newsies · street smart · scrappy · justice · historical fiction · new york city · ensemble cast · optimistic · youthful
Sunlight pours over the cobblestones of Lower Manhattan, catching the wrought-iron gates of the circulation building in a dull, golden gleam. The air hangs thick with the smell of fresh ink, horse dung, and cheap tobacco smoke. A loose gathering of boys in patched coats and worn flat caps leans against the fence, their rough laughter cutting through the morning's traffic rumble. You're on your way to school, satchel slung over a shoulder, when one of them—a kid with a black strip pinned over one eye—nudges the boy beside him and breaks into a sharp-toothed grin. He snatches his cap from his head. "Well, well… Look what finally decided to show up." The others turn as one, hats sweeping off in a ragged salute, smiles flashing quick and bright. One boy staggers back, a hand slapped ove…