Dusk was out late one night walking in and out of alleys. She knew it wasn't the safest place
to be in Manhattan,
but she was strong. She could take it
Of course, her real name wasn't Dusk but her old life was behind her and being called by her
old name would just
bring up old, painful memories.
She had lived with her father and her younger brother, Charlie. Her father was never home
and when he was, he
was drunk. She acted like Charlie's mother. She cooked, cleaned, and did everything a
normal mother would. But
one night, she had fallen asleep on the couch and hadn't maken dinner. When her father
came home, he was
outraged. He beat her until she was unconscious, and then started on Charlie, beating him
to death. Then he
stormed out, probably to the nearest bar. When she had woken up, she used this chance to
escape, leaving
Charlie's battered body behind.
Dusk wandered into another alley when she was attacked by a tall, sleazy man with alchol on
his breath.
"So, girly, ya wanna have some fun?" the man sneered.
"Get you're hands of a' me before I hurt ya!"
"Ooohh!!! I'm scared! Now, come on, ya know ya want to." He moved in closer and started to
run his hands up and
down her body.
"I'll give ya one more chance, now get off!"
The man just grinned more and started to kiss her neck.
"Let her go!" Dusk looked over and saw someone standing in the alley.
"I don't need your help," Dusk said, still struggling to get the man off of her.
"Yeah ya do." The boy started to run over to Dusk and the man.
Dusk sighed and punched the man who was trying to unbutton her shirt at the moment.
"Look," she punched the man again, "I said I didn't need your help." Another punch. "Now go
away. Your just
gettin' in the way." She kneed the man in the crotch and he fell down whimpering. Dusk
pointed to the man on the
ground. "You ever try dat again, and you'll be lucky if ya ever see da sun again." She turned
and brushed past
the boy that tried to save her and started to walk out of the alley. She heard the boy calling
after her, but
she didn't stop walking.
"Hey! Wait!" the boy yelled. Dusk just continued walking. "I said stop!"
Dusk turned around slowly and looked at the boy. "What do ya want?"
"Ya shoulda let me save ya."
Dusk tried to surpress a laugh that was rising in her throat. "And why is dat?"
"Because he coulda raped ya."
"Well, he didn't. Now if ya don't mind, I'll be goin' now." She started walking again.
"Don't ya even want ta know my name?"
"Not really," she said, still walking.
"I think ya do."
Dusk spun around and faced him again. "Fine, tell me, then leave me alone."
The boy just smirked at her. "Da names Spot Conlon."
"Well, good for you," she said and she started walking away again.
"Didn't ya hear me? I'm Spot Conlon," Spot said, puzzled as to why this girl wasn't
immpressed. He watched her sigh
and turn around.
"What do ya want me ta do? Kiss your feet?"
"Well...I...uh."
Dusk smirked and started walking again.
"Where are ya goin'?" Spot called after her
"Home," she called over her shoulder.
"Where's dat?"
Dusk stopped, but didn't turn around. She hesitated a moment, then said, "It's none of your
buisness."
"Ya don't have a place, do ya?" Spot said to her back. There was no answer. "I'm sure
Jackey-Boy could-" He
didn't get to finish because she took off running.
Spot gave a aggravated sigh and walked to the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House.
Dusk ran as fast as she could. She stopped in front of a tall building, gasping for breath.
'What am I going to do?' she though to herself. 'I can't keep running every time someone
tries to help. And I
don't want another one of those things to happen in the alley. I need a job. I need a home.'
Her stomach
growled. 'I need some food.' Then, one word came to mind: newsie. Being a newsie was just
what she needed. You
had a job, a place to stay, and money to buy food with. Sure it was tough, but so was she.
She congratulated
herself for thinking of such a good idea.
She started walking to where she thought she had seen the Newsboys Lodging House. That
was her only problem.
NewsBOYS Lodging House. Well, she would get in no matter what, she decided.
When she got there, she looked up at the sign, once again wishing it said something else.
Without hesitation,
she knocked on the door. An Italian with a cigar in his mouth opened the door. She smiled at
him and as she
walked past him up to the man behing the counter.
"May I help ya?" the old man asked.
"Yeah, I was wonderin' if I could stay here. Be a newsies and stuff."
"Well, I don't know....you're a girl and everything," the man said with hesitation in his voise.
"Please!" Dusk hoisted herself up on the counter, her feet dangling in the air, and she was
face to face with
Kloppman. "Ya don't know what I've been through!"
Kloppman looked at her with pure shock on his face. "Well, I guess so..."
"Oh! Thank you!" Dusk made her way over to the other side of the counter, almost falling in
attempt, and hugged
Kloppman. He was shocked, again, but smiled and hugged her back. Dusk pulled away and
dusted herself off.
"Well, it's fine with me," Kloppman started, "but you'll have to check with the boys."
Dusk looked over at the crowd of boys and it was then she realized just how many there
were.
"Which one of you is da leader?" she asked them.
"Dat would be me," said a boy with brown hair and a cowboy hat hanging down his back. "I'm
Jack Kelly, or Cowoy,
whichever ya wanna call me."
"I'm Dusk." She stuck out her hand for him to shake, but before he shook her hand, he spit in
his. Dusk thought
it was rather digusting, but convinced herself that she'd get use to it.
