(The scene changes as the office is taken away and instead shows various Newsies selling newspapers)

"The view is a lot better now." Henry commented.

[Singing]
Newsies: Sunup to sundown, knowin' where my customers will be. Sunup to sundown, watchin' all the ladies watchin' me.

"Well, do you have to be so attractive?" Skye said.

The Newsies, with the exception of Les and Davey, turned to face her and started flirting and blowing kisses at her.

"Well miss Skye, I had no idea you felt that way." Race said, a smirk playing on his lips

"Girl, you are finer than 24-karat gold." Romeo said while winking.

"Are you the sun because you're the light of my life." Crutchie said quietly.

"I'll gladly be a lesbian for you." Smalls said while dramatically blowing a kiss at Skye.

Newsies: Walk my shoes off. Got the dough to show it. Probably I'll blow it. Then before you know it, we'll be out there, carryin' the banner.

Davey: Paper! Paper! Oh, evenin' pape here.

The newsies winced at musical Davey's attempt at selling.

"And you expect people to buy from you?" Spot questioned.

Davey blushed. "Give me a break, it was my first time." He mumbled.

(Jack laughs in the background)
Jack: Sing him to sleep, why don't you?

(Jack snatches the paper from Davey's hands)

Katherine gave a small glare to her boyfriend. "Jack, that was rude."

He smiled sheepishly at her. "Someone had to show him how it's done."

Jack: Extra! Extra! "Terrified flight from burnin' inferno." You heard the story right here.

(A man approaches him and pays for the paper)

"People believe that story?" Katherine asked.

"It's better than what he was doing." Tommy Boy responded.

Jack: Thanks, mister.

(Jack clicks his tongue while waving the coin)

Davey: You just made that up.

"I'm not going to think of my script, I'm not going to think of my script." Skye chanted to herself.

"What script?" Finch asked.

"It's just a script I had to memorize for a Broadway Disney workshop. I don't have to do it anymore."

Jack: I did not. I said he heard it right here and he did.

A light chuckle floated around the room.

"Iconic." Said Skye.

(Jack threw the coin at Davey)

Davey: Well, my father taught us not to lie.

Jack: (chuckles) Yeah! Mine taught me not to starve.

(Les runs out from around the pillar)

"Yay, it's me!" He cheered.

Les: Hey! Just sold my last paper!

"Someone's had their morning coffee." Skye said to herself.

Davey: I got one more. Sell it or pay for it.

Les: Give it here!

(Davey hands the paper to Les)

Jack: (whispering) Oh. Go, go, go.

(Les approaches a woman walking past)

Les: Buy a pape from a poor orphan boy.

(He coughs twice on his arm)

"Jack, where did you dig him up from? He's a natural." Smalls said.

Woman: Oh, you dear thing. Of course, I'll take a newspaper. Here's a dime.

(The woman hands him a dime and takes the paper)

Mush let out a low whistle. "A whole dime, imagine that."

Skye throws a dime at him. "You tell me."

He looks at the dime in wonder. "Thank you."

(Les stares at the dime in amazement)

Jack: (laughs) Born to the breed.

Les: This is so much better than school!

A laugh erupts in the room and a disapproving noise comes from Davey.

"Les, don't say that!" Davey says as he scolds his little brother.

"Sorry." Les answers quietly.

Jack: This kid

Davey: Don't even think it. When pop goes back to work, we goes back to school.

"Hey Race, is that you on the tower?" Albert asks, pointing to musical Race hanging out on one of the towers. "What are you even doing?"

Race takes the cigar out of his mouth. "Apparently I'm reading the pape or I'm selling it."

Kid Blink quickly jumps in. "Wait, you can read?"

Race shoots him a dirty look. "Of course I can! I'm not stupid."

Jack: Hey, so, uh, how's about we divvy up the money? We'll grab some chow and find someplace safe to spend the night. Yeah?

(Davey starts separating the coins into two separate piles in his palm)

Davey: Uh, no, we gotta get home. Our folks'll be waitin' dinner.

"Seems like Davey rubbed off of you." Spot said.

Jack: You got folks, huh?

Les: Doesn't everyone?

"I don't ask questions like that anymore. I'm much older and wiser now."

"Les, that was two weeks ago."

"Like I said Finch, I'm much older and wiser now."

Davey: Hey.

(Jack looks away awkwardly and scoffs)

Davey: Um . . . Our dad tangled with a delivery truck on the job.

Jack: Mmm.

Davey: Messed up his leg bad, so they laid him off.

