Carrying The Banner

Chapter 3

By the time it was seven I could barley keep my eyes open. My muscles were sore and I was dehydrated from the heat. The other guys laughed at me, saying i was truly a newcomer. Jack didnt though he just smiled and offered me breaks when I needed them.

I suppose I looked like a really weak pathetic boy. I mean I struggled with the sheer weight of 100 papes on my shoulder.

At eight  in the mornin Jack had taught me almost everything that I needed to know about profits and sellin and buyin. He then turned me over to David, who would teach me the rest.

I knew that this would be the only instructions I got, then I was gonna be on my own so I listened very carefully. David was even more interesting than Jack. He was a quiet sort, never out spoken or loud like Jack. 

That's one thing I liked most about my new band of friends. Their personality ranged from the quietest to the loudest but not one of them was mean. Well, except the Delaney's but they weren't Newsies at all.

"How long have you known Jack?" I asked clearing my throat and deepening my voice just a bit.

He smiled and kept walking forward. He looked as if he was reminiscing about that exact moment his life changed forever.

"It was two days before the strike. Me and Les were heading out, our pop was hurt real bad and our funds were plunging into the negative numbers. " He laughed, "Jack waltzed into my life like he'd been there from the very beginning. And boy, does he leave his mark on every kids life he walked into. He's a real good guy, you'll see. He look's out for his friends, your real lucky he found you."

I nodded and smiled. David took my papes off my shoulder and carried them all the way back to the boys home. I was real thankful for it too. I could feel the bruises forming on my shoulder.

The walk back to the boys home was the longest walk I had ever endured. The heat was scorching and my clothes sticky. I took my hat off and stuck in my bag, hoping I had done a good enough job on my haircut. I must have because David said nothing about it and we walked on. 

"Hey! Jack, we need a bed for the new kid!" David yelled upstairs. Then he turned to me, "Do you got any bags? Anything you need to grab?"
 
I blushed feeling embarrassed and shook my head.

He smiled, "Aw don't worry, you'll have a few keepsakes and more than enough memories by the time your out of here. I know I do."

The room was more than too small for all the kids jammed into it. I gulped as I looked around, row after row of boys. How was I going to pull it off? David wandered off to find Les and told me to wait for Jack. With a frog in my throat and butterflies in my stomach I complied.

I couldn't think of anything else except for seeing Jack again. When I was with him I felt safe and ready for anything.  When I was alone I felt the exact opposite. 

I looked up eagerly as I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned my face away, dismayed. It wasn't Jack it was just some other kid.

"I don't know if I properly introduced my self," He said with a cheesy smile. At first I thought he was coming on to me and was fully equipped with a comeback. Then I realized that there was no way he realized I was a girl, he was treating me like one of the guys.

Hesitant and feeling a bit disgusted I spat in my hand and heartily shook his. I knew this life was going to take some getting used too.

"Cowboy's busy, and we's got some representatives from Brooklyn stayin. Would you be alright waitin another night before you joined the crew." He said it reluctantly, as if he was afraid id start crying or be mad.

I smiled to ease his nervousness and gladly stood up off the bed. "Tomorrow morning then?" I asked eagerly. 

He grinned, "Carrying the Banner."

I grinned and raced down the stairs, yelling behind me with a laugh "Carrying the Banner."

I didn't know where i would go. I had to keep out of sight of the Bulls. By now they had probably noticed I was gone and were on a manhunt for me. i knew it wouldn't be easy to spot me, my hair cut short and wearing pants. But just as a safety percation I tipped my hat down real low over my face whenever the Bulls walked by. 

I was sure that by morning there would be missing posters and people searching the whole town for me. Perhaps even they'd put a reward bounty on my head. I thought happily about all these things as I walked back to the roof I'd woken up at at the dawn of day. As I climed the fire escape I thought of the headmaster begging my forgiveness and the maid baking me every cookie and cake I could dream of. 

I reached the roof and leaned back against the cool brick wall. it had been nearly 95 all day and to feel a cool breeze and see the world from the clouds was all I could have asked for.

I was nearly asleep when a voice woke me up with a start.

"Hey! I think somebody is up here!"