Remembering Brooklyn (A Spot Conlon Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Six

       After the picketing for the strike, and witnessing Jack and Brooklyn betray us all, I am exhausted. The crowd begins to disperse as the afternoon draws to an end. I have never seen Racetrack so mad. He is still going on about the events that had just gone down, as am I. I can feel the rage flowing inside of me, I feel as if I could explode in a combustion of fury at any moment.

"I'll soak him." Race continues to threaten Jack, even though he is long gone, going against the beliefs of the newsies and selling papes for Pulitzer. I pat Racetrack on his shoulder before heading back in the direction of Brooklyn. The late afternoon sun is beginning to set on the horizon, and if I don't head back now, it will be long after night fall by the time I make it home.

I walk slowly toward my destination, listening to the gravel crunch beneath my feet. My head is still throbbing from the night before, and I can feel the searing pain that comes from the cuts and bruises that line my face. Morris better be sleeping with one eye open from now on. The next time I see the bum, payback was not going to treat Morris well.

Hours seem to slip by before I finally make it back to the lodging house. The interior is buzzing with excitement as the boys wind down from their day. Some lounge on a couch that sits in the far corner of the main room as they talk amongst themselves. Others gather in a circle on the floor, playing cards. Then there is Spike, who stands in the corner, his arms crossed over his chest as he takes in the scene around him. He looks to be in deep concentration.

"Heya, boss." Lucky, one of the kids playing cards looks up from his game to greet me. I nod my head in his direction, acknowledging him. There is way too much on my mind right now to even pretend to be interested in having a conversation with anyone. I make my way up the stairs to the bunk room. I climb up on my bunk, leaning my back against the wall.

Deep down I knew that Brooklyn was only trying to protect me. Though she should realize by now, that I am fully capable of protecting myself. I didn't need some girl protecting me, especially when it came to the Delancey brothers. It frustrated me to think she had chosen them over me. As I allow these thoughts to invade my mind, I can't help but grow more and more angry toward Graceful. Everyone else today had been furious with Jack for abandoning his principals, and going to work for Pulitzer. Though I too was pissed at Jack, I was increasingly furious with not only Grace, but with myself, for not being able to protect her last night. Though she could have chosen to stay with me, instead of leaving me in the streets, unconscious by myself.

After a while, more and more boys begin to enter the room. The lamps are snuffed out, and the room begins to fall silent as the boys begin to doze off into unconsciousness. I slide down into the comfort of my bunk, and will the sleep to take over, though it never comes. There is too much stirring in my mind. Anger as well as the guilt refuse to let me sleep.

Hours pass. I lay wide awake in my bunk, picking at a loose string from my blanket, as I listen to the snores of my fellow newsies sleeping all around me. I sigh heavily, waiting for the morning sun to start peaking through the window.

Just then, a pounding sound echoes throughout the lodging house as someone knocks on the front door. What the hell? It must be past midnight by now, who in the world could that be? I jolt out of bed, and rush down the stairs to answer the door, hoping none of the other boys were awoken by our sudden visitor. I pull the door open, revealing Graceful. Tears stream down her face, as she throws herself into my arms when she sees me. The anger I had felt toward Grace instantly seems to fade away as she falls into my arms. I am taken aback by this, only hours before she seemed perfectly content as she hung close by Oscar Delancey's side. Though I know she was acting, to try to protect me, the sight of seeing her with him still cut through my heart, like a knife through butter.

I hold Brooklyn in my arms for a minute before pulling away. The lights from the street posts shine down, revealing new bruises along her face, and a gash on her cheek that seemed to be dripping with blood. I guide her out the door, into the street, shutting the door behind us. Those boys would be awake in a heartbeat if they heard us talking. The last thing I needed was a bunch of eavesdropping boys on our tail.

"What happened?" I wonder, already knowing the answer.

"It was my fault." She begins, "I spilt water on Morris." The tears start to flow more heavily from her eyes as she tells me what has happened. My heart breaks for her. Only days ago, Graceful was the girl to not take shit from anyone. She took pride in being able to defend herself. Brooklyn took pride in being able to hold her own with the guys. Today, however, the Delancey brothers seem to have broken that spirit. This is what irritates me the most. It was that pride that Grace had in herself that had made me fall for her to begin with. Without that, she wasn't my Graceful. She was just another girl.

"I'll kill him." I insist, starting to pace back and forth in the middle of the street, my anger seemed to be growing more and more out of control these last couple days. I knew how dangerous I could be if I let myself get too engulfed in this anger.

"Spot, he's already making plans to come after you. And it's all my fault." Graceful falls to her knees, sobbing, clutching her abdomen. "If I had just stayed..."

"No, I'm glad you didn't." I interrupt her, kneeling down beside her, "Look at what they've done to yous." Her delicate features are covered with dark purple bruises. Blood continues to drip down her cheek, and her lip is swollen, also cut and dripping with blood. My heart aches at the sight of her. Graceful breaks eye contact and allows her gaze to fall to the ground.

"I probably look awful." She whispers as an ashamed look plasters her face.

"You look beautiful. You always look beautiful." I tell her, pulling her close to me. She continues to sob into my chest, as I run my fingers through her hair. I guide her to her feet. "Come on, lets get you somewhere safe." I tell her, guiding her in the direction of my father's bakery.

"What about Morris?" She asks me as we continue to walk.

"What about him?"

"He's going to kill you, Spot." She sobs, again. "And it will be all my fault."

"Don't fret 'bout the Delancey's." I tell her. "I can handle myself."

Alright guys, well here it is....

This is coming out of a huge issue of writers block, so I really hope it is alright!

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