"Sing for me" David Jacobs

Three - Davey's POV

We were all outside, looking for a good headline but we found out they jacked up the price

"They jacked up the price, Did you hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred. You know what, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell. Now they Jacked up the price. Can you believe that?" Kid Blink complained

"This will bust me" Skittery said "I'm barely making a living right now"

"I'll be back sleeping on the streets" Boots said and sat on the steps

"It don't make no sense. I mean all the money Pulitzer's making... why would he cough us?" Mush asked

"Cause he's a tightwad, that's why" Race said annoyed

I turn my head and saw Stephany walking around the streets. I made a small noise and waved. She turned her head and waved back with a smile. She sat down on a bench and started reading a book... beautiful

"So, why the jack-up weasel?" Jack asked

"Why not?" Weasel tested the wind "It's a nice day"

The Delancey brothers laughed at us

"They can't do this to me Jack" Kid Blink said

"They can do whatever they want, it's there stinking paper" Race said and I didn't disagree

Jack sat down next to boots

"Come on, it's a rigged deck. They got
All the marbles, okay?" Race said

"Jack, we got no choice. So let's get our lousy papes while they still got some" Mush tried to go get papers but Jack stopped him

"No. Nobody's going anywhere"

Stephany looked up at the scene and made her way over. She stood at the gate "What's a matter?"

"They jacked up the price. That's what" Race said in a very annoyed tone

"Jack here isn't letting us get papes" Mush said

Steph walked up to us "Well I think you should give him some room to think instead of just crowding around him"

The boys reluctantly backed up, it's like she had a power over them, and boy did I like that

She looked up and smiled at me and went to stand next to me

"Jack, you don't thinking yet?" Race asked him after like ten seconds

"Hey hey hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!" Weasel yelled

Steph rolled her eyes and I grabbed her hand. She was a bit shocked but she held a slight grip on my hand

"Well listen, one this for sure. If we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes" Jack said "Nobody comes through those gates till they put the price back where it was"

"What do you mean, like a strike?" I joked around

"Yeah like a strike" Jack agreed

Steph looked at me with worried eyes and I had the same expression on my face. We both walked down, letting go of each others hand and me missing the warmth, and I leaned down to Jack's face while Steph stood beside me

"Jack I was just joking" I said "we can't strike. We don't have a union"

"Yeah but, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?" Jack asked me

"No we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money" I said "Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but..."

"Yeah well we organize. Crutchie, you take up collection" Jack said