July 1899
At many places in Manhattan, New York City
Magpies P.O.V.
"We'se gonna have a rally tonight an' I want all of ya in ya best clothin' foa dat. Oh, an' take a bath. All of you.", Jack announces, as we'se back at da Lodge House. "Ya too, Mags. Wear a dress or somethin' like dat. An' ya the first for the tub."
"Why a dress?", I ask. Beside da fact I really don't like ta dress up, I don't even have somethin' ta dress up.
"Because I say so.", Jack simply answers.
"An' if I don't wanna?"
"Do it, or I'll soak ya."
"Ya'd never soak me, Cowboy."
"Damn, ya right... den I'll... um... Oh, yes. I's gonna ground ya, if ya don't."
"What?! Ya can't ground me. I have ta sell."
"Den ya sell wit' me..."
"I's not sure if dat's how groundin' works."
"... Foa two weeks. An' ya have ta stay in da Lodge House foa da rest of da time. So, no visits in Brooklyn or anywhere else."
I jus' star at him in disbelieve. "Ya wouldn't do dat."
"Oh yes. I would."
"I don't even have somethin' ta wear."
"What 'bout da dress Mrs. Jacobs gave ya?"
"Damn.", I mutter under my breath.
"What was that?"
"I can't wear a dress, Jack. I can run in it."
"Ya won't have ta run. Now go bath and change."
"Ya WoN't NeEd Ta RuN.", I imitate quietly, walkin' ova ta da bathroom.
Da water's cold, like always, givin' me goosebump all ova my body.
I wash my hair and body, get outta the tub quickly, so dey other can bath too.
I walk ova ta my bed an' get da my box from under my bed.
We all have like a box under our beds, where we store everything. Books (if we have some), shoes (if we have more than one pair), photos, memories, an' clothes.
I open my own box an' take out the dress. Well, the blouse an' the skirt.
Then I close the curtains an' get dressed.
I takes me like two eternities 'til I's closed all of them damn buttons.
Relieved I's finally done I let myself fall onto da bed.
"Mags?", Jack askes on the other side of the curtain. "Ya done?"
"Yeah. Just one minute."
I stand up, dust the skirt, tuck my hair behind my ear and step out.
The rally's a real success.
Everyone's joinin' in Medda's songs. Everyone's happy and jolly.
Eventually Jack an' Spot ask for silence. Dey want ta say somethin'.
Jack thanks everyone foa comin' and joinin' da strike and Spot makes, well... back up.
"Davey. Come on say somethin'.", Jack says, lookin' at his friend.
"Me?", Davey askes. He looks pale.
"Yes, ya. Go out there and kill it."
"Please kill me.", he mumbles.
Then he steps forward, clears his throat and says: "Look at us. A union. A symbol of unification, a product of the unity of the United States. It is important that we stay unified, so that our union is united, and our unity will be freedom. The unity of our union shows the unification of our unions
united union. United. Unified. United we stand. Amen."
I has to cover my mouth, so I won't laugh. Jack looks confused, but then smiles and nods.
"Yes. I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks Davey."
The show wit' Medda continues. Everyone's singin' on the top of their lungs an' dancin'.
Jack an' Medda's dancin' arm in arm.
I smile. It's been a long time since somethin' like that happened.
Nothing can stop us anymore.
I's so happy.
We'll win this. I jus' know. I can feel it.
We'll get Crutchie out.
We'll get da price back down.
We'll get a better life.
We'll...
My happy thoughts is interrupted by Davey, who nudges me.
"Snyder!", he yells.
I freeze in fear.
No. It can't be. Not now.
I look ova ta him. Denton tries ta stop him. When I look back at Davey, he's gone. I search foa him in the crowd and find him talkin' ta Jack.
Mine an' his eyes meet.
We have ta go.
Now!
Jacks P.O.V.
I's almost high with joy, when Davey's suddenly standin' next ta me.
"Hey, Davey.", I yell.
"Jack! It's Snyder!"
"What?", I ask. It's too loud ta understand him.
"It's Sny-" He comes nearer and yells I my ear: "It's Snyder!"
I freeze. But Davey's right.
Dere he is. Da spida. Right next ta Denton, who tries ta distract him.
