The steady rhythm of footsteps made Jack flinch in his sleep. The too familiar pessimistic atmosphere was appalling as he felt himself begin to shake, followed with the upbeat tempo of his heart. Sweat rolled down his face as he yelped and sat up, immediately looking around frantically before rubbing his face. As he pulled his hand back, something was off. This was fresh blood. Blood that caused every inch of his body tense as he soon realized where he was...the refuge.
As he struggled to stand up, the recently developed torture overtook him. The room was dark. Dark enough to not be able to see your hand if it was two inches away from your face. It didn't help that it was incredibly dark outside and screams were heard from down the corridor. The more Jack struggled, the more pain it brought him. The more pain, the weaker he felt. And if he was going to take on Snyder, he had to be anything but weak.
As the loud footsteps returned, Jack regained his leading stance as he stood up slightly against the wall to help him keep steady. He was going to grab Crutchie and leave no matter what he was going to have to face until then. His mind set, Snyder entered the room, slamming the door harshly behind him as he cracked his knuckles and gave Jack a hard punch to the face and swift kick to the stomach as Jack gave him a glare, as though it wasn't affecting him, although he was in complete misery. "If ya wanted a fight, ya coulda asked me for one," Jack said with a seemingly unfazed chuckle as he threw a hard punch back.
Seeing that as the last straw, Snyder showed absolutely no sign of pain as he shoved Jack harshly against the wall and grabbed him by the throat. "Now you listen ta me, boy," he said in a low growl, as if one more word from Jack would get him killed. "I know who you are. And I knew your parents. You're going to turn out just like them. Fighting for a cause and getting yourself in a position worse than death in the process. So you better listen to me. If you ever disobey my orders again, I'll kill everyone you care about, and don't think I won't. You're just a sick bastard that deserves nothin'. You're nothin', Jack Kelly. And you never will be," he whispered so softly that it even made Jack cower slightly from fear. Snyder shoved him back hard against the wall. As he let go of his swollen throat, Jack broke out into a fit of coughs as he fell weakly against the wall, his legs giving out as he slid to the floor. But Snyder wasn't finished yet.
Katherine twisted and turned in her bed, her breathing heavy as she struggled to fall asleep. For once, it wasn't because of insomnia. She needed to know what happened to Jack and she needed to know as soon as possible. As her mind was racing she sat up in her bed as she looked around the dark room, desperately looking for something to distract her.
As she smiled slightly, she picked up her pen and notepad, which she had always kept with her wherever they went. The notepad was usually used for taking notes while reviewing a show. It had nothing to do with anything personal until today. Feeling was something that came naturally to everyone, but it had always been difficult for her. She never knew love. Not with everything that had happened to her. "Work comes first" was always the first and last words repeated to her by her own father every day. Sure she was one of the only women to have a well, high paying job, but this wasn't what her mind had always been set on.
Standing up was a slight struggle for her, as this was the most pain she had been through in her life. Well, physical pain, that is. Making her way slowly to the dresser, grabbing anything that could help her keep balance on the way, she slowly picked up a pure gold locket and put it around her neck. Maybe this was the reason her father acted the way he did. Fingering the locket gently, she felt something was wrong. Maybe it was pure instinct or her mother telling her something, she had no clue. But she needed to get out. Now. As she rushed downstairs and snuck into her father's office to grab a chain of keys, including spare keys for the refuge, she placed them in her skirt pocket, making sure not to wake anyone.
Shivering slightly as she made her way outside, she picked up her pace a bit, knowing it was one of the worst ideas to be out in the pitch black night alone. Making her way back to Newsies Square, she sighed with relief when she noticed the Newsies begin to wake up, rubbing their eyes as they became conscious, looking around with complete fear in their eyes. Katherine helped them up as best as she could before leading them back to the Newsies' Lodging House. Looking around to make sure they were all safe inside, she felt more relaxed as she assumed that Jack was somewhere safe.
She flinched from shock as the silence was broken by a young boy, one by the name of Romeo. "Hey, ya seen Jack? We's all worried sick. Didn't see him leave."
"Yeah, I've seen him," she responded softly as she kneeled next to him and gently began to clean his face with a wet cloth, that being all they had available. "He's safe. He got away just as the Delanceys were coming for him."
"Well, if ya do see 'im again," Race replied, a cigar hanging loosely from his mouth. "Tell 'im the King of New York misses him," he said with a grin as he eyed the newspaper. "Front page news?"
"Because of me," she responded with a laugh. "And I hate to burst your bubble, but I think I'm the King of New York," she said teasingly. "But I'll tell him that you all want your leader back."
Katherine's words created an abrupt chatter between the Newsies, one that broke the silence completely. Glad she could help, she nodded as she walked back out, locking the door safely behind her as she headed back towards the house.
Passing the refuge on the way over, she heard a familiar grunt. One that was too familiar. Running towards the door of the refuge, she grabbed the keys from her pocket and slowly opened the door, the wave of darkness overtaking her as she was forbidden to be here, child until now. Letting a small gulp pass, the door opened with a quiet creak as she heard a yelp of pain. The same person. Trying to find her way through the dark hallway, she flinched as a door slammed shut. Hiding behind a wall as she eyed Snyder, she took a deep breath of relief when he was going the opposite direction. She immediately followed until she got to the room Snyder had recently been in. As she grabbed the candle right outside his room and lit it, she watched the blaze with complete satisfaction as it warmed her hands.
Not bothering to knock, she debated on what key it was, frantically rushing when she saw another candle's gleam through the hallway. After she found it, she unlocked the door just in time as she opened it and closed it behind her, her heart racing before looking at Jack wide-eyed.