Author's Note

.｡｡*ﾟi hope you're staying safe and being kind to yourself! .｡｡*ﾟ

Love youuu 💗

Warning: Mentions of violence

𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚

HOUSE OF REFUGE, 1897

The dormitory was unusually quiet that night. The boys were blissfully unaware of the complaints Dr. Fuller had issued against Snyder and Whalen the night prior.

It was around two in the morning.

A hard thump echoed next to Jack's bunk, and the squeaking of mattresses and scuffling of feet across the floor soon followed. A large, calloused hand wrapped itself over Jack's mouth, and the boy's eyes flickered open, reading with panic. Two figures loomed above him in the darkness. He couldn't quite make out who it was until a low voice grumbled, "Wakey, wakey, Duane Street," and Jack felt his heart pounding.

Muggs.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw the menacing Brooklyn himself, along with Alexei, looking more threatening than ever. Jack tried to speak, scream, anything. But it was all muffled by Muggs' hand clasped around his mouth. He was able to grab the kid off the bunk bed and drag him into the washroom, kicking the door closed.

None of the others seemed to be awake.

Alexei grabbed Jack's arms, holding him in place.

Muggs stood before him, indifferent. His arms were crossed. "You're just as weak and pathetic as the others. Just as delusional."

Jack kept trying to scream through Alexei's hand around his mouth, but it was no use.

Muggs leaned in close to whisper in Jack's ear. "You think you're better than us, you little shit?"

Alexei released Jack's mouth, gripping his arm tighter.

"No," Jack replied. "No, I'm not better than—"

"Oh, I already know you ain't," Muggs said.

Back in the dormitory, the tiny bunny in Calico's bed had begun to dig around again and cluck, woken up by the sudden movement in the darkness.

The creature's noises grew louder, until Shakespeare propped himself up on one arm in his bunk and hissed, "Calico, shut that rabbit up before we all get in trouble."

Grim wiped his tired eyes as he looked around the bunk across from him, watching Calico stir and roll over in his sleep. He also noticed Jack's bed was empty once again.

Grim pushed his sheets back and swung out of bed without hesitation. "Jack," he whispered, checking the younger boy's bed. He moved to Calico's bed and picked up the clucking rabbit, petting it. He panicked when he noticed Muggs and Alexei were missing from their beds, too.

In the washroom, Muggs squeezed Jack's face in his hand, pinching his jaw. Jack was trying not to cry, terrified of the wild look in Muggs' eye. He didn't know what else to do.

"I'm going to kill you, kid," Muggs said, his hand moving to Jack's throat, squeezing.

Jack began choking, struggling to breath as the grip constricted him further.

"Let him go, Muggs."

Jack recognized who it was at once and struggled to crane his neck toward the washroom door.

Alexei turned toward the voice. Grim leaned against the doorframe, eyes narrowed and dangerous looking.

"This don't concern you, Krause," Muggs replied without looking back, continuing to strangle Jack as the boy gasped for air.

Grim charged over, tackling Muggs, releasing Jack from the hold. Alexei pried Grim off Muggs.

With the help of his friend, Muggs took Grim by the throat and held him against one of the stalls. Grim clawed at Muggs' grip around his neck, and Jack jumped onto Muggs' back, digging his nails into the boy's face. Muggs, distracted with Jack, gave Grim the moment to break free from his grip, and shove Alexei back.

A wave of lamp light brightened the dormitory. There was murmuring from the other boys as the shouts and struggle from the washroom grew louder. Three guards followed by Whalen charged into the room, silencing the others.

Calico grabbed the rabbit, kissed it on its scruffy head apologetically, and tucked it inside the pillowcase. Whalen and the guards kicked open the washroom door, blowing their whistles and swinging their batons. They peeled the fighting boys off each other roughly.

"Christ Almighty! What is the meaning of this?" Whalen yelled over the commotion.

Jack, still overwhelmed, pointed at Muggs. "He did this! He tried to kill me!"

Muggs rolled his eyes, and Alexei shook his head.

Whalen grabbed Jack's shoulder and shoved him away. Grim felt his rage boil over the edge. Whalen wasn't going to listen to any of them, and they all would end of paying for it, even those who weren't involved.

That wouldn't be enough to stop Muggs. Grim knew he would go after Jack again, or even Grim himself.

"Dammit, listen to him!" Grim yelled, glaring at Whalen in disbelief.

Grim regretted it when Whalen backhanded him across the mouth. The slap was so loud, it echoed off the walls, and Grim tried not to stumble backward.

Even Alexei looked a little caught off guard.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again," Whalen bellowed.

Jack swallowed hard.

"If any of you talk to me like that again, I'll double your time," Whalen said as he glared at the boys in front of him and then at the others who had gathered in the doorway.

Muggs furtively rolled his eyes again.

Whalen turned to Jack with ferocity. "I've had enough of you, boy," he roared, making Jack wince. Whalen crossed his arms. "It seems like you can't get along with others."

One of the guards came up behind Jack and grabbed him so he couldn't get away. "Well," Whalen continued, "I'll just have to put you where no one can bother you."

Grim began to protest, going unheard by Whalen. The guard holding Jack pushed him forward, and Whalen grabbed the Jack by his collar, pulling him out of the washroom.

The other boys watched as Whalen dragged Jack out of the dormitory and down the dark corridor. The guards closed and locked the doors behind them, leaving Grim to worry without knowing what would happen to Jack.

Grim pounded on the dormitory doors, watching through the tiny window as the guards marched back down the corridor toward the stairs. "He's just a kid!" Grim was yelling as the guards descended the stairs, ignoring him. "Leave him alone! He's a kid!"

Whalen was dragging Jack down to dark solitary confinement block. "No! No, please!" Jack's voice cracked as he begged Whalen to let him go. Tears welled in his eyes as he tried not to break down again. But it was all in vain.

Whalen ignored his pleas and continued to pull him down the dark block with concrete walls and a rhythmic, eerie noise from the water pipes reverberated from the ceiling.

Whalen's pace was fast, Jack had to hurry to keep up, tripping over his own feet.

"Please, sir...it wasn't my fault," Jack whimpered as he choked over the lump of dread in his throat. "I didn't do anything! I'm sorry!" He was near hysterics now.

Whalen stopped at a narrow cell door at the very end of the block, shrouded in darkness with just a single lamp. He fiddled with some keys in his pocket and slammed Jack against the wall.

Whalen leaned close, pressing all his weight against Jack, his hot breath on his tear-stained face. "You can cry and scream all you want. No one's going to hear you," Whalen growled, shoving the key into the lock, and opening the cell door.

It opened with a creak. Jack peered inside. It was pitch black and freezing, a few rats scurrying into a corner. He trembled as Whalen grabbed his arm. "You change your attitude, and maybe I'll let you out in the morning." He grinned. "No one's coming to save you now."

Jack couldn't stop shaking. "Please, sir, I don't like the dark. I'll do anything," his voice was now a hoarse whisper. "There are rats in here! Please!"

Whalen chuckled. "Share what you've got in common." He tightened his grip on Jack's now bruised arm and tossed him inside the dark cell.

Jack began hyperventilating again, begging Whalen to let him out. Ignoring the cries, Whalen lit a cigarette, smirked, and slammed the cell door, locking it behind him.

He could hear Jack rattling the bars, begging, and pleading to be let out.

"No, no, no, no, no, please, Mr. Whalen! Wait! Don't leave me in here!" Jack was screaming, pulling on the door. "Please! Please!"

Without looking back, Whalen walked back down the corridor, taking the lamp with him. He climbed the basement steps as if nothing ever happened – Jack's pleading and desperate cries fading in the darkness behind him.