Soulmates || A Newsies Alternate Universe

Chapter 4 - Race

Warning: Alcohol and Abuse
Third Person POV

Racetrack Higgins. Anthony Higgins. He was a relatively happy boy in general, just not at home. At home, he was a completely different person.

Race's father is an alcoholic.

Always has been, and sadly, he probably always will be, no matter what Race tries.

Race has always wanted his father's approval and for his father to be proud of him, but sadly, he never was since he was always drunk.

Race's mother died when he was three, leaving Race with his abusive father, to Race's despair.

Race's mother had taught him Italian, since her parents had come from Italy. That's how he knows Italian and English, with the fact that he remembers it because he's in an Italian class at school.

Race's father is a gambler. That's why Race is the best person at school at poker, since his father forced him to learn it.

When Race's father is home, and not beating Race or passed out on the couch, he is forcing Race to practice cards, so that Race would win bets for him.

Race has always felt bad for his soulmate, since every bruise, burn mark, or cut Race gets from his father, his soulmate gets, just not as bad. They were still pretty bad though.

Race has always thought that his soulmate hated him, because Race is always getting beaten.

Race thinks his soulmate just thinks Race is an annoying, clumsy mess that they'll end up taking care of.

Race's soulmate never gets hurt, other than an occasional black eye or bruise.

Race had always thought that his soulmate hates Race, and the fact that he's always hurt.

Race met Jack when he was nine, they were in the same elementary school.

He has been friends with the rest of the Newsies since sixth grade, yet none of them know about his abusive father or his home life.

Race never lets the Newsies come over to his house, but they don't think much about it. They just think he always wanted to go to their house, instead of his, as a lot of the Newsies didn't want to go to their own homes.

Sadly, this wasn't the case.

Currently, he's walking home from school, dreading seeing his father. Even if my father isn't at home right now, or awake, I'll still get a beating before the night is over, for no reason at all.

His father had serious anger issues, even when he wasn't drunk. The fact that he is always drunk makes his anger worse, and things worse for Race.

Race opens the door to his house, and the alcohol smell hits Race like a wave. It's so strong, he should be used to that by now, but he just isn't.

Race's father, in fact, was home, and very angry. Race could tell by his face, he looked like he was fuming.

Race drops his bag on the floor next to the door, and his father notices him. "There you are. Why are you late, boy?!"

Race felt a stinging pain in his cheek; his father just slapped him.

This wasn't unusual, but it still hurt. It also wasn't the worst thing his father did/had done to Race.

"I was w-walking home" Race answers, holding his cheek and backing up, away from his father.

His back was now against the wall, and his father was walking towards him. His back was hurting from being pressed up against the wall, because of the scars from other beatings.

"Come here boy, I need something to take my anger out on. I lost a bet to Jimmy today" His father growls, grabbing Race's wrist and pulling him down the hall.

His grip was so tight, Race was pretty sure it was gonna bruise, if it wasn't already. Race tried to pull away, but his father was too strong and he was too weak.

Race had heard of Jimmy. Jimmy was one of his fathers "friends", who he always played poker with. His father hated when anyone other than himself won, Jimmy especially.

Race was thrown into his father's room, and his father grabs a cigarette that he had lit, and he had started smoking.

Race was holding his head from where it hit the floor when his father grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up.

Race's father touched the cigarette to Race's skin, making a red burn mark. He held it there for a good few minutes, before moving to another spot on Race's skin.

Race cries out in pain, every second the cigarette is on his skin. This was one of his fathers cruelest ways to torture Race.

Race's pleas made his father laugh more. A wicked smirk planted on his face.

His father did this more times than Race could count, he only wanted his father to stop. It hurt a lot, and Race couldn't take it.

When his father was done with that, he threw Race to the floor, again, and grabbed one of his belts, that he often used with Race.

Race continued to plead for his father to stop, but his father ignored him, and kept hitting Race with his belt.

One time...

Two times...

Three times...

Race was crying so hard he could barely speak at this point. He felt bad for his soulmate, and also himself. Why was he the one who had to be chosen to go through this?

Race ended up passing out from pain, and probably a panic attack. His father hit him a few more times, then decided to go drink again.

When Race woke up, he found his father passed out, drunk, and asleep on the couch, with beer bottles surrounding him, and one in his hand.

Race tried his best to bandage himself up, but with few bandages, and not much medical knowledge, it didn't really work. He also didn't have the equipment to treat his injuries.

He bandaged himself up the best he could, and decided to try to do his homework. He had no clue what they were learning, or what he was doing.

He wrote down answers, that were probably wrong, and decided at least he tried. He went to try to find food, but again, there was none. His father uses all of the money for beer, so there's none for food.

Giving up on life for the night, and hopefully, in Race's mind, forever, Race decided to go to bed. He wondered why he was chosen to have this life, and if anything would ever change.

He knew it never would change, and cried himself to sleep, wishing he had someone who loved him.

1114 Words