First Day of the Rest of My Life

[Asher]

A woman stopped after she ran into Mush. "Ye'd better get gone, youngin. Some of them der protesters are runnin' around, beatin' people up!" She cried. Then she too fled. Street whimpered and pulled Mush up a stoop. There they saw the square, about fifty people were beating others up, one had a gun.

"What are they protestin'?" She asked. But she was answered by a shout from one of the protesters.

"Long live the Kings!" He shouted gleefully, shooting his gun into the air.

"The Kings?" Street asked. "Never heard of 'em."

"They're a gang. Like the Mafia." A blonde girl next to them said. "They've been causing trouble lately. Beatings, robberies, maybe even murder. Papa thinks they're the ones kidnapping all those girls and dumping them everywhere." She turned her large green eyes on them. "They hate Newsies. Don't know why. And bums."

"I'm not a bum!" Street said quietly. She didn't look away from The Kings. "Are they named after someone?"

"Kingsblood." The girl said, then disappeared into the crowd.

[Chase]

Mush looked down at Street. "Let's go find the gang." Before she could say anything he pulled her back into the crowd. "Who is Kingsblood?" Mush felt like a complete idiot. He didn't know anything anymore. But he did know he needed to get himself and Street out of there before they were overcome by The Kings.

[Asher]

Street shivered by his side. "No. Mush, no." She pulled him to a stop, surprising herself with that much strength. "This is a bad idea." Then she screamed and pointed. "It's-it's Eli!" Sure enough, the tiny shoe shine boy was being dragged onto the statue by a large and powerful man. Goldie was in the square screaming, but being held back by some gang members. "What are they gonna do ta him?" She cried. "Are they gonna lynch him?" She asked Mush loudly.

Goldie screamed louder and tried to push through the crowd. "Eli! Eli! I'm comin'!" She had left Bairn with a neighbor and gone shopping with Eli, only for this to happen. Eli's round face was fearful and he cried silently as the man hauled him up the statue.

"Georgia! Georgia!" He sobbed, trying to reach for her, Goldie flung a hand out to try and comfort him. She wished she could do more, but she couldn't hit a white man. It would only hurt Eli more.

[Chase]

"Eli!" Mush yelled over the crowd. He let go of Street, leaving her on the stoop and rushed forward. "Stay there Street." He yelled over his shoulder at her. It sounded like a command and a threat at once. He ran towards the statue, plowing people over in his rush. "No! Let him alone!" HE shouted at the guys that were attacking Eli. He was almost there...

Mush jumped on the one guy's back. Of course it had to be the big one, the one that had Eli first. Mush was clinging to his back for life punching every inch of the man he could reach. "You filthy bastard! Let him alone!"

[Asher]

Street stayed for a bit and then rushed after him. She tried to punch someone when they reached for her, but they just hauled her up by her wrist. Goldie slipped through a hole in the crowd, grabbed Eli and disappeared. But the man now had Street, and was dragging her by her hair, kicking and screaming to the middle of the square.

"Mush! Somebody! Anybody!" She screamed her voice cracking. Suddenly, three boys appeared in the crowd. One jumped on the back of one of the men holding on to her, punching him and trying to strangle him. The other boy-who was slightly taller, was swinging his fists wildly. The third boy was attacking the men with kicks and using his knife. The third boy freed her and took her to a stoop. "Levi!" She cried. He winked and left, and together with Sean and Asher, he helped Mush.

[Chase]

The guy Mush was hitting and pulled him off his back and had him about pinned to the ground. He heard Street scream and look around. He gave Mush a chance to get up. SO he did. Mush stood up and looked around. Sean, Asher, and Levi had finally woken up (or at least Asher and Levi did) and came down. Mush laughed and kicked the big dude in the balls. Another guy hit him on the head from behind. He fell but stayed consience. Everything was fading in and out but Street was safe at least. Mush smiled slightly and saw Levi coming for him just as he blacked out.

[Asher]

Levi kicked a guy squarely in the head and pulled Mush away. "Idiots. That's all they are," He said, looking at Asher and Sean. Asher had another black eye and Sean had a split lip. "Why'd they do that?"

"Oi suspect it was 'cause Eli was bein' picked on and he's only a wee lad." Sean commented. Levi rolled his eyes.

"I see Goldie disappeared right quick."

"Oh bite me, Levi Akecheta." Goldie said, she was holding Eli tightly to her. "Of course I disappeared. Didn't want to be lynched now did I? Nor Eli." Eli peered up at Levi with hsi big brown eyes.

"Theys were scary, Mr. Akecheta."

"He's just Levi, Eli. No need for formalities. He ain't even white. Nor is he a citizen of this country."

