3) Meetings: JACK

When Jack arrived at the lodging house later that evening he was greeted with a strange scene. All the newsies were in the street, laying and sitting on the curbs as if they belonged there. They were carrying on their conversations as if everything was normal but he knew that they were not. He sensed a difference, a new exciting disturbance in the air. Just then, one of the younger newsies, Boots ran up to Jack with a huge smile on his face. “ You finally got here Jack!” he exclaimed.

“What’s going on here?” Jack asked, puzzled by the strange actions of his already not totally there friends. As he asked this question he heard movement inside the lodging house, up the stairs. He bounded up the creaking stairs, leaving the strangely acting crew calling after him. He ignored them, as by nature Jack was headstrong. He reached the bunkroom and stopped abruptly. Before him lay some thing he’d never seen before in his years living in the lodging house. On one bed lay an unconscious girl, her face purple and swollen, her hand clenched in a fist. Standing next to the window was a tall, black girl. This in itself was not odd. What was shocking was what he saw her doing. Her dark brown arms were caressing her swollen womb. She was pregnant!!!

The girl looked at him when he walked into the room, he was caught staring into her eyes. They were warm, hazel eyes and made her look inherently mournful and sad. As she kept staring at him, her eyes pierced into his soul and he began to feel sad as well. Then her lips began to move and words came from her mouth, punctuated by a very defiant and musically accented voice, “Who’s you?”

It was at this time that Jack realised there were other people in the room. Kloppman, bespecled and tired, was hovering over the unconscious girl patting her head with a damp towel and Kid Blink was sitting on a bed adjusting the strap on his eye patch, waiting. Jack found the word’s to reply to her. “I should ask you the same. What’s going on in here?”

Blink started to explain then, “Jack, this is Estha. I just found her and her friend out in the alleyway by 102nd street. I brought them here for Kloppman to help and we are waiting for the doctor. This girl here is hurt and has not regained consciousness as yet.” Then he looked at the girl called Estha and said very firmly, “Estha this is Jack. He’s one of us. Please go with him. You need to get some food.”

“First of all, she ain’t my friend. I don’t even know her,” the voice interjected. Jack’s attention was once again drawn to the girl. She was looking at them haughtily.

“Well you still need some food, still, don’t you?” Jack pointed out. “Come with me and I will get you something.”

Estha looked at him. Her eyebrows were cocked and her lips were firmly pressed together. Then her face relaxed and she said, somewhat relenting, “Ok, I am coming… I am… hungry”

She strode over to him, her face a few inches away from his and looked him in the directly in the eyes. “ Are we going or not?” she demanded. She stood there, for a few seconds then she went towards the stairs and began to descend carefully, holding her stomach as she took each step.

Jack shook his head, confused for a little while, then looked back at Kid. “ Now what’s really going on here?’

Kid smiled,” Feisty one, isn’t she? I don’t know what to think about her. She was with this girl when I found her and at first would not talk much. When we were up here for a little while, the younger guys started coming in and making noise so she got furious and sent them all down stairs. It was actually quite funny seeing the kids being shooed away by her. She says that she is ok though, but I doubt that somewhat. She’s been out on the streets for a while now and in her condition, it’s not very safe.

“I think that she is just tired, thirsty and hungry and that in her condition she should really get some food quick.” Jack thought this to himself. Jack processed the information quickly.” Well I guess I’d better get going. If I am not back in an hour send a search party, ok. I’ll be a Tibby’s.”

Kid laughed, and then turned back toward the girl on the bed. She was stirring a little but did not wake up. “I’ll be here”

Jack turned and walked down the stairs. “This should be interesting,” he said and he shook his head in amazement at the predicament the newsies once again found themselves in.

~~*~~

2 / Bulma’s Hideout / 4