Blitz: A Newsies Story

Chapter 9: The Rally

((Hey fansies! How are you all? Here's the next chapter! Please comment and vote if you like it! Enjoy! -Wolf))

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Chapter 9: The Rally

We had decided to have the rally at Medda's, and right now, it was in full swing. Newsies from all over New York were there, waving signs that said the name of their borough, and they were all shouting at the top of their lungs.

Jack, Davey, Spot and I climbed up onto the stage, and Jack waved his hands to get everyone's attention. As soon as they were quiet, he began. "Carryin' the banner!" The newsies erupted into cheering, and Jack had to quiet them down again before he could continue.

I could see newises from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Coney Island, West Side, Queens, the Bronx, and several other places. I grinned at Race as Jack went on. "So! We've come a long way, but we ain't there yet. And, it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But it's fine! Ya know why, cause we'll just get tougher with it! But also, also, we gotta get smart and start listen'en ta my pal David, who sayd stop soakin' the scabs."

I turned to give Davey a look. "Seriously?" I asked, surprised.

"What're we supposed ta do ta the bums, kiss 'em?" Race called from the audience.

"Hey look," said Spot, taking a step forwards. "Any scab I see, I soak 'em. Period."

"Yeah!" I shouted in agreement.

"No!" shouted Davey. "No, that's what they want us to do! If we get violent, then we're just playing into their hands!"

"Hey, their gonna be playin' with my hands, alright?!" Spot snarled, getting in Davey's face. "It's not what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us, unless we make 'em." I nodded in agreement with Spot as Jack waved his hands, trying to get the attention of the now riled up crowd.

"Ya got no brains!" he shouted. "Why're we fightin' each otha? It's just what the big shots wanna see! That we're street rats! Street rats with no brains! And no respect foah nothin', not even ourselves! So, here's how it is. If we don't act together, then we're nothin'. If we don't stick together, then we're nothin', and if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothing'!"

"Tell 'em Jack!" shouted Kid Blink from the balcony.

"So, what's it gonna be?" questioned Jack.

"We're with you, Jack," Race called. Davey nodded.

I exchanged a look with Spot, but then I nodded. "I'm with ya," I said.

"So, whadda you say, Spot?" asked Jack, turning to look at him.

Spot paused for a moment, thinking, and then he turned to Jack. "I say, that what you say, is what I say." I grinned, and watched as Jack and Spot spit in their hands, and then shook on it.

The newsies erupted into cheering as Jack grabbed mine and Spot's hand, and I grabbed Davey's and we raised our arms in the air, grinning at the assembled newsies.

We then got off of the stage as Medda stepped out and began to perform her number. Spot, Jack, Davey and I joined Race in the crowd. Race was cheering loudly, but when he saw the way that I was watching him, he immediately stopped, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards him. "Dance with me, Blitz!" he shouted over the cheering newsies.

I hesitated at first, but then let him spin me around and we began to dance. As the song came to an end, some of the boys hoisted Medda into the air, and she received a standing ovation.

Davey suddenly came running up to Jack, who was a few paces away from me and Race. "It's Snyder!" he was shouting.

"What?" Jack questioned. "Snyder!" Davey repeated. Jack quickly thanked Medda, and then suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

"Blitz!" shouted Race, Jack and Spot all at the same time. "Run!"

I nodded, seeing the police that were now pouring into the theater, and Jack and I took off.

Newsies began to surge around us, trying to cut off the police as more came in. Medda came to our aid as one man reached for me. Goons were appearing now as well, and one grabbed Medda, pulling her away. "No!" she shrieked as Race stepped in front of me, a look of determination on his face.

"Race, no!" I shouted, as I saw the goon's fist connect with his head, and Race hit the ground, out cold.

"Racetrack!" I could hear Medda screaming, "He's just a child!" The goons dragged the unconscious Racetrack away.

"Racetrack!" I screamed, but he was already gone.

I bit my lip, and kept running, dodging around goons, Jack not far from me. Jack and Davey stopped to confront Snyder while I kept running, going for the door.

"JAMIE CONLON!" A voice suddenly screamed above the sounds of fighting. I stopped dead as I turned around and found Snyder's gaze on me as he staggered back from the kick to the face he had just taken from Davey. Davey and Jack both look at me, confused, but I turned and ran before they could ask any questions.

Newsies were running everywhere, each of them trying to protect Jack and I, I realized. I finally made it outside, Jack and Kid Blink a pace behind me, and we found the theater surrounded by police on horse back. There were goons everywhere, and they lunged at us, fists swinging.

Blink was hit over the head with a police baton, and he went down, two goons dragging him away as I screamed his name.

Jack and I bolted back inside to get away from the police, and we ran up the stairs. Suddenly, goons appeared at the top of the stairs, and Jack didn't move fast enough. Jack took a punch to the face, and he went down hard, right into the waiting arms of several police. I screamed his name, but he was already being dragged away. The goons began to converge on me now. I spun around, looking for an escape, and found myself face to face with none other than Morris Delancey.

"Evenin' Morris," I said nervously, backing away from him as he advance towards me. I backed into something, and looked up to see Oscar Delancey sneering down at me.

"Hey there, sweet face. In some more trouble, are we?" he said, and then his fist connected with my face, and I was out cold.

((What did you guys think? Please comment and vote if you liked it! I love you all! Stay beautiful, -Wolf))