Refuge

Jack

The cell was dark. If the boys weren't talking, it was dead silent. Complete sensory deprivation. So they talked. They swapped jokes until Crutchy needed to rest; when he woke up, he told him all about the other newsies.

"Wait a second, ya really climbed through da chimney to get out of heah?" Crutchy asked in awe.

"Yeah, that thing hadn't been cleaned in years." Eddie snickered softly. "I swear, by the time I got out, I looked and smelled like a chimney sweep."

"How come ya didn't make it?"

"Well that's how we learned that the bulls like playing cards on the roof. Figures, right?"

Crutchy could hear the smirk in the other boy's voice. It was that expressive. There was also something distinctly not New York about the way Eddie said things.

"Don't tell Race." He joked. "He'd challenge the Spyder to a game." All of a sudden, Crutchy felt a sharp pinch through the ache of his good foot and cried out in surprise. Eddie sniggered.

"Met the rats, have ya?" He made a surprisingly high sound of disgust. "I think it just ran over my foot." Crutchy shuddered, imagining how many rats there could be in the pitch black. "If you think thats bad," Eddie griped, "Wait till that wakes you up. And they also account for the smell."

"Sure it ain't you?"

"Uffa" Eddie hissed. "But seriously. The second you're strong enough to stand on, I'm breaking the window back open."

"There's a window?"

"Yeah. They boarded it up after Cowboy got caught smugglin' food and clothes in. I'm too short, so I gotta stand on somebody."

Crutchy slowly lifted himself up on one elbow, a worn red bandana flashing through his mind.

"What happened ta Cowboy?" he asked cautiously.

"Snyder's got one of dem warrant things on his head. Not like he didn't already for escaping." Cruchy lowered himself down, wincing and shaking his head,

"Why'd he nevah tell us?" He mumbled. At Eddie's sound of confusion, he explained.

"He's da head of the Manhattan newsies. Started the strike. Snyder's been after 'im for years, he nevah told us why." A bang ricocheted through the cell, and a beam of light smacked Eddie in the face.

"Ow! Ow! Che diavolo! Che diavolo!" Eddie clapped his hands over his mouth.

"Really Ed. Its night." a very familar voice said. Crutchy looked up and saw his best friend's head poking through a small opening in the wall.

"Jack?!?" He blurted out. Jack turned his head, smiling, and then blanched. Crutchy didn't understand the horror on his face until he tried to sit up and a wave of pain rocked his body. Jack mouthed something unprintable, his ashen face taking in his best friend's pain. He shook his head quickly and focused himself.

"I'm gettin' ya out." His eyes landed on the smaller boy. "Both of you." Eddie hung his head.

"It ain't gonna work, Cowboy. It don't work." His voice trembled. Jack wiggled his shoulders through the opening.

"I did it, didn't I? When was the last time you tried?" Eddie looked up, eyes wide.

"A month ago." He folded into himself, trembling. "You know what happened."

"Eddie." Jack's voice was steel. "Get out now, and it won't ever happen again." The boy looked even smaller than usual as he nodded, climbing to his feet.

"Jack." Crutchy said urgently. "I can't walk." Jack began to get his hips through the sad excuse for a window.

"Its fine, I'll carry you."

"No!"

The forceful reply echoed through the room. Jack met Crutchy's icy glare.

"This isn't the time." He said quietly. Crutchy struggled into a standing position, leaning against the wall.

"No one is gonna carry me. Ever."

The two boys stared at each other, Jack's eyes pleading with Crutchy's, filled with prideful anger. Until Eddie shot between them.

"Jack, run." He hissed. They looked at him in confusion. "Run!"

Jack began to wiggle his body back through the opening as the sound of boots echoed throughout the corridors. He had his shoulders through the opening when the devil himself ran into the cell, Anderson next to him.

"Kelley!" Snyder screeched angrily. But by the time he reached the bars, Jack had disappeared into the night. He growled in frustration and whirled to face Crutchy. He pulled out his nightstick and swung at the boy's stomach. Crutchy crumpled, curling up to protect himself as blows rang on his back. He heard a crunching noise, and Eddie was beside him, blood running down his face.

"Welcome to the Refuge." Eddie gasped and pushed himself up, launching his wiry frame at Snyder. The beating stopped instantly. Crutchy stumbled to his knees to see Eddie punch Snyder in the face. Repeatedly. Anderson wrenched the boy off of his superior. Pinning Eddie's arms behind him, Anderson made to shove him into the wall, but stopped, thinking better of it. Eddie went white with terror, and began to kick and yell like Crutchy had never heard. He lunged towards them, but was swiftly stopped by a knee in the gut from Snyder. Crutchy was left looking into the darkness, listening to his friend scream.