1A blurb in the obituaries. That was the only selling point any one of them had to exploit that day. No one sitting in a desk high above the city cared very much about a man shot because he cheated in a poker game. What they did seem to care about was the recent drought. However, no one in the city needed a paper to make that discovery. Droughts did not make very good headlines no matter how one managed to exaggerate it. But murders did. Even if said murder was only discussed in one paragraph on page 10.
"Man brutally killed in rigged game Get it here!" Jack shouted along with the other newsies as they left the World building to sell their papers. He, Dave, and Les all took off to go to their usual spot near where outdoor boxing matches were held, harking the "headlines" on their way. Nothing unusual. Until, "Deathly drought coming Will you survive? Find out here" A voice shouted next to him. Jack knew that voice and turned to see "Race?" He questioned. "Yeah, what?" Race answered. "Where you'se goin?" "Central Park." Race replied. "Yeah, no sheepshead?" Jack asked. "Nah." Jack waited expectantly for Race to supply further information, but it never happened. What did happen was Race picked up on Jack's cessation of movement. Race took this opportunity to escape the questions he knew would be coming and used the time to shout out another story, "Atlantic Ocean withering to desert! This is stuff you'se gotta know folks!" Race began walking towards a man who held out a nickel. He spared a glance back at Jack, who had come out of his momentary stupor, and the two meet eyes. Through the glance, Jack communicated two things, 1) We got papers to sell, so I'm gonna let this go and 2) This ain't over. Race nodded and took the nickel from the man, apologizing for not having any change and running off with the whole nickel.
Race managed to make it a whole week without once having to answer Jack's questions. Race couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, it was a good thing because he didn't have to explain his absence at the races. On the other hand, it was a bad thing because now Jack knew something was wrong otherwise Race wouldn't have avoided him. Race sighed. Had it been anyone else, he would've just joked off some lie about not wanting to lose anymore money or he hadn't managed to snag any 'hot tips' or something. But this wasn't anyone else. This was Jack. Race never could lie to Jack. And he sure as hell couldn't lie to Jack when Les was hanging around him. That kid believed everything any of his newsie heros said, if Race ever lied to him, and Les ever found out, Race would know the kid would be heart broken, and Race couldn't stand it when that kid was heart broken. He saw the kid's face when he thought Jack had left him for Santa Fe. He wasn't about to see the kid wear that face again because of Race's stupid inability to own up to his own life.
Race laughed silently at that thought as he sat on his bed. It was the same reason he couldn't lie to Jack. Jack believed him. Jack trusted him. Jack trusted a whole of four people, well that number had been upped to nine since the Jacob's family came around. Well, ten maybe if you counted Spot. But Race didn't know if Jack trusted Spot, or just was willing to take his chances with him. But, Jack had trusted Blink and Mush, who taught him how to sell papers in the first place, and he trusted Race and Crutchy. Race and Crutchy both benefitted from being taught how to sell papers by Jack. Maybe that's the other reason Race couldn't lie in front of Les. He'd been Les once. A small kid who had no one to look after him. Except Les had a family. But Race remembered a time when Jack'd been his hero. Even though Jack was only two years older, but still.
Race sighed and decided all this introspection was giving him a headache. He adjusted his pillow and attempted to fall asleep. He knew that sleep wouldn't come though. Race hadn't slept the whole week. Though he didn't think anyone knew about that...well except maybe Jack. And of course, just as Race thought that, Jack Kelly plopped on his bed.
"Jack!" Race snapped. "What you'se think you're doin?" "All's the bed'sre taken, Race." Jack curtly replied. "I guess I came in to late." "Never stopped you from findin' a bed before." Race quickly answered back. "Well, I guess my luck ran out tonight. Speakin' of luck..." Jack trailed off the invitation/demand to talk about the issue. "None o' your business, Jack." Jack hesitated, deciding whether or not this was a big enough deal to push the issue. So what if Race hadn't gone to the races today, or for the past week for that matter? But Jack knew a good deal about Race, having gotten to know him when the kid was still small enough to not know better than to say whatever thoughts came into his head. And Jack knew Race never missed Sheepshead, not for anything, not for storms, rain, sun, or even a bad crowd that wouldn't buy as many papers. He also knew Race wasn't sleeping. So, Jack decided on continuing this train of discussion, maybe Race was tired enough to let something slip. "Ok, ok, jus' you know, it's unusual, Race. Figure somethin' mus' be goin on, 'sall." "Yeah, well, you're wrong. Nothin' ain't goin on, Jack. Jus' let it go."
Jack laughed a little. Normally Race came up with much better excuses before Jack called his bluff and Race came clean. "You'se could only ever lie to me in a game of poker." "I said, let it alone, Jack." Race repeated. "No, cause now, I'se double worried. You losin' you're touch, see? Somethin mus' be wrong if you can't come up with some wise ass reason for me to get off you're back." Jack said a bit more seriously this time, implying that he was not going to let this go until Race gave him something resembling an answer.