"Am too! My dad's white, ain't he?"

"Dunno, is he?" Goldie asked, smirking. Levi ground his teeth. "That's right. Mr. Levi don't know who his papa is."

[Chase]

Mush's hand raised to his head. "Aw fuck." He rubbed his head. He blinked the blood out of his eyes and looked around. He smiled. "Thanks LEvi i owe ya one. Ya too Sean. Asher. Hey Eli, ya okay? Goldie ya guys alright?" He looked around at Street. "I thought i told ya ta stay here?" He hugged her. "Ya coulda gotten hurt."

[Asher]

Street frowned at him. "Ya went, didn't ya?" She asked.

"Look, my dad's white and he's an army man. He's a citizen so that makes me a citizen." Levi argued.

"Yeah, but your daddy ain't on you birth recipt. You don't even have records do ya? Who did your mama say was your papa? Not a white man, that's for sure." Goldie said. "At least I know who my daddy is and my mama never had to lie."

"I know who my father is!" Levi said angrily. Eli squirmed and hid behind Goldie.

"Yeah? What's his name then?"

"It's-it's..." Levi frowned. "Damn it, Goldie! Leave me alone!" He huffed, turning on his heel and sitting by Street. Goldie shrugged.

"None of y'all know who yer daddy and mama is..." Goldie said. "'Cept maybe Miss Rosie here," She pointed to Street. "Not even Mush knows."

Sean said, "Oi know who me parents are..." Asher nodded. Goldie rolled her eyes.

"Not my point. Levi's daddy could be some blasted drunk for all he knows. Mush's mama could've been a prostitute. We just don't know, do we?"

"Goldie..." Eli said, pulling on her skirt. "Let's go..."

[Chase]

Mush looked at Street. "I went cause I had ta go." He spun around and looked at Levi then at Goldie when his name was brought up. Levi looked pissed and now so did Mush. "Ya think yer betta than us, eh Goldie? Just cause ya knew yer parents. Some of us weren't that lucky." He moved towards her but Street had grabbed his arm, attempting to hold him back. "One more word.." he muttered to himself. If she said one more thing about his parents he was going for her throat.

[Asher]

Goldie sneered. "I don't think I'm betta then ya, I can't think I'm betta then ya, 'cause I'm not white, remember?" She said, pointing to the chest. "I'm proud ta be black and knowin' who my parents are and proud that I went ta school. Only Levi here went ta school and it was at a white man's school." She turned on her heel and scooped Eli up. "The only way we can survive in this world is by listen' ta white people. I'm tired of it, I'm gonna make somethin' of myself. Instead of bein' like y'all-livin' on the streets and stealin' for a livin'. Hawkin' papes. No siree. I ain't gonna do it. Y'all can die when yer twenty, but not me. And I ain't goin' against nature neither." She gave them one last withering glance and then left. Eli waved his chubby hand at them sadly.

Street looked like she had been slapped. "I ain't gonna die when I'm twenty."

"I don't hawk papes or steal." Asher said slowly. "And I am not going against nature by... well. I just ain't."

"Oi work for me family. A dangerous job too." Sean murmured.

"She's only mad 'cause she can't steal anything without getting caught." Levi sniffed, but he didn't look covinced. "Don't let her bother you." He said, looking at Mush.

[Chase]

Mush glared at Goldie's retreating back. "Good for nothin' bitch." He muttered. He looked at Levi and nodded. He couldn't get worked up over Goldie. She wasn't worth it. Instead, he concentrated on the guys that had attacked them- well Goldie, but Mush didn't want to think about her. "So who's Kingsblood and what's they doin' here?"

[Asher]

Street chewed her nails absently as she thought, Asher had a his face screwed up in concentration. Sean scratched his head, and Levi threw his knife up and caught it. And again. Then suddenly, he gave a whoop and flung the knife down in the dirt, where it pierced the earth and quivered there. "There was this guy, a few years ago. He came and stayed with us for a bit in the village. Name was... Alphonso-maybe-Kingsblood. I think that was it. Maybe that's him? He was younger though."

[Chase]

Mush's eyes followed the knife until it stopped quivering. He looked at Levi. "Like hell if i know." He looked at the others standing there. "Is it?" What did some kid have to do with this mess? Mush stared into space in confusion.

[Asher]

Street shrugged. "I dunno. I dunno nobody."

Asher looked at Levi in confusion. "You dumb or something? That was years ago. What is the possibility that the same kid you knew years ago is here now, causing trouble?"

But Levi didn't hear him. He was staring at a young man in the crowd. "Alphonse Kingsblood..." He murmured. "Oh. I see."