Silence overcame the room and everyone looked at Davey with sorry expressions.

Romeo was the first to find his voice. "Well, is he okay now?"

"He's still injured, but he's recovering." Davey answered.

(Davey hands some of the coins to Jack)

Davey: That's how come we had to find work.

Jack: Yeah, sure, that . . . That makes sense, yes. Um, too, too bad about your dad.

Davey: Look, why don't you come home with us for dinner? Our folks will be happy to have you.

Les: Mom's a great cook.

Davey: Yeah.

Jack: Uh, thanks for the invite. I just remembered I got plans with a fella. He's probably waitin' on me right now. I . . .

"Davey just offered you a chance at eating a home cooked meal and you denied it?" Specs said outraged. "I would accept that offer in a heartbeat."

(A spotlight shines on a man up on the tower)

Les: Is that the guy you're meetin'?

Jack: What?

Snyder: Kelly!

The Newsies tensed and the ones that have been to the Refuge remembered how terribly they were treated in that hellhole.

Jack: Run for it!

Snyder: Kelly!

Jack: Come on, run!

(The music in the background starts playing at a fast tempo)

Snyder: This way, Officer!

Everyone watches in anticipation as musical Jack, Davey, and Les weave their way through the tower stairs, silently hoping that they don't get caught.

Snyder: Jack Kelly!

(There's indistinct yelling in the background)

Jack: Hurry! Come on, kid!

(The stage starts to change as props are brought onto the stage)

Everyone lets out a breath of relief as the trio successfully makes it to safety.

(Jack, Davey, and Les all start panting for breath; Jack leans over the railing)

Jack: Slow down. We lost him.

Davey: Does someone wanna tell me why I'm running? I got no one chasing me! Who was that guy?

"I mean, you technically do Davey."

"Oh, you know what I meant Albert." Davey answers the redhead.

Jack: That, there, was Snyder the Spider. A real sweetie. He runs a jail for underage kids called the Refuge. The more kids he brings in, the more city pays him. Problem is, all thay money goes right into his own pocket. Just do yourself a favor. Stay clear of him and the Refuge

Davey: I hear you.

Medda: Hey! You up there! Shoo! No kids allowed in the theater!

"Wait, Ms. Medda's in the musical too?" Jack asked.

"Yep!" Skye responded.

Jack: Not even me, Miss Medda?

"Jack, you're not technically a kid though."

"But I'm not technically an adult either Crutchie."

Medda: Jack Kelly?

Jack: Yeah.

Medda: Man of mystery. Get yourself down here and give me a hug.

(They both laugh as Jack runs towards Medda)

Medda: Ah. Where you been keepin' yourself, kid?

"Haven't you guys ever been inside a theater?" Race asked Davey and Les, whose musical selves were looking around in wonder.

"No, that was our first time." Davey answered.

Jack: Oh, never far from you, Miss Medda. Boys! May I introduce Miss Medda Larkin, the greatest star in the Bowery today. She also owns the joint.

Medda: Oh, the only thing I own is the mortgage.

Davey: Ha!

"Did you just laugh at a money joke?" Jojo asked.

"I didn't want to be seen as inpolite." Davey answered.

Medda: Pleasure, gents.

Davey: A pleasure.

The Newsies, except Davey and Les, started laughing at musical Les, who was staring at the Bowery Beauties.

Les' face turned red and Davey held his head in his hand in disappointment.

Davey: What is wrong with you?

Les: Are you blind? She got no clothes on!

Skye snorted. "You should see what people wear today."

Davey: That's her costume!

Les: But I can see her legs!

Skye pulled her pant leg up a bit so that it revealed her ankle.

The Newsies and Katherine stared at her in shock and Davey quickly covered Les' eyes.

"There is a child in the room!" Davey said in disgust.

Skye snapped her fingers, which caused her pants to change in mid-thigh shorts

"Oh I'm sorry, I can't hear you over me being so SCANDALOUS!" The girl said while getting up and strutting around the room.

"Please put your pants back on." Davey said, shutting her eyes while slightly blushing.

"Shut it Davey, let the girl have her fun." Race said to Davey.

"Okay, let's continue to watch the musical." Skye said, changing her shorts into pants again and taking her place on the floor.

Medda: Well, step out of his way so's he can get a better look. Theater's not only entertaining, it's educational. Got the picture, kid?

(The Bowery Beauties giggle and blow a kiss at Les)

Jack: Say, Miss Medda, we got a little situation on the street. You mind if I hide out here a while?

