As soon as the door was completely shut all of the boys whipped around to glare at Anne. Race, who had already been steaming, was growing redder and redder with rage by the second. Finally he couldn't hold back a second longer and lundged at her with clinched fists yelling, "I oughta slug ya right here and now!"
Of course Pie and Brady jumped to hold him back. Anne realized from the terror in Race's eyes that he was no longer joking around and became horrified. A sudden burst of pain fled through her body like a bolt of lightning.
Tears began to swell up in her already puffy eyes and gently rolled down her cheeks. Suddenly Race's anger began to cease and all of the boys frowning faces lightened up. Pieboy started to walk over to her to apologize, but Anne walked briskly to her bunk and through her bag over her shoulder.
Giving a slight wave she ran to the window and rushed down the fire escape. As Anne wandered Duane Street, still full of sobs, she searched for a hiding place.
Back at the lodging house all of the boys stood totally stunned at the sight of her leaving
They finally started to come to their senses and felt awfully bad. "Oh my God! What have we done?" Pie whispered, still in shock.
"She may have run away and it's all a our faults," Blink sighed. "I can't believe I said dat ta her...." Race began. "I neva' threatened a goil before and we hadn't even wondered her 'bout Spot's temper."
"What about my temper?" Spot frowned as he walked out if the doorway after hearing his name. "Anne's gone!" Pie moaned. "God..." Spot whispered as he placed his head in his hands.
"She'll be back. How 'bout another game a poker?" Skittery suggested. "Damn it! What are ya
thinking? We've done dis ta her an we ain't gunna let her jist roam da streets alone and her hurt. Use your brains guys. Da Delancys' are lookin' for her an' she's out there. Look, It's gettin' dark an' we ain't got much time. So get up your lazy asses and lets go look for her. Which way'd she go?" Spot was steaming at the ignorance the guys were showing and looked liek he could almost soak each and every one of them.
"Down da fire escape and up Duane," Brady replied. "Lets get a move on then" Pie yelled over all of the chatter. Soon everyone was filing out of the lodging house door and out on the search.
"So much for poker," Skittery muttered before receiving a smack to the back of the head from Spot.
The boys searched for the rest of the night and having found nothing they all returned to go to sleep. Spot had sent word to Brooklyn to be on the look out for Anne and Brooklyn passed it on to the other newsies of the city.