The Strike (A Newsies fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Carrying the Banner

A/N: I do not own Newsies or any of the characters. Duh.

I wake up to the sound of Jack's voice ringing through the lodging house.

"Hey, Specs, Racer, Henry, Albert, Elmer, get a move on! Them papes don't sell themselves!" He calls. I drag myself out of bed, pulling on my clothes and tugging my newsboy cap over my head of messy blonde curls. As I grab my cigar from its spot next to my bunk, I call out to the other boys.

"Ey, Albert, Elmer, Specs, you heard Jack! Get a move on!" I stick my cigar in my mouth, leaning against the railing. The sun has just risen, and the streets of New York City are coming to life. Albert makes his way over to me, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He sighs and leans against the railing next to me.

"I was havin' the most beautiful dream! My lips are still tinglin'." I grin and wiggle my eyebrows at him.

"Ooo, a pretty girl?" I tease. Albert shakes his head.

"A leg of lamb." I laugh, punching him lightly in the shoulder. Albert reaches over and snatches my cigar from my mouth.

"Hey! That's my cigar!" I exclaim, trying to grab it back. He holds it out of my reach.

"You'll steal anudda!" I grab the cigar from him and stick it back in my mouth, shooting him a glare. He may be my best friend, but that doesn't give him the right to steal my cigar! My most prized possession! I hear a laugh behind me and turn to see Henry, shaving his face. Specs comes up next to him.

"Hey look, it's bath time at the zoo!" Specs teases. Henry grins at him.

"I thought that I'd surprise me muddah!" Albert laughs, putting his cap backwards over his auburn hair.

"If you can find her!" He exclaims. I whack him with my hat as the other Newsies groan and smack at him.

"Who asked you?" Specs calls. We make our way down the stairs of the lodging house, crowding around the foyer. Jack Kelly, our fearless leader, wonders around the room, greeting the others as Crutchie hobbles around behind him. Jack and Crutchie don't sleep at the lodging house. They prefer to spend their nights at Jack's "Penthouse in the Sky", as he likes to call it. Albert jostles up next to me, looking slightly worried.

"Papes ain't movin' like they used to. I gotta find a new sellin' spot. Ya got any ideas?" He asks me. I grin.

"From Bottle Alley to da harbor, there's easy pickin' guaranteed!" I suggest. Finch comes up behind us, putting a hand on each of our shoulders.

"Try any banker, bum, or barber. They almost all knows how ta read!" He says with a laugh. Jack punches me in the shoulder playfully as we begin making our way out of the lodging house and into Newsies Square.

"It's a crooked game were playin', one we'll never lose. Long as suckers don't mind payin' just to get bad news!" We all laugh and push each other around as we approach Newsies Square. Romeo comes up to me and taps my shoulder.

"Watch this," he says, making his way over to a beautiful young woman walking with a wealthy looking man in glasses. "Well hello, hello, hello, beautiful." Romeo says to her, giving her a dazzling smile. I watch as Jack comes up behind him, pushing him away from the girl.

"Whoa, step down Romeo, nothin' concerns you here." Jack scolds. He then turns and gives the woman a flirtatious smile of his own. I roll my eyes. Leave it to Jack to try to flirt with some random girl on the street.

"Good morning, Miss! May I interest you in the latest news?" He asks.

"The paper isn't out yet." She says. She tries to walk away, but he leans against the lamppost, blocking her path.