Medda: Oh, where better to escape trouble than a theater? Is Snyder after you again?

Les: Hey Jack, did you really escape jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage?

"Yes I did kid!" Jack says, rubbing Les' head.

Davey: Come on, what would the governor be doing at a juvenile jail?

Jack: It so happens he was running for office, and he wanted to show he cared about orphans and such. So while he got his mug in a pape, I got my butt in the backseat, and off we rode together.

"Yep, that was a good selling day." Mike and Ike said in unison as they looked up dreamily.

Les: You really know the governer?

Medda: He don't, but I do! (chuckles) Uh, say, Jack, when you've got time, I want you to paint me another one of these backdrops.

"Artists are so underappreciated. They put so much work into their artwork!" Skye said.

Jack: Sure.

Medda: This last one you did is a doozy.

Jack: Yeah.

Medda: Folks love it. And things have been going so well that I can actually pay.

Jack: (stutters) I couldn't take your money, Miss Medda.

"Modesty is not a quality I would have pinned on you." Katherine said, quoting the line that she said during her interview with Jack.

Les: You pictured that?

Medda: Your friend is quite an artist.

Jack: All right. Take it easy. It's a bunch of trees.

"I'm sending pictures of the most amazing trees!" Skye sang out.

She analyzed the confused faces of everyone. "It's from a musical." She explained.

Davey: (chuckles) You're really good.

Medda: That boy's got natural aptitude.

Jack: Okay.

Les: Jeez! I never knew no one with an aptitude.

"What does aptitude mean?" Les asked.

"Derived from the Latin term aptus, it means a natural ability to do something." Skye stated.

Stage Manager: Miss Medda, you're on!

Medda: I am? How am I doing? (laughs) Ugh. (Laughs)

(Miss Medda gestures to the boys when the Stage Manager doesn't react to her joke)

Jack: You're good.

"Wow Davey, that is the fakest laugh I have ever seen." Elmer said, shooting a look at him.

Medda: Boys, lock the door and stay all night. You're with Medda now.

(A pensive tune starts playing in the background)

Stage Manager: Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the star of our show, Miss Medda Larkin!

Everyone claps along with the musical audience.

[Singing]
Medda: I'm doing all right for myself, folks. I'm healthy, I'm wealthy, I'm wise. My investments and such have all gone up so much. Seems whatever I touch starts to rise. I've been all kinds of lucky and yet, the thing I want most, I can't get . . .

Skye looks at the fourth wall. "This is a paragraph break brought to you by Kalteen Bars. Not really, but I didn't wanna have a really long paragraph here."

Medda: Well, hello! (laughs) Welcome to my theater. Now,
listen.

[Singing]
I live in a mansion on Long Island Sound. I pulled up a weed, they found oil in the ground. But you telling me you don't want me around. Now, honey, that's rich!

"And roll credits!" Skye said while making a fake ding sound.

[Singing]
Medda: Some guys give me ermine, chinchilla, and mink.

"Ermine?" A confuzzled Elmer asks.

"It's a type of weasel." Katherine answers.

[Singing]
Medda: And some give me diamonds as big as a sink. But you wouldn't give me so much as a wink. Now, baby, that's rich!

Skye turned and winked at the fourth wall.

"Why do you keep interacting with that wall?" Crutchie asks the girl.

"It's where our readers at home are watching us!"

[Singing]
Medda: I get brandy from Andy and candy from Scott and Frank and Eduardo chipped in for a yacht. I get stares from the fellas and prayers from the Pope, but I ran out my luck getting stuck with some dope. Oh, hey, honey, I was just talking about you!

"Another paragraph break brought to you by Kalteen Bars, special discounts available for people who know the quadratic formula."

[Singing]
Medda: Now, listen, sport, this life's too short to waste it on you. It may be rough, but soon enough, I'll learn to make do with . . .

"Because life is short, but death is super long!" I'll let you guess who sang that.

[Singing]
Medda: . . . The mansion, the oil well, the diamonds, the yacht. With Andy, Eduardo, the Pontiff and Scott.

"Pontiff means Pope by the way." Skye stated quickly.

[Singing]
Medda: And Frank, and my bank, so spill no tears for me. 'Cause there's one thing you ain't that I'll always be. And, honey, yeah, that's right, that's rich! That's rich! That's rich! That's rich!

(Miss Medda strikes a pose and the song ends)

TBC
-----------------------------------------------------------
And that's chapter 6!

Please leave feedback in the comments, I'd love to hear what you think!

Until next time:
- Skye

Written 03/24/2020
Words: 2433