Jack waited. And waited for about five more seconds. Race didn't even attempt to answer. Jack gave it about five more minutes. After the silence, he became impatient. He looked over where Race feigned sleep. "Race, you ain't sleepin. Now, what's goin' on?" Jack asked, concern creeping into his voice. "I is sleepin, now leave me alone." came a quiet whine from Race. It sounded so vulnerable, Jack barely recognized the voice. Jack felt instant compassion for his friend. This sounded like the little kid Race had been when Jack first found him. Getting him to talk hadn't been as hard back then. Jack figured he had to proceed carefully, so he gave it a few minutes to let himself think about a tactic that would open Race up. Jack figured the direct approach was the best. Jack thought about it for a few more minutes, though. He knew the direct approach would require him utilizing information he knew about Race that no one else knew and that Race didn't want to be reminded of Jack knowing. But Race wasn't talking OR sleeping, so Jack didn't know what else to do. He hesitated a few more seconds.
"So, you finally gave up, lookin' then?" Jack said, almost inaudibly, but loud enough for Race to hear him, if Race was awake, which he was. Race just laid there for a second or two. Jack thought about repeating himself, maybe he hadn't said it loud enough, when Race rolled over to look at Jack, square in the eyes, "What makes you think he's got anything to do with this?" He replied hostilely. "Well, then, tell me Race, why you miss the races all week?" "Sick of losin' money Jack, had none left to bet, bad sellin' week." "Bullshit, Race. The headlines have been great for the last three days. 'Sides, you don't go there to bet, and I know it."
"You don't know nothin, Jack." Race practically hissed. With that, Race got up, and quietly but swiftly and angrily stormed out of the bed and to the fire escape, where he sat down and pulled out a cigarette. Jack followed. Jack sat down next to Race. Quietly, Jack started where he left off. "You'se a mighty good liar, Race. You got this whole damn town fooled. But jus' cause youse good at poker and can beat us all out of our money, don' mean I believe you go an' bet all of that away at the races... Race." Jack added his name for effect.
Race continued to ignore Jack. So Jack decided to divulge a little more information. "Davey, don' believe it either." This at least caught Race's attention. Race knew that Jack knew, but that was only because Jack knew Race before he'd had time to perfect his facade. But David Jacobs being able to look past the costume that Race wore everyday, after that costume had been so carefully tailored, even Jack sometimes forgot it was there? Jack saw Race's small surprise and decided to press what seemed to be an advantage, "Yeah, figured it out the first day he meet yous." "How in the hell..." Race paused. Then chuckled a little, "Ahh... you'se bluffin Cowboy. Well, now who's lyin, eh? Davey don't know, he don't even sleep at the lodgin house. You think I could fool an entire house o' newsies fer years and not Davey? At least give me a good lie, Cowboy. Coulda said he figured it the other day."
"Ah, but you do admit you'se got somethin' for people to figure. Well, I'll let you know that I know that somethin' is that you don' bet a penny at those races. And I'll also have you'se know that I ain't lyin. Davey figured it the first day. He may have been green an' all, and he may not live here, but the kid's got brains. Brains enough to see through you." Race stared at Jack. Jack had him cornered. So Race asked him the first thing that was on his mind, "How's Davey know?"
Jack smiled a little before taking a drag on his cigarette and answering Race. "I suppose it's partly my fault. 'Member the first day Davey came to sell?" "Course" Race answered, prompting Jack to continue. "He only wanted twenty papes." Jack continued, chuckling at the memory, "I bought him fifty more papes...well, YOU bought him fifty more. You spotted me remember?" "Yeah, so? How'd he figure me from that?" Race asked. "Ah, Davey pays attention. He was behind us in line. He heard youse ask Weasel to spot you fifty. When you tossed me the money to spot him the fifty papes, he got suspicious. He also knew why you asked for the loan from Weasel. It was cause you got a, and I quote, 'hot tip on the fourth'. While Davey may have been a bit 'dignant bout me spottin' him papes, nothin' don't catch that boy's awareness. He may not know how to put it to use so good, but that boy can read people. And that day he read you like a book. He don't know why, but he figured youse gamblin'is all a face you put on. Why else would you ask for a loan of papes if you was goin' spot me the same amount? Couldn't be that was all you had to gamble off of, else you wouldn't of givin it to me. So, our clever Davey passed it all off as you don't actually bet at the races."
As quickly as Jack finished his narrative, Race rushed to ask "He hasnt-t" "No." Jack cut him off, "He ain't told no one. And I ain't either. But I want youse to tell me why you've dropped the act." "Tired o' it." Race replied, returning to his earlier nonchalance. "Race, stop lyin' ta me. Why you give up on your ole' man?" Race looked shocked and a little hurt that Jack would just come out and say it like that, but he couldn't ignore the concern, and...was it desperation, in his friend's voice.
Race sighed. "No one left to give up on, Jacky." "Huh?" Jack sat agape at this news, "What you mean?" "Remember that story you was harkin' Monday? The one 'bout a man gettin shot for bein' a cheat at a poker game?" "Yeah, so...ohhh" Realization dawned on Jack. "That was him, Jack." Race confirmed. "He's dead."
A/N K, I'm going to end it there for now. I'm planning on more chapters, but only if you guys want to read more. I'd love to keep writing this story! Please review and tell me if you all liked it! This is my first newsie fic, but not my first fanfic, so actually, I don't know why that info is important, but ppl always like announcing their first fic in a given genre. Also, I have little in the way of proofreaders, so any mistakes you see, please, please call me on it. Also, I don't like receiving them but flames are ok, feedback is feedback, tho I'd prefer something constructive. In the way of next chapters, I'm hoping to involve David some more. And I'm hoping I can reveal more about everyone's past! So please, Review! THANKS:) -crazytook