I awoke to someone walking down the hallway.
No not just someone, Oliva, the maid.
I could tell by the sound of the steps and how far apart they were.
A knock on the door.
"I'm up." I sat up in the bed as the door swung open.
"Good morning Natalia." There was a pause and then the voice came from lower, towards the dog bed "And good morning Blue."
I heard her rummaging around in the wardrobe.
"Whats the weather out like today?"
I asked standing up and counting the steps over to my vanity.
"Not Sure. you should go check."
I sat down on the stool as Oliva returned clothing in hand.
"Up."
I stood and pulled the nightgown over my head, tossing it onto the bed.
"Step in."
Carefully I moved forward stepping into the skirt.
I grabbed it from Oliva and quickly zipped it.
"Okay everything is laid out in order on the bed."
I nodded and her footsteps left the room.
I suppose I should introduce myself.
My name is Natalia Falto and if you haven't guessed I'm blind. I have been my whole life. Never known anything other than the darkness.
Oh and a few light spots every once and awhile.
As I finished buttoning the blouse Olivia laid out for me Blue got up and grabbed his harness, pulling it over to me.
Quickly I clipped it on before pulling my hair into a ponytail.
"Blue. Kitchen."
He waited till I had a hand on his harness and then brought me out to the kitchen.
"Good morning dear."
"Morning Dad."
Blue helped me find a chair at the table and I sat down.
"How's the weather out today?"
"Clear skies, it should be pretty warm out."
Olivia set a plate in front of me.
"Eggs, fork is at 3, glass, orange juice at 11." Oliva said.
"Thank you."
After Breakfast I washed up and sat down in the living room.
"Dad?"
"Yes dear?"
"Can I go for a walk? I'll take Blue with me."
I heard him sigh from the kitchen.
"As long as your careful. And bring your cane."
"Okay."
I turned to Blue, whos head was in my lap.
"Blue, cane, bag." He stood up and trotted off to my room.
Blue isn't just for leading me, he's also a sort of emotional support dog.
Things can get kind of depressing when you're stuck in the dark all day.
He came back into the room with my things.
"Thank you."
I slipped the messenger bag over my shoulder and grabbed my cane.
"And try to be back by dinner."
Olivia called from the kitchen.
"Got it."
Blue made a little noise like he got it to.
We headed down to the door of the house which I opened.
Immediately the sounds of the city filled my ears.
Lots of people were walking around, and I could here the newsies shouting headlines down the street.
I counted down the five steps with Blue at my side.
Blue's harness in my left hand, and my cane in my right I started down the street.
"How about central park? Ay boy?" Blue half barked in agreement, and I began to count the steps it would take to get there.
That's how I get around places, counting steps between places.
It didn't take long to get to central park, it's only a few blocks away.
People tend to give me a wide berth and a clear path, so it didn't take very long.
"Let's find ourselves a bench shall we?"
Blue guided me to a bench and I sat down.
He curled at my feet as I pulled my sketch pad out of my bag.
I pictured a castle, somewhere far away, in a distant land.
As I began to draw I could hear people moving around.
"Extra! Extra! Massacre in Manila! Thousands die! The city is in panic!" A newsboy hollard walking past.
He paused, clearly seeing me.
"Paper for the lovely lady?"
I snorted "You expect me to believe that story?"
"Course I don't. You'd find out when ya read page nine."
"Yes well, on a count that I can't read I don't think I'll buy one."
I continued to draw as he sat down next to me.
Blue sat up and growled.
"Shhh boy."
I felt him curl back up at my feet.
"You can't read? Dat seems unlikely. Youse seem like one a dose educated people."
He talked strange, almost as if he had something in his mouth. A moment later based on the smell I could tell that a cigar had been messing with his speech.
I turned my head to his voice, trying to make sure he could see my eyes, I'm told they're a strange mix of colors.
"Are you stupid? I'm literally blind, you expect me to be able to read?"
He half gasped "Ise sorry I Didn't-"
"Shut up. It's fine, you don't know me." I cut him off.
He stood up and walked away, not even offering a good bye.
Later I jerked from my thoughts and my drawing when Someone walked up behind me.
By my guess, it was a newsie.
"'Scuse me miss."
I didn't even bother to look at the boy "I don't want a newspaper."
"Fortunatly fa you miss we ain't newsies."
A new voice said.
Wait.
"You sure sound like newsies." I said, cocking my head towards the sound of the voice.
"Well we ain't."
Shit.
It's the Delancys.
"Oscar, Morris, how lovely to not see ya. I didn't recognize you guys at first."
I closed my sketchbook, and tucked it into my bag along with my pencils.
"Oh it's dat little blind goil. What was 'er name?" Oscar said.
"Wasn't it Natasha or something?"
"Don't matter. Let's soak 'er."
I jumped up and grabbed my cane, jabbing it into Oscars stomach.
I heard him groan in pain.
I backed away from the bench, and Blue backed up with me growling at them.
"Oh the little doggy's gonna protect 'er." Morris half cooed.
Blue growled even louder and jumped at him.
I heard them connect and heard Morris's yell of pain.
Oscar grabbed me and I tried to wack at him with my cane but he twisted it out of my hand.
"Get off of me!"
"No can do."
A punch landed in my stomach and a fell down in pain.
"Ay! Lay off 'er Oscar."
Someone grabbed him and pulled him away.
"What are youse gonna do bout it."
A few punches thrown.
I could still hear Blue angrily barking at Morris.
Someone was thrown to the ground.
"Now git goin. I don't wanna see yas botherin her again!"
