Queens of New York

Chapter 7

As interesting as it was to meet Spot Conlon, Ringer couldn't be more glad to get out of Brooklyn. Nothing bad happened, except for her mental breakdown (which she was trying to avoid thinking of), but being there still freaked her out. She would like to avoid going there as often as possible.

There was a contemplative silence as the trio crossed the streets of Manhattan, heading back to the lodging house. They were all thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to be the first to say it out loud. Ringer figured that speaking it would make it so much more real.

She couldn't take the quiet much longer. She was a talkative person by nature and staying silent on something as big as this was killing her.

"So a strike," she simply stated, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Sounds fun, and you're obviously for it." she added, addressing Genie.

The older girl nodded, looking as if she was lost in deep thought. Ringer wondered if she was thinking more about the strike, Spot, or the way Kitty was staring at her with an intense gaze. "I think we should definitely do it. Hearst has been screwing us over for far too long," she said, eyes turning dark at the last sentence. Ringer frowned a bit, finding that a bit odd, but she brushed it off. Genie was probably just really passionate.

"This is serious stuff, though. We don't get paid if we go in strike." Kitty chimed in, a bit of worry in her voice. She had a point. What Jack was proposing that they give up their entire source of income for god knows how long. Newsies could hardly live on the money they make already, so going from barely making ends meet to nothing at all...Well, that might not go so well.

"Don't worry about the money." Genie responded a bit too quickly. "I'll...Bertie can help us out."

"I think we should go for it. I mean, if Bertie can support us through this, then what do we have to lose?" Ringer asked, cocking an eyebrow. She opened her mouth to say something else, but she lost her words as they turned into Newsies Square and saw the scene in front of her.

Newsies Square was a small street lined with cobblestone, and in the middle featured a statue of some old guy Ringer never bothered to read the plaque of. Just beyond it was the boys' distribution center, usually kept fairly orderly when the boys weren't there. But instead of cobblestone, all Ringer could see lining the street was tattered newspapers. It was eerily devoid of people, or so she thought. After a few moments of gaping in surprise, there was a sudden thud.

Ringer's hazel gaze drifted to the statue and she saw Jack Kelly sitting on the base, head in his hands as Davey sat next to him, looking more awkward than usual.

"What the hell happened?" Ringer questioned sharply. She motioned to Kitty and Genie, who looked equally as confused, to follow. She jogged up to the pair of boys and stood in front of them, crossing her arms.

"And why the hell didn't I hear about this strike? Kelly, you're honestly so petty—" Genie was cut off by David, who signaled wildly at her to stop talking with a look of horror on his face.

"We rioted. We stopped the circulation wagons from delivering papers to the rest of New York," he said quickly. "That's-that's all."

Jack looked up, and Ringer realized that he had been crying. His eyes were watery and his face was red. "We soaked 'em real good but they got Crutchie. Took him to the refuge." the infamous Cowboy said with a scowl.

Ringer's heart sank. They couldn't have taken Crutchie, anyone but him. He was the sweetest kid in Manhattan. There was no way he would be safe in the refuge; Ringer had never been there, but she had heard about just how awful it was. It gave the orphanage a run for its money.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," Kitty said with a soft voice, crouching down so she was eye level with him. "If you're planning on busting him out, we'll send some girls over to help. In the meantime, what do you want us to do?" She asked gently. Her sweetness surprised Ringer. She thought that Kitty would be upset over Jack keeping the strike news to himself, but she was actually quite empathetic. Well, one of them had to be, she guessed.

Davey still looked like he was going to have a heart attack, but Jack was stone-faced with a hint of determination in his eyes. "We're gettin' Crutchie out tonight, Davey and I. Tomorrow we're soakin' those scabs."

"We'll be there," Ringer said immediately. For once it wasn't just exciting because it was a fight. It was exciting because they would be standing for something. "I'll bring the girls. You'll need all the help you can get."

Davey, who was still looking concerned, glanced between Ringer and Genie. "I'm trying to get some representatives from district together, to discuss the strike. Sometime this week we could meet at my place. It would be great if you two could be there, and maybe spread the word."

Ringer didn't know how she would feel being in the same room as Spot Conlon, but she supposed it couldn't be all that bad. She gave a curt nod and squared her shoulders, taking one last look at Jack. "Alright. Just give me the time and I'm there. We should get going. The girls will be missing us."

Kitty patted Jack's back and stood back up, linking hands with Genie. Ringer placed her hand on the small of Genie's back and began leading her back to the lodge, but after a few second the girl turned around and spoke to Jack and Davey.

"We talked to Spot. I expect he'll be joining the strike."

***

There was an uproar at the lodge as Ringer announced the news, about both the strike and Crutchie. She told them everything she knew; there was no reason to hide anything from them. She had explained why they were wanted at Brooklyn, that Pulitzer had raised the prices and that by tomorrow so would all the other papers, and that Jack Kelly was planning a strike and failed to tell them. She sat on top of her bunk, watching as the girls, scattered throughout the room, all started raising their voices in anger after her little speech.

"Hey!" Ringer yelled after a bit. "Calm down. We already knew that Kelly is kind of a dick." She waited for the noise to decrescendo to a low murmur. "Now listen. Brooklyn's probably going to join, so that means the rest of New York will too. Tomorrow, the Manhattan boys are soakin' some scabs at their center, and anyone who feels up for it should tag along." She paused for a moment, letting them take it all in. She knew this was hard to process. It sure as hell was for her.

"I would like all of us to be there, but if you really don't want to, don't worry about it." Now there was a deafening silence throughout the room, and Ringer but her lip nervously. "You's all wanna strike, right?"

"How are we gonna afford anything if we ain't sellin' papes?" Freckles asked, looking concerned.

"Bertie can support us for a bit," said Kitty, who was sitting in the bed opposite of Ringer.

"But how long? What if Hearst and Pulitzer don't give in? We can't depend on Bertie forever."

Silence for a bit longer. And then, someone spoke out. "You're telling us that they're messing with us even more than they have already? That the Delanceys did that to Crutchie? Are we gonna sit here and let Hearst screw us over any longer?" It was Rags, standing with her arms balled into fists by her side. Ringer was a bit terrified; she had never seen the girl so angry before.

"Fuck Pulitzer! Fuck Hearst! Fuck The Delanceys!" North added. She sent an apologetic look to Rags, who, still looking infuriated, just shrugged. "Just wait 'till I get my hands on Oscar."

Genie, who was leaning on Ringer's bedframe, nodded eagerly. "Exactly! We can't let them treat us like this anymore." There was a defiant gleam in her eye, but it was different than any look she had seen on her before. The rest of the girls began yelling statements of agreement, looking lively and rebellious.

Ringer breathed a sigh of relief as the lodging house got louder and louder. Someone started chanting "Strike!" The short girl leaned over to Genie and grinned. "Looks like we got a strike on our hands."