"So, ya wanna be a newsie?"
"Yeah," was all she answered.
"Well, I don't know, what do ya think, Spot?" Jack asked, looking over Dusk's shoulder.
Dusk inhaled deeply. No, she couldn't have picked the place were the cocky Spot Conlon
lived. She turned around
slowly and saw Spot smirking at her.
"I don't know, Cowboy," he said, taking Dusk's chin between his forefinger and thumb,
peering at her with his
gray-blue eyes.
"You live here?" she asked, glaring at Spot.
"Luck for you, no. Just vistin'."
"Then why does it matter what you think?"
"Cause I'm Spot Conlon."
Dusk sighed and batted away his hand.
"You two know each other?" Jack asked.
"I saved her life."
"Ya did not."
"Well, I woulda if you'd let me," Spot grumbled.
Dusk sighed again and turned towards Jack. "So, can I stay or what?"
"Sure ya can stay."
"Thanks."
"So, do ya play poker?" Race asked.
"A little." Dusk tried not to smile. She knew good and well she played more than just 'a little.'
After seven hands of poker, Dusk winning five, Race winning one, and Spot winning the
other, Spot announced that
it was time for him to go back to Brooklyn.
When he passed by Dusk, he patted her cheek and said, "Bye, doll."
Dusk glared at him and stepped up so that thier faces were only a few inches apart.
"Ya call me doll again, and you're gonna wish dat you were never born."
"Is dat a threat?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Good." Spot smirked and headed towards the door. Just as he was about out the door, he
turned around. "Ya know,
I think I'll stay here tanight."
"What!?! He can't do dat, can he? I mean, there's gotta be some rule dat says he's gotta be
in Brooklyn at
night, right?" Dusk said in a panicked voice.
"Sorry, Dusk. There's no rule like dat," Jack said, trying not to smile.
Dusk let out a muffled scream and stomped her foot. "I'm goin' ta bed. Which one is mine?"
she almost yelled out
her words.
"The one on da far wall," Jack said, still grinning. Dusk ran upstairs without another word, her
face red.
"I bet ya anything those two end up together," Race said as soon as Spot was out of earshot.
"And how do ya figure dat?" Blink said, putting his arm on Race's shoulder.
"Have ya ever known Spot to not soak a person for beating him dat bad in poker?"
"Nah, but Dusk's a goyl."
Race shrugged his shoulders. "Just tellin' ya waht I see."
Blink shook his head, patted his friend on the back and went to join a game of craps.
********************************************************************
"Wake up sunshine," Spot said as he tried to wake up Dusk.
"Go away."
"Come on, doll, wake up."
"Conlon!" Dusk punched Spot in the face. "I told ya not ta call me doll!"
Spot rubbed his jaw. "Not bad for just wakin' up."
"Urrrrrggghhhhh!!!" Dusk threw her pillow at him. Spot got up and walked to Jack.
"Told ya ya shoulda let Kloppman wake her up." Spot just glared at Jack.
"Dusk! Dusk! Wake up!" Kloppman yelled.
"What? Oh, okay."
"Sorry, but your gonna have to share the washroom with the guys. From now on, I'll wake ya up earlier."
"Oh, that's okay. Thanks," Dusk said while getting up. Kloppman just smiled and walked
away to yell at someone
else.
Dusk walked in to the washroom, oblivious to the fact that half the guys were naked and
trying to cover up. She
walked beside Blink to brush her teeth and Mush, on the other side of her, struggled to pull
up his pants. When
she finshed brushing her teeth, she walked into one of the showers that wasn't being used.
"There she is! Hey Dusk! Come over here! We have some things to discuss with ya," Jack
said as Dusk made her way
down the stairs.
Dusk walked over to Jack and Spot. "Good mornin' ta you too, Jack."
"Sorry, good mornin'. Now," Jack said as they started their was to get their papes. "I'm gonna
show ya da ropes
taday."
"Great!"
"Good. Spot, ya stayin' here, or are ya gonna go back ta Brooklyn?"
"I'm gonna go back ta sell, then come back later ta see how Dusk did." Jack looked at Spot
curiuosly, but let it
go.
********************************************************************
That night, the newsies lounged around as usual. Dusk was involed with a conversation with
Crutchy and Blink
when Spot walked into the room. Jack folded and walked over to Spot.
"Hey Spot!" He slapped his back.
"Hey, Jack. How'd Dusk do?"
"Great, she's a natural."
"Good, I'm gonna go talk ta her." Spot walked over to Dusk and she saw him coming. She
took a deep breath. She
was going to TRY to be nice to him.
"Hey, Spot. Did ya have a good sellin' day?"
"Of course. I hear ya did to, sweetface."
Dusk clenched her teeth and shoved him against the wall. "Look, I don't like ta be called doll,
sweetface, or
anythin' ta dat effect, got it? I know ya only do it cause ya know it bugs me and I'm tired of
it. I haven't
known ya dat long, and you're already gettin' on me nerves. Dat's not a very good sign,
Spot. So da next time
you get da urge ta call me those names, slap yourself, it may do ya some good. And if ya
don't slap yourself,
I'll slap ya meself. Have ya got all dat, Conlon?"
Spot barely nodded his head. Dusk backed off and sat in a chair. Everyone was staring at
her.
"What?"