she is Abby's best friend. I promised them they could come with us can they. Please don't say no please after all Abby is our cousin and Birdy is almost our cousin to." Phyllis pleaded.

Ben frowned, "I don't know how we can Poppet. I told you the Captain had to bribe the owner to take a little walk for 5 minutes." Ben said still reeling from the shock of finding out that he had a cousin.

"Wait did you say for a walk? That mean that he won't be here so they can come with us." Phyllis said happily. "Okay girls quickly get your stuff your leaving......." Ben interrupted Phyllis, "Poppet there is someone else here though some old man and he is going to stop anyone else leaving, the owner told him to."

"D'at's Frank Ise sure 'e'd let us go. 'E's our friend." Birdy said excitedly. Bingles looked at the 3 girls before sighing and nodding, "Alright u 2 can come. But make it quick please." Bingles said grabbing all 3 of the girls bag's in one hand and hurried down the stairs.

Phyllis, Abby, and Birdy, quickly said their goodbye's and hurried down the stairs. The girls looked worriedly at Frank, not sure wheather he would risk going against Cleveland. The old man smiled shakily and whispered, "This is for all the time's I couldn't help u. Hurry before he come's back, be good girls." Frank smiled tearily.

The 3 girls' said their thanks to Frank and hurried out the door into the captian's waiting Carriage. Once inside, Phyllis was ingulfed in a huge hug from both Birdy and Abby. Birdy said roughly, "T'ank yer alright kid." Abby smiled and whispered to Phyllis, "Thank you cousin." Phyllis smiled at Abby and hugged her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

4 YEARS LATER.

Phyllis, looked around the large city, people jostled to and fro, each selling their ware's and goods. She put her hand into her pocket, clenching her 20 dollar's tightly in her fist. The Captain had come to see them, 2 day's ago, and given them 20 dollar's each to survive until he next came back to New York.

Ben was looking around for food, and Phyllis was looking around the city for a place to stay. Ben came up behind her and pointed to a resturant called Tibby's. Phyllis nodded and grabbed Ben's hand as he led them to the resturant.

Once inside Phyllis and Ben made their way to a corner table near the window. They ordered a small meal to share and, ate quickly and ravenously. When they had finished, the payed their tab and walked back out of the resturant just in time to see, a small boy, who couldn't be a day over 5 running from 2 larger boy's. The little boy, stumbled and fell over a cobblestone, and the larger boy's stood over him laughing menacingly and one boy produced a pair of silver knuckles. Phyllis grabbed, Ben's sleeve, he nodded and walked over to the pair of boys, and said gruffily in his deep voice, "I think you 2 had better leave the kid alone."

The 2 boy's looked up and sneered, "d'is shrimp stole some't'ing from us an' we is gonna get it back. Right Morris." Morris just rolled his eye's and stared steely at Ben. Phyllis cautiously approached, the little boy, and helped him to sit up when she heard him groan in pain, "Owww me leg me leg." Phyllis frowned and examined the leg, she wasn't a doctor so she didn't know what was wrong. But she helped the boy to stand and then picked him up sitting him on her hip.

Phyllis waited for Ben to turn and walk away, but before she could do anything, the man with the knuckles punched Ben in the face. Phyllis looked stricken, did she help her brother or the little injured boy. Phyllis stood facing the predicement for mere moment's before a largish boy with a patch over his right eye charged in and hit one of the boy's in the back of the head.

Ben and the strange boy, took on a boy each. The eye patched boy, screamed to the boy, "Snipe run, run." The little boy yelled back, "I can't me leg is sore Blink." The boy stopped and looked worriedly up at the boy, Phyllis cleared her throat and shouted, "I'll get him out of here." Then she turned and ran with the boy away from the fighting.

The little boy shouted to the boy named Blink, "Medda's." Then he turned and held on to Phyllis's neck. "Go here." Snipe yelled and pointed to a large building. Phyllis nodded and ran into the entrance of the large hall.

Although it was the middle of the day there was a large amount of drunkards, oogling a gorgeous red head on stage. Snipe pointed to some stairs. "Up here, Medda is almost finished." Phyllis walked quickly through the drunks some who had turned to oogle her.

She went up the stair's quickly and then she sat the boy down on a stair case brushing some hair out of his eye almost maternally. "There is a boy, up at d'e balcony, 'e's a friend of mine. U go get him, he will 'elp me." Phyllis nodded and walked out and looked up at the balconies.