Some one scrambled away as I tried to stand up.
The person who came to my rescue crouched beside me.
""Ere let me help you."
"I don't need help. Blue!"
Blue came bounding over and moved himself so I had a better angle at his harness. I grabbed onto it and he helped me stand.
"Cane. Bag."
Blue moved to the side after I let go and came back with my cane and bag,
I grabbed my cane and left the bag with him. "Search."
My rescuer stood there confusion evident as Blue sniffed through my bag looking to see if anything went missing.
"Anything gone?"
He let out a small yip.
"Good boy." I grabbed the bag from him and turned to the mystery person.
"So are you gonna introduce yourself or are you just gonna stand there?" I asked, wiping the dirt from my skirt.
"Uh RaceTrack Higgins. I was talkin to ya earlier."
"Oh cigar boy. That makes sense, I'm Natalia Falto, this is Blue." I gestured to Blue before sticking out my hand for a shake.
"How did you know I gotta cigar? Youse blind ain't cha?"
I shrugged, bringing my hand back down to my side.
"I'm blind I ain't stupid. I could hear it when you talked, and When you were next to me I could smell it."
He shifted a little. "Okay."
"Hey do me a favor, what time is it?"
It took him a moment to answer.
"About 4:17."
"Cool. Thanks."
I grabbed Blues harness and we started to walk away when Race called out "Hey! Do you wanna maybe, go wit me to lunch? Me an' the boys like ta head to Jacobi's after work."
"Jacobi's? That little diner by the circulation gates?"
"Yeah."
I shrugged "I ain't hungry but I'll tag along. I don't have anything to do till 5."
"Come on den, it's dis way." He tried to grab my hand but I pulled away.
"I can walk. Blue, follow."
We began to walk, Race slightly ahead of me, as I walked along cane out in front of me searching for anything Blue missed so I didn't trip.
Soon I heard the jingling of bells as a door swung open.
"Careful theres steps up to the door."
He tried to take my hand again but I pulled away "How many?"
"Three."
I counted up the steps and entered the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant the volume seemed to explode.
Lots of people were talking at once.
"Ay! Race! We was thinkin you weren't comin!"
"Woah whos da goil?"
The chatter stopped and I could hear people turn in their seats to look at me.
I could feel many sets of eyes on me.
"Hey guys! This is Natalia, she had a run in with The Delancys."
I smiled then turned to Race and muttered "When you said friends I didn't think you meant 20 people."
He just started saying names "Thats Crutchie, Finch, Tommy Boy, Specs, Buttons, Elmer, Albert, Sniper, Boots, Henry, Romeo, Mush, Kid Blink, Smalls, Jo-Jo, Snitch, Skittery, Mike, Ike and Jack of course."
A chorus of 'hi's' and 'hey's' came from the group.
"Ay come sit ova 'ere."
Blue continued to follow Race over to a table, and I carefully sat down.
There were a few other people at this table, none of them eating.
In fact no one in this restaurant actually had food.
"Did you just point at people and say names?"
I asked Race who had sat next to me.
"Yeah? Why?"
I rubbed at my forehead. "I'm still blind Race."
Across the table there i heard a soft 'oh'
"Well den. I'm Jack nice ta meetcha."
Okay, he sounded a little older than the rest.
"Nice to meet you."
Blue sat down half on my feet and put his head in my lap.
Awesome.
An anxiety spike.
Slowly I was introduced with everyone and I started matching voices to names.
"Say, if youse gonna start hangin round wit us we better give ya a newsie name!" Jo-Jo said excitedly.
"A what now?" I tried not to fidget with the strap of my bag.
"A newsie name, like how ise RaceTrack but dat ain't my real name." Race said.
"Uh okay I guess."
People began to shout out random names.
"Hold on hold on. One at a time." Jack called silence to the group.
"Uh how bout Blodie cause she's blond?" Boots called.
"Eh. not quite right." Mush said back.
"Well how bout Blue? Cause she wearin blue!"
At the sound of his name Blues head poked up a little.
"No thats my dogs name." I said petting his head.
A few more were thrown around till Tommy Boy spoke up "Whata bout Sights. Cause she can't see, like a joke."
A couple people laughed.
I shrugged "Works for me."
"Alrighty gentleman Sights it is!"
Suddenly someone else entered the room, based on the footsteps it was an adult.
"Boy's go play outside! I got paying customers coming in and I have ta set up fa dinner."
Everyone stood up to leave and I gathered my things.
Grabbed onto Blue we headed out of the restaurant.
"Hey does anyone have the time?" I asked.
"It's 4:45 miss." The man who had asked us to leave called.
"Thank You."
15 minutes to get home.
"Well I've got to be going boys. Have a nice night."
Someone, Tommy Boy I think scoffed.
"Youse blind and ya gonna walk home alone?"
"Yeah. It's what I do every night. Blue knows the way, and I need to count how to get here so I can come back, I'll be fine."
"If you thinks you'll be okay den fine."
I smiled then turned to blue at my side, "Home, but slow, I need to count."
As Blue began to lead me back home I counted the steps, and remembered the turns.
"Oh Natalia good, dinner is almost ready, go wash up."
"So how was your day out on the town?" Dad asked.
"It was good, I made some friends." I said sitting down in my usual seat.
"It's always good to have friends. It's been so long since you had anyone. Uh Fork and knife on 9 and 3 glass at 11."
"Thanks."
From then on I was almost an honorary newsie.
I hung out with them when ever I could, in between lessons and after their work days.
Second new story in one day.
We're doing pretty good