My eyes wander of and search foa Mags in da crowd. I find her still sittin' at da table.
Our eyes meet.
We have ta go.
Now!
She stands up an' makes her way, hidden by da boys, ta da exit. Hopefully, Snyda didn't notice her yet.
Suddenly there's bulls everywhere.
An' I run.
Magpies P.O.V.
I quickly make my way through the boys.
Somewhere I hear a whistle an' suddenly dere's bulls everywhere. An' wit' 'em comes da chaos.
Suddenly Albert's there. He takes my arm.
"I'll take ya outta here. Come on."
I trip after him, prayin' no one gets hurt.
I hope, Jack's safe.
I see some man punchin' Race right in da face. What a stupid idiot. Race's jus' a kid.
I hear Medda yellin'. I should help her. But Albert won't stop.
"Come on, come on. Quick."
Bulls is yellin' Jack's name.
Please, please, jus' let us alone.
There! Da stairs!
A wave of relieve washes ova me.
We'll make it.
A bull tries ta grab me, but Albert blocks him.
"Run!", he yells as the bull punches him.
An' I run.
At the exit I meet Blink an' Jack, but it's blocked by horses, so we have ta run back in.
Well, Jack an' I, for Blink sacrificed himself.
We'se chased by a man on a horse, when Jack trips an' falls. I quickly try ta get him back on his feet, but he's too heavy.
Luckily foa us, somethin' scares da horse and it rises, almost sendin' its owner flyin'.
Jack comes ta his feet again.
"Scatter!", is all he says.
I can only nod.
So, we split up.
Jack up da stairs an' I simply continue runnin' straight ahead. Then I hear somethin' that makes me turn.
My eyes widen, as I see Jack fallin' down da stairs. He looks dazzled, like he was punched in da face.
I breath hitches, but I can't let myself bein' caught too. I simply can't. So, I continue runnin'.
I turn ta run again... but I's too late.
"Hey, boid goil." Da Delancey brothers is smilin' down at me.
As fast as I can I kick Oscar in the shins and Morris where the sun doesn't shine...
all that jus' to run into a bull five minutes later.
I sigh.
Looks like I's not meant ta be free...
Jacks P.O.V.
When I wake up, I's layin' on a very uncomfortable mattress.
Like really uncomfortable.
It feels more like layin' on a bare frame. An' it turns out, it is only da frame.
My head spins and hurts.
I sit up.
I's sittin' in an empty room. The walls is grey from dirt an' dust. the doors shut. A small, bared window let's in a bit of twilight.
At said window Mags is standin' struggelin' ta look out, for she's so short.
As I sit up, she turns.
Her arms is crossed before her, seemingly protective wrapped around her.
Her face dark, but I can't tell if she's mad or it's simply da faidin' light.
Her lips pressed together tightly.
"Mornin' Cowboy.", she says bitter. "So, much ta "Ya won't have ta run"."
"Yeah, ok... maybe I was a bit wrong there."
"A bit."
"Ya mad at me?"
"I wish I could be mad at you. But I can't. Well, at least not as much as I'd like ta."
"Listen, I's sorry. I really is. I should have known-"
"Shut it, cowboy. There's no use in pityin' ourselves now. The trial will start any minute now, you're awake."
"A trial?"
"Sure. Ta get us back ta jail. What did ya think dey'll do? Catch us ta let us go?"
"No... of course not. Is ya alright?"
"I ain't da one wit' da shiner."
"Does it look dat bad?"
Mags shrugs. "Have seen prettier. But not bad for a bull, I'd say." She pauses an' turns back ta da window. "What will ya tell da boys?"
"What?"
She sighs and turns back so suddenly, I jump back. "What will you tell da boys? Dey'll be here. In court. Hearin' erverythin'. Your name. Your history. Dat ya lied ta them all those years..."
"I-I thought ya was on my side."
"I is on your side, Jack. I thought of ya new name myself. Still, ya'll have ta explain."
"I know.", I say. "I know. But I can't."
"Why?"
"I-I don't know."
"I thought so. Jack ya have ta wake up. Stop dreamin'. Please."
"Mags, what-"
I don't get ta ask what she meant by dat, for a bull comes in. He doesn't say anythin'. He just gabs my arm an' takes me wit' him. Another one does da same wit' Mags.