She turned around and went back in and said, "There's a lot of people on the balcony how am I supposed to know your friend?" Snipe grinned cutely and said, "E' is wearin' a cowboy 'at. An 'e might be wit' a short, guy wit' a cigar, or a tall guy, that has real funny hair."

Equipped with this new information and still not at all enlightened as to how she was looking for, she walked up some stairs that led to the balcony. There was curtain's covering each booth, so Phyllis peeked into the first one and saw a couple of drunks whistling and cat calling, saying vulgar things, but she didn't see a cowboy hat.

She looked into the next one and saw 5 boy's looking down and smirking stupidly, non of them had a cowboy hat either. Phyllis then went to the next booth but stopped as the curtain swished and she saw what looked like a cowboy hat.

Phyllis walked back in and cleared her throat a little, causing all the boy's to turn around and stare at her impassively. "I er....I was wondering...If u knew a little boy named Snipe?" The tallest one turned and stood up and said darkly, "Yeah what 'bout 'im?"

"Well he is sitting down there," Phyllis pointed to the side wing where Snipw was seating unseen on the stairs. "He is kinda hurt, some boy's were chasing him. He told me to go here, and then to find some one with a cowboy hat up in the balcony." Phyllis muttered when all the boy had stood, and all towered over her.

"Where is 'e take me to 'im." Phyllis nodded, and ran lightly down the stairs, and into the little side room were Snipe was. The beautiful red head was there now and she was looking concernedly at the little boy.

The 5 boy's rushed past Phyllis and bombarded the little boy with questions. Finally Snipe managed to stutter out the story, painting Ben and Phyllis as the hero's. When they were sure that Snipe was alright, they turned to stare at Phyllis. Finally, a cigar smoking, italian looking boy piped up and asked, "Why did yer do d'at?"

Phyllis looked confused, "he needed help, so my brother and I helped him." The guy liked unbeliving, "Soyer jest did it fer yer looks? No udder reason?" Phyllis nodded, "I don't trust d'at boy's everyone works in der own self interest." Phyllis was about to protest when the blond haired blue eye'd god, walked in with his arm's on the shoulder's of her brother.

Phyllis smiled in relieve he was alright. "Boy's yer won't believe d'ese 2 kids, d'ey fought d'e Delancey's and 'elped Snipeshooter 'ere. D'ey is real hero's." Blink said grinning and shaking Ben roughly yet friendly. "Yeah Snipe told us, it jest seems a liddle strange."

Blink grinned and shook his head, "Race, d'ey aren't against us d'ey is wit us. D'is here is Bingles Ingles." Blink said. Phyllis, looked at the blond boy like he had lost his head. "Bingles?" she asked.

"Nawww Phyllis d'at me new Newsie name. Kid Blink here gave it to me, I'm going to be a newsie." Ben.....Bingles said grinning goofily. He was even starting to sound like a...Newsie.

"ohhh thanks for telling me BINGLES!" Phyllis said sarcastically. A bespectled, blond came forward and said grinning, "Awww I t'ink u is gonna 'ave a liddle trouble wit yer goil Bingles. Ise Dutchy by d'ey way," the blond grinned.

Phyllis glared at the blond and huffed and Bingles, looked slightly stunned, "Naw she ain't my girl, she's my sister."

Another bespectled boy but this time with brown hair slapped, Dutchy over the head, "U dope, D'ey r brudder and sister. Ise Spec, miss, and d'at is Racetrack Higgin's. an' D'at is Mush Meyer's and D'at is Jack Kelley." The boy bowed politely and almost regally, before kissing her hand.

Phyllis blushed slightly, and jumped away, knocking over a small man with a try of lollies. Phyllis jumped down to help him/ "Why she is jumpy and skitterish and clumsy as just like a new born Filly." Jack Kelley grinned then looked like he was struck dumb.

"D'at 'er name, Filly, Phyllis, Filly, yeah she is Filly." Phyllis stood up and said regally, "No my name is Phyllis, Elizabeth, Victoria, Abigail, Ingles. Not Filly." The boy's looked at her as she produced her full name.

Bingles grinned and whispered to Phyllis, "Awww u hate d'at name and u know it. Please jest go along wit it fer now." Bingles pleaded. Phyllis realised that it was like the first thing that he had asked of her for the longest time.

