Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Newsies. I do own any people you don't recognize.
Author's Note: I've been editing this story like crazy. If anyone has any suggestions, I would really love to hear them. :) I hope you like the story. Please review! Thanks!
Chapter 1
I couldn't make out any words. Only distant angry sounds. My dad screamed at my mum. I heard her cry out in pain over and over. He was drunk and I tensed up. When he was done with her he would come for me. I looked over at a picture of my brother and I bit my lip. If only he were here. I know that he would help us. But he ran away two years ago. He promised he'd be back. His big brown eyes stared at me from his picture and I shivered as I remembered the last things he'd said to me.
"Don't you worry Alice," He said, "I'll be back for you first thing in the morning." Then he ran his hand through my long, curly black hair. I nodded, never doubting. I was doubting now. I heard my father's footsteps get louder and louder. My stomach twisted in knots. I felt my bruises from this morning. It was too soon. I looked toward the window. Only glass between me and my freedom. I walked to it and touched the latch before my father swung the door wide open. I quickly jumped away from the window. He saw me and he walked toward me with a scowl on his face.
"Not planning on going anywhere are you, Alice?" I shook my head. I knew better than to even say a word. He continued, "Of course not. You wouldn't want to leave your family like your good for nothing brother." I shook my head again. Suddenly he swung his arm and almost hit my head. "I don't believe you," He yelled, "I think you were planning on leaving." I shook my head with more speed. But I knew there was no escape. He yelled and hit me with the glass bottle in his hand, something I'd experienced before, but this time it shattered on my skin. I screamed as the glass dug into my arm. My father yelled again and scraped my arm with the shards. I endured this silently and when he left I fell onto the floor and cried until the tears wouldn't come anymore. I sat silently for two hours, watching the blood running down my arm. I could hear my mother crying in the other room.
What kind of a life is this to live? I thought. Always in fear of dying? Afraid of making the move that could end our lives. Never having the chance at a happy moment. Never really living at all.
That's when I decided that he wasn't ever going to hurt me again. I stood up and walked to the window, ignoring my pain. Once again I felt the latch but this time I flung the window open and slowly climbed down the ladder. Then I ran and ran and ran. I felt like nothing could stop me. But the pain in my arm grew to be unbearable. I looked behind my shoulder and slowed down.
My breath was coming in gasps and I leaned against a building. Then I sat down. What had I done? Now mum was all alone. Without me, she was dead for sure. I thought about going back. Then it hit me. I didn't have a clue as to where I was. James must have felt the same way. It's the only reason he wouldn't come back for me. He got lost, and now, I was lost too. My eyes filled with tears. Then I felt a rough hand on my shoulder. I screamed. He's found me, I thought, but instead of my father's cold blue eyes, I found myself staring into a warm pair of brown ones. A boy helped me stand up slowly. He was a head taller than me. He was carrying a stack of newspapers in his hand and a confident smile on his face.
"Are you all right miss?" He asked me. I nodded blankly. He saw the gashes on my arm. I covered them with my hand. "You don't look all right." He said. I gave him a smile, hoping to convince him.
"I'm fine." I said. The boy shook his head.
"You need help." he said. I shook my head again.
"No, I'm fine." I said, "I'll be alright." Then the boy picked me up, cradling me in his arms. I tried to break away but he was too strong. I began to panic. Who is this boy? Where is he taking me? He must know my father. He's taking me home. No! I won't go back. I struggled against him, but the boy held on. Then another wave of pain shot through my arm and I passed out.
I woke up to hushed voices and a mattress. I opened my eyes and gasped. Sitting around me were nine or ten boys, all wearing shirts and faces. I recognized one of them as the boy who found me. He smiled when I looked at him. Then one of the boys shouted excitedly.
"She's awake!" A man walked into the room. When he saw the boys he shook his head.
"Out with you!" He shouted, smiling. Everyone filed out of the room except for my rescuer. The doctor sighed. "You too Mush." The boy named Mush looked into my eyes and walked slowly out of the room, not looking away from me until the door closed in front of him. The man sat on the bed beside me and smiled.
"My name is Nathaniel Crane," he said, "I'm a doctor. The boys sent for me. They said you're hurt." I nodded. "What is your name?" he asked. I reluctantly answered.
"Alice."
"Well, Alice, how did you get all of these nasty cuts?" I thought about lying to him but his eyes were so kind. He looked like he really wanted to help me.
"My father." I said. "He broke a bottle and rubbed the glass into my arm." Dr. Crane gasped quietly. I felt bad. Maybe I should have lied. Then he grabbed something out of his bag.
"I'm going to see how much glass I can get out of your arm. I need you to drink this," He said as he handed me a bottle, "It will help numb the pain." I nodded and drank the bottle. I felt drowsy and fell asleep only two minutes later.