None of us resists.
It wouldn't do somethin' ta our situation anyway.
Da bulls leads us inta da court room.
Da others is standin' there wit' Denton an' Davey.
I can't show any weakness now, so I give da careless.
"Heya fellas.", I greet 'em.
"Hey Cowboy. Nice shiner.", calls Race, causin' da rest ta laugh. Even Mags beside me smiles, but then her face darks again.
Denton comes ova ta us ta pay foa da fellas.
"Hey Denton.", I greet him. Mags looks up. She now has a smile on her face. "Guess we made all da papes this time? So, how did my picture go?"
The journalist sighs. "No paper covered the rally. Not even The Sun."
Dat's not good. Dat's not good. I see how da small spark of hope in Mags' eyes dies.
Our case is announced an' we'se pushed forward.
Snyda appears form god knows where. How I hate dis man.
"Let me speak for those children.", he says.
"Oh, da gentlemen know each other. Ain't dat nice?", I spit.
"Jack.", Mags whispers. "Please. Shut it. Ya jus' make it worse."
The judge smiles. "Just move along Warden Snyder."
Mags tenses.
"Their real names are Francis and Margaret Sullivan. Their mother is deceased. The father a convict."
I look around me, tryin' ta read da others faces.
Davey seems stunned. Your eyes meet foa a second, then he looks down.
Snyda continues ta tell my life story an' accusin' me of crimes.
I's so angry. An' as he accuses me of "disruptive behaviour" I lose it.
"Like demandin' da food ya stole from us?"
"Jack.", Mags whispers again. "Please."
Snyda ignores both of us an' just continues tellin' da judge of my "attempted" escape, where I again interrupt. It was successful at least.
Foa that I get a kick in da shin form Mags. Lightly but still painful.
"Ouch."
Again we'se ignored by Snyda who now asks for brinin' us "back where we belong". Namely, da Refuge and da H.F.H.G.
"Yeah. Foa our own good, I guess." My blood's boilin', so angry is I.
"Jack. Please." Mags sounds so desperate.
"Until they reached the age of 21.", Snyda speaks ova me.
"Twenty-one?!"
"Silence! Move along.", the judge hushes me. "So ordered."
That's it. Our judgement.
"No!", I hear Les.
I could scream. I star Snyda right in da eye. But what's its use?
Da bull leads us out.
Mags doesn't say a woid.
As we'se back in da cell an' da door closes behind us, I open my mouth ta say somethin'.
"Save it.", Mags snaps.
She again has her arms crossed as if she tries ta protect herself.
I close my mouth again. But only ta open it right away. "Listen-"
"I don't wanna hear it."
"I's sorry, ok?"
She doesn't answer. An' dat makes me feel bad.
We never fought. Ever. Not even when she stole... I mean, borrowed, my bandana.
It's already dark outside. Da moon shines faintly through da bars of da window, lightenin' her silhouette.
She looks so fragile. So small and vulnerable.
An' yet... her face is da face of a grown woman.
Worry an' insecurity lays in her eyes. In her mimic. In her posture.
I want ta hug. Tell her everythin' will be ok. That she doesn't need ta be afraid.
But I don't dare.
So, we jus' stand in silence.
"I's worried, Jack.", she suddenly breaks da silence. "I's worried, what they'll da ta ya. I's worried what'll happen ta da boys. I's worried foa Davey an' Les. An' foa Denton... he did so much foa us."
She stops an' turns ta da window.
"Dey'll want ya ta stop da strike.", she says wit'out lookin' at me. "I don't know how, but I know dat. You can't stop. You mustn't."
"I won't. I promise."
"Jack, dey won't give ya a choice. So, here's how it goes..."
Mags created some scenarios, how Pulitzer could try ta make me back off, an' gave some ideas how I could trick him.
"When did ya become so smart?", I asked amazed.
She turns wit' her hands on her hips, tilt her head an' dryly said: "I always was. Ya jus' never noticed. But whatever happens, Jack, your first priority is da strike. Ya hear me? Ya can't, ya mustn't betray da boys an' da strike. Promise me dat, Jack."
She holds up her hand, her pinkie stretched out. "Promise me."