"Alright Filly it is, fer now." Phyllis said still not convinced. The red haired woman that had been silent up until then smiled broadly and said, "Welcome's Bingles, and Filly, I am Medda Larkson...."

"The Swedish meadow lark. She own the joint," all the boy's finished for her, while bingles and filly looked confused. "So's where yer staying 'round 'ere?" The chieselled burnette with they gorgeous grin asked.

"We don't have no where to stay at the moment. Do you know where we could get a place? We have money." Filly said producing her 20 dollars.

The 7 boy's gawked at her, and Medda clipped the tallest one over the head softly. "Don't stare." Filly looked at Bingles confused and he whispered to her, "D'ey is poor like us, d'at a lot of money ter d'em."

FIlly looked back at the boy's realizing that they were now looking uncomfortable. She shoved the money back in her pocket and looked embarrassed as well. Medda took over, "Well why don't Bingles stay wit' u boy's at the lodging house and Filly can stay with me for now. It's the least I can do for her after she helped Snipeshooter out and all." Medda said looking questioningly at Filly.

FIlly looked at Bingles, she was never seperated from Bingles she always got scared that she would never see him again, but although she only just met these boy's and Medda, she had a feeling that they were friends. She looked back at Bingles before nodding, "I'd sure like that," she said gruffily.

Having had only Bingles she wasn't very lady-like, she had never been around women long enough to copy them, just Bingles and some sailors. BIngles grinned and the boy's stayed around until late at night before they took Bingles off to the lodging house and left Medda to prepare FIlly for bed.

"Do u have any night dresses?" Medda asked scrounging around in her drawer. They were in her room above the hall. FIlly just shook her head, Medda acted like a real lady. Medda pulled out a beautiful white floor length night dress that looked just like FIlly's mother's. "I grew out of this one why don't u go into the room next door and get changed, then u should probably go to bed." Filly nodded and walked out the door stopping before she closed the door and said, "Thanks Miss Larson." Medda smiled and looked at the girl calling after her, "Good night Filly, and u can call me Medda."

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BROOKLYN

Caddy stumbled onto the bridge of Brooklyn. She looked around wild eye'd. She looked down on the docks and saw some light's that looked like cigerette. SHe hurried down stumbling frequently. She made it down to the docks and looked at the 2 boy's standing looking at her.

"I must see, Spot Conlon. I have to see him right know. It's about his sister." Caddy begged them franctically. The two looked at each other and then shook their heads slowly, "Sorry but Mr Conlon is busy we're just have ter wait til the mornin'," the tallest one said.

"No! No! No! I have to see 'em now I have to," Caddy said then fell unconscious on the ground near the two Brooklynites Pyro and Bash. Both boys looked startled then, Bash bent down and picked up the skinny girl carrying her towards Spot's Large Room in the lodging house.

Pyro grabbed Bash by the arm, "What r u doin' u can't take 'er in d'ere. Spot don't want to be disturbed by some mad goil."

Bash glared into a pair of eye's almost identical to his father's and said lowly, "I ain't leaving no poor goil out 'ere alone, asides, she says it's about Spot's sister." Bash walked away into the room of Spot.

Spot looked at Bash strangely as he brought the girl into his room. "What yer doin' what da goil?" Spot stood up he was only wearing his pants he had taken his shirt off even though it was the middle of winter.

"Da goil fell down near our feet out d'ere, jest fainted away. But 'fore that she said she had news about your sister. That she had to tell yer, so I thought d'at u might want 'er around til yer can find out if it is true or not?" Bash said questioningly.

Spot looked at the pale girl and nodded, "Avery, ran away from me a couple of years ago, I didn't know wher she was at, so Ise never could see if she was alright, but if she has news on her, d'en I wanna know, u'se did good Bash." Bash smiled smugly at his brother, put the girl on the bed and walked out followed closely by Pyro.

Spot sat down and looked at the girl. She was good-looking in a different way. She wore black bruises along her face. He hoped that Avery didn’t look like that. If she did he would never forgive himself. He had been to hard on her but he loved her so much he just hoped that he was alright.

Caddy moaned and thrashed out in her sleep. Spot knew the feeling of nightmares and he turned away to restring his slingshot and wait for the girl to wake up.

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Brooklyn and Echo's Newsie Junk