𝚁𝚄𝙽𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈 ° racetrack higgins

The Rally

The following night, we held the rally at Medea's theater; seeing as she was nice enough to let us use it. All the newsboys has gathered, chatting quietly.

I waiting backstage, tapping my foot nervously. Jack was standing beside me, a hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, Tate. Yous gonna be ok."

I nodded. "Hopefully." I mumbled. Jack was letting me lead the rally, seeing as it was me and Davey who organized it. Also, he felt that I hadn't dont much as leader as he has, so he gave this to me. To say I was nervous is an understatement.

"Newsies need our help today (newsies need our help today)." I heard voices sing softly. The Brooklyn newsies has just arrived, and they do have ways of making a grand entrance. "Tell 'em, Brooklyn's on the way (tell 'em, Brooklyn's on the way). We're from (Brooklyn). We are (newsies). We are Brooklyn newsies!"

The audience clapped as the boys from Brooklyn continued to sing. "Just got word that our buddies is hurtin. Facing total disaster for certain. That's our cue, boys, it's time to go slummin. Hey, Manhattan, the calvary's comin! Have no fear (you know we got your back from way back). Brooklyn's here (we'll get your pay back with some payback). We're the boys from the beaches of Brighton. Prospect park and the navy yard pier. Strikes ain't fun but they sure is exciting. Loud and clear; Brooklyn's here!"

"Borough what gave me birth." Spot sang softly, holding his cap on his chest.

"Friendliest place on earth." The others joined in, also holding their caps. "Pay is a visit and see what we means. And when ya do (when ya do), we'll kick you halfway to Queens! New them soakers is in for a soakin. What a sad way to end a career. They's a joke, but if they think we're jokin', loud and clear!"

"Manhattan's here!" A bunch of my friends yelled.

"Flushing's here!" A different newsboy said.

"Richmond's here!" Someone else added.

"Woodside's here!" Another newsie sang.

"So's the Bronx!" A Bronx newsies shouted, causing his friends to cheer.

"Brooklyn's here!" The Brooklynites sang again. "Loud and clear! We is here!"

The audience roared happily. As the cheering died down, I stepped out from behind stage and approached Spot. I spit it my hand and stuck it out to him. He did the same before shaking my hand.

"Welcome newsies of New York City! Welcome to my theater and to your revolution!"

"And let's hear it for Spot Conlon and Brooklyn!" I yelled, causing cheers to go throughout the theater.

Spot lifted his hands up, instantly shushing the crowd. "Let's see what Pulitzer's got to say to you now."

I smiled and nodded. "So, we've come a long way, but we ain't there yet and maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But that's fine. Well just get tougher with it. But also, we gotta get smart and start listening to my pal Davey 'ere, who says to stop soakin the scabs."

A few newsies booed as I heard a newsies voice cut through the crowd. "What are we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss 'em?"

"Any scab I see, I soak em. Period." Spot said flatly.

"No, no." Davey spoke up, standing up from his seat in the crowd. "That's what they want us to do. If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands."

"Hey, look. They're gonna be playing with my hands, alright. Cause it ain't what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make em."