3So this chapter isn't sad, but I'm very sad right now. I'm sitting in my living room watching newsies for the last time for a while. Sadly Newsies live is getting taken off Netflix tomorrow. I'm probably gonna buy it though, I'm still sad. Also if you guys didn't read the reviews I go to a private school, that's why I said stuff like uniform and theology class.
September 11, 1899
I fell asleep after a while, but I woke up in the morning to bumping in the next room over. I assumed it must be Elizabeth waking up, but then everything came rushing back. I wasn't at home, I was with the newsies. I grabbed my suspenders and walked out of my room to see all the newsies getting ready. I needed to get out of here, I walked out into the cool autumn air. This was the kind of weather I loved, cold but not too cold. It was just the kind of cold that numb your arms and legs. I knew it was going to get warmer, but I would enjoy this weather while I could. I tried to remember which way the square was. After a few wrong turns, I had made it back to the square, I saw Blu and a blond haired boy sitting next to her. I saw a crutch sitting next to him, it was Crutchie. I tried to leave, but Crutchie spotted me.
"Squirt!" he waved for me to come over,
"Oh shoot," I mumbled as I walked over to him.
"Hi."
"Excited for your first day?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean I sorta sold with Jack yesterday and I don't know if that counts, or…"
"Yeah, Jack would not stop talking about how good you are!" I just stared at the ground, trying not to smile. I was still pretty proud of myself from yesterday, soon all the newsies were in the square and it was louder than ever. Crutchie grabbed my hand and pulled me into line next to him, he handed me a few coins.
"Ok, so this will buy you fifty papes. After you buy your papes meet me at the front of the square and we can go sell together." I nodded and stood behind Crutchie him, I was honestly nervous to meet Wiesel and the Delanceys for the first time. I decided I would try to be as respectful as possible. When it was my turn I carefully set down my coins,
"Fifty papers please."
"Would you look at that, a new kid." I smiled trying to look cute so I wouldn't get beat up, Crutchie put an arm in front of me,
"She's with me." Papers were shoved into my arms by Morris and followed Crutchie to the front of the square.
"Those Delancey's are scary," I whispered.
"I know, but you'll be ok." I nodded and followed him to his selling spot. Soon my stomach was rumbling, turns out newsies don't get to eat breakfast very often.
"Geez Squirt, it sounds like there is a monster in there."
"Know anywhere we can get something to eat?"
"Follow me, it's about lunchtime anyway." I walked next to him as we walk down the street. We made it to a diner, I recognized it right away. It was Jacobi's, we walked inside where everything was really cheap compared to what I was used to at school. I pulled a few coins out of my pocket and ordered a sandwich. Soon Crutchie and I were sitting at a table eating,
"You are really something Squirt." I looked up from my sandwich,
"What do you mean?"
"You just are really different from all the other newsies. You don't talk too much."
"My mom says I talk too much!" I giggled, suddenly feeling sad I missed my mom.
"You have a mom?"
"Yeah."
"Is she back in Illinois?"
"Yeah."
"What other family do you have?"
"Well, my dad, sister, and two brothers. I also have a dog."
"Wow! You have a dog!"
"Yeah, his name is Chester."
"If you live in Illinois, and have a dog and lots of family what are you doing all the way in New York?"
"It's kinda hard to explain."
"Oh," I knew I had to figure out a way to tell them soon, I just didn't know how. If only I knew who was trustworthy enough, Jack probably was. I was just worried about what he would say or do. I had to tell him tonight,
"Squirt, Squirt. We gotta go,"
"Oh yeah." I wrapped up the rest of my sandwich and shoved it in my pocket. I followed him out of Jacobi's, soon we had sold all of our papers and were headed back to the square.
"Hey Crutchie, I'm feeling kinda tired. I'm gonna go lay down for a little while."
"Ok, I'll see you later." he smiled and I walked into the lodging house. I walked to my room and sat down against the wall, I pulled my knees to my chest and just sat there thinking. After a few hours, I heard a knock on my door,
"Squirt, it's me, Jack. Can I come in?"
"Yeah." he opened the door, to see me sitting on the floor.
"You ok Squirt." I shook my head staring at the floor. He sat down next to me,
"You want to talk about it?"
"I kinda don't exactly know how to tell you. I feel like you won't believe me, and it's just really strange. I don't really want you telling anyone else."
"Ok."
"I'm from the future."
"What do you mean the future?"
"I'm from the year 2019. That's 120 years from now."
"So you're telling me that you are not from this time period at all. You are from somewhere else. Are you even from Illinois?"
"Yes. Just not in 1899, that's how I knew your name. I know a lot about your guy's strike."
"Is that why your clothes were so funny?"
"Yes, it's called a uniform. I go to school."
"Does everyone go to a school where you are from?"
"Yes, life is a lot different than here."
"What happens to us?"
"I can't tell you. I can't mess up the timeline."
"Oh." I stared at the ground, feeling really scared about if Jack would be mad,
"Are you mad?"
"No, I'm just confused."
"I thought you would be mad at me," I mumbled,
"No, is that why you came to the square? You needed to get back to your time period?"
"Yes. I want to go home, don't get me wrong I love being with you guys but I miss my family, my friends."
"How did you even get here in the first place?" I proceeded to explain to him how I got here.
"Wow, so how do we get that portal to open up again?"
"I don't know, it just opened at school and I touched it. After that, it sucked me in."
"Let's go for a walk." he stood up and offered his hand to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. I followed him outside, we walked down the street together. We walked for about an hour until we made it back to newsies square. Jack told me to go try and make some friends, I wandered off into the crowd. I was soon stopped by two boys, it was Elmer and Mush.
"Squirt! Do you want to help us with something?" Elmer asked, I looked at the bottle of shaving cream and then to the feather in Mush's hand. I could hear Jack in the back of my head saying that this was my chance.
"Sure, what did you have in mind?" they looked to each other, then over to a sleeping Wiesel.
"Oh no," I mumbled as they grabbed my hands and dragged me towards Weisel.
"Ok, so I'll spray the cream in his hand, the Squirt you tickle him with this feather." Mush handed me the feather,
"O…ok." Elmer sprayed the fluffy white cream into his hand. I carefully tickled his face with the feather causing him to smear it all over his face. We all ran away giggling as Wiesel woke up and was yelling angrily.
"That was awesome Squirt!" We all high-fived, I was laughing and having a good time with them until Jack came over and told me I needed to get some sleep. I tried to convince him to let me keep hanging out, but he dragged me off towards the lodging house. I heard Elmer say in a cough as we walked off,
"Buzzkill." he then had a fake coughing hit after that, I tried to cover up my laughter as Elmer winked at me as Jack pulled me off faster. I waved goodbye to the two boys and laughed at the thought of how I had actually pranked someone. It wasn't exactly something I would have done back at home. I laid in my hammock that night smiling, things were finally looking up.