Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 7:55:52 GMT -5
The benefit to being small, young, and female is that, when being kidnapped, eventually the bad men will forget that one is a threat and requires guarding. So Birdie, trapped in the back room of the Rooster, had only to wait for the opportunity to escape. It wasn't like she had anything better to do.
Finally, a couple of days after her capture, she had her chance -- one of Priest's boys left the door that led into the bar unlocked. Sure, the door out onto the street was bolted tight as could be, and there was even a boy guarding it outside, but, Birdie, remembered, there was a window.
That night, she managed to slip out of the room, into the bar, and through the window that fell out into the alley. From there, she planned to head back to Manhattan -- she'd been told when she first went to the Lodging House that the legendary Jack Kelly was the one to see if you had a problem. She'd never actually met him, unfortunately, but another newsie had pointed him out. It was her only option -- find Jack, plead her case, and hope he'd be willing to help.
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 8:54:51 GMT -5
Jack was currently standing outside the distribution office, smoking a cigarette. He was just finishing it up, getting ready to head inside.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 10:46:16 GMT -5
"Jack! Jack Kelly!" Birdie yelled, spotting him as she rounded the corner in front of the distribution center. It was lucky no one else was out this early -- she looked like something a cat would leave on a doorstep, bruised, cut, and bedraggled.
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 11:02:35 GMT -5
Jack stared wide eyed at the crazed young girl running toward him waving. He didn't know if he should run or stand his ground, he narrowed his eyes at her with deep concern. She didn't look like she could actually hurt him, so he stood there.
"Yeah?" He asked her.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 11:25:47 GMT -5
((bahaha))
Birdie skidded to a stop, self-consciously smoothing her hair down when she saw his expression. "I'm Birdie," she began awkwardly, "I live at the lodging house, and they told me you could help me..."
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 11:38:08 GMT -5
"You're the newest girl ain't ya?" He asked her and then looked at her more carefully. "What the hell happened to you?" He glanced around him and then gripped her arm gently, leading her off to the side where they could talk in some sort of privacy.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 13:49:02 GMT -5
"I was going to buy some papers a couple of days ago, and these boys grabbed me and took me to George Priest, in Queens," she said in a wavering voice, just about to burst into tears again. "The boys don't work for Priest, though, they were from Brooklyn..."
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 14:23:58 GMT -5
"From Brooklyn?" Jack asked her, confused. "Why the hell would Brookys get involved with Priest?" He leaned back against the alley wall and took a deep breath. "Did you hear anything else while they had you? Who were the Brooklyn kids?" Jack knew he had to tell Spot what as going on. The former brooklyn leader was still living and working in the area and should know.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 18:35:07 GMT -5
Birdie sniffled and tried to remember. "There was one named Lenny, and another named Finn. And they called the leader Hoffman." She chewed at her bottom lip, frowning. "Hoffman said... he said he needed protection from Priest because some some important people were breathing down his neck."
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 20:12:25 GMT -5
Jack nodded, "alright, listen stay close to the lodging house. I gotta head over to Brooklyn." he said. Hoffman, could it really be? No...he couldn't be that stupid.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 22:03:32 GMT -5
Birdie nodded, biting her lip. "I will. And if I remember anything else, I'll tell you." She gave him a weak smile and picked up her case from beside her. "Thanks for your help."
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 22:26:25 GMT -5
"course." he paused for a minute and then said, "where you going with that?" he nodded at her case.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 22:29:40 GMT -5
She hesitated, then gave him a half-smile. "To play in front of the lodging house. I was going to go to the park, but you're right, I should probably stay where someone can see me..." She shrugged her shoulders, calmer now but still shaken.
|
|
|
|
Post by jackkelly on Jan 11, 2012 22:32:11 GMT -5
"if you think you'd do better in a park, play here in the square. There's always newsies around and you're right by the DO if you need help." he said confidently.
|
|
Birdie
Junior Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by Birdie on Jan 11, 2012 22:39:54 GMT -5
She nodded. "Okay. Thanks again for your help, Jack." She gave him one last smile, bit her lip, and turned to head back to the lodging house.
|
|
