Shot: Hey all. Shot here, formally known as LG. I know that me and my friends are currently writing a newsies story but I had a dream, hahahaha, nah really I had a dream of what Racetrack's past could have been and just had to type it up. So here it is. Also I've been told that my newsies speak is kinda hard to understand so I won't be using it. Just imagine the accents if you will. My story is dedicated to Sparks and all the newsies at the Manhattan Newsgirl LH and at the Manhattan Newsboy LH and at the Brooklyn Newsboy and Newsgirl LH. These LH's belong to Sparks and Me. Except for the Manhattan Newsboy LH and all the newsies belong to Disney. The ones you don't recognize belong to me. And now on with Ch. 1.
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Jack looked around the bunkroom at all his friends. He turned his head to the lower bunk across from him, expecting to see his best friend's smiling face. Instead he saw an empty bunk. He looked up at the top bunk to Blink and Mush playing poker. "Hey Blink, ya seen Race."
Blink looked up from his hand to Jack, "Yeah, he went up on the roof bout ten minutes ago."
Jack shook his head and headed out onto the fire escape up to the roof. Once there he heard soft sweet harmonica music playing. He turned his head to the sound and saw his dark-haired friend, Racetrack Higgins. Jack stood and listened to the tune, when it ended he heard Race speaking softly, "That was for you, Anna. I swear one day I'll come back to Boston to find you."
Jack walked over to Race, "Hey Race."
Race turned to Jack, "Hey Jack, what are you doing out here?"
Jack smiled, "Looking for you. It's past curfew you know."
Race laughed, "Sorry lost track of the time."
Jack looked at Race, "Hey Race, who's Anna?"
Race turned his gaze back out onto the city streets below them, "My twin sister."
Jack nodded, "Where is she?"
Race shrugged, "Probably back in Boston."
Jack nodded again, "Well come on, it's late. We should get to bed before Kloppman gets mad."
Race laughed and followed Jack inside.
(Dream Sequence)
A five year old Race stood laughing with a reddish black haired girl. The girl spoke, "Tony, come on Papa will be back soon and Mama wants our help."
Race looked at the girl, "Anna, don't call me Tony. You know I hate that name."
Anna sighed, "but that's your name. What should I call you? Anthony?"
Race stuck his tongue out at Anna, "No. Anything but that."
A red-haired man walked up to the children and said, "Well now, shouldn't you two be inside with Mama?"
The two children turned, "Papa."
The man laughed, "Hey kids. So what are you doing out here?"
Anna spoke up, "Mama is angry at Tony for playing with your cards and dice again. She says he's gonna wind up a little gambler like you."
The man laughed again, "Oh really."
Race was staring at his father lost in thought, "I like that."
Anna looked at Race, "Like what?
Race smiled, "Gambler. That's what you can call me from now on Anna. Instead of calling me Tony or Anthony."
Anna and their father smiled. Their father said, "I think that's a perfect name for you, and now for your sister. What should her new name be?"
Race scrunched up his face in thought, "Papa what's that ring called that Mama wears?"
Father looked at Race, "You mean the Ruby ring."
Race nodded, "Yeah, that's your name Anna, Ruby. Cause your hair is red and black like Mama's ring."
The three walked inside laughing. A black-haired woman meets them. She spoke sternly, "Sean Higgins, where have you been? Off gambling again."
Sean replied, "No Maria, I haven't been. The boss asked me to work late tonight."
Maria responded, "Hogwash. You were gambling at the tracks again."
The two adults moved to another room and continued arguing. Through they were in another room the children could still hear them. One thing they heard loud and clear that scared them, Marie yelled, "Tomorrow, I want you out of the house forever. All you do is spend our money gambling. You and that son of yours. He's gonna be just like you, I don't want him around my daughter. Take him and yourself and leave."
Sean left the room and walked over to the children, "Tony, I mean Gambler, we're going away for a little while. Can you go and pack your stuff in a pillowcase for me?"
Race nodded and left the room with Anna following him. Race packed in silence and then turned to his sister, "I'll be back soon Ruby." He hugged her and started to leave, Anna ran up to him, "Gambler here," she handed him a harmonica, "Take this to remember me by." Race smiled and hugged Anna again as he and his father left.
(End Dream)
Race smiled in his sleep and turned over letting himself fall into another dream.
(Dream Sequence)
Three years after the first dream
Sean and a brown-haired man enter a room where little eight-year-old Race was playing hide and seek with his friend. Race was hiding behind a chair, his friend was out in the hall looking for him, and saw his father and the man talking. His father said, "Joe, I don't have the money."
Joe spoke, "Oh Sean, not good. You own the boss $150. That's a lot of money."
Sean shook his head, "I'm telling you. I have $50, another week and I'll have the rest."
Joe spoke quickly, "Sorry Sean, the boss says now or death."
Sean pulled the money out of his pocket, "There, that's all that I ……"
His words were cut off by a knife being plunged into his chest. Joe took the money from his hand, "I said I was sorry Sean."
Race snuck a peek out from behind the chair. Joe saw him, "Little Anthony Higgins. Your father had an accident here. But you see he still owns us money. The boss said to tell you that if we didn't get it from him to take it from you," started to speak slowly and menacingly, "Now I'm not in the habit of killing kids, so I'm giving you a few years to get the $100 that your father still owes us. Got it."
Race nodded his head and watched as Joe left the room before crying over his father's dead body.
(End dream)
Race awoke suddenly, drenched in sweat. He looked around the bunkroom to see the other boys awake and getting ready to go sell. Blink walked over to him, "Morning Race. You ok?"
Race nodded, "Yeah course."
Race started to get ready with the boys. Ten minutes later Blink, Mush, Jack, and him left for the DO. They got their papes and after quick goodbyes and see ya laters they split into three different directions. Blink and Mush to different parts of Central Park. Jack went to the marketplace. Race went to Sheepshead Bay. Race sold his fifty papers in the sweltering July heat and was out by the afternoon. Most people were using the papers as fans instead of reading them and for this Race was thankful. People gave him better tips when he provided a way to cool oneself off. He walked over to the stables and stared at the horses. Race looked at the crowds and down at the racing form in his hand. None of his favorites were racing today. It was too hot for most of them. In fact most of the races weren't even starting until later when it got cooler out. Race looked the time, 6:30. He had enough time to bet on one race and then to head back to start a poker game. Race looked at the form, a new horse was running today for the first time, by the name of "Papa's son". Race walked over to the bookie and put fifty cents on the horse. He took his ticket and sat down under a tree by the fence. The race started at 7:00 and it was ten to seven. Race closed his eyes and waited to hear the starting gun fire. A few minutes later he heard the announcement of the horses and jockeys. He stood up and moved over to the fence. He picked out his horse, a big black one with chocolate brown eyes. The gun fired and "Papa's son" took off like a rocket. He blasted straight into first and held it for the first lap. Heading in to the second, his pace slowed and a grayish black horse, Cannonshot, took first. The third lap started and Cannonshot still held first and was nearing the finish line. A sudden burst of speed from Papa's son sent him into first and over the finish line before Cannonshot. Race whooped, he won, he couldn't believe it. Race headed to the bookie and collected his winning, three dollars and fifty cents. Race calculated that and his tips gave him five whole dollars for that day. Race smiled and looked at the time, it was nearing eight. Race started to head for the gate to find a carriage to hitch a ride on. Suddenly a hand closed down on his shoulder and a familiar voice spoke in his ear, "Little Anthony Higgins, long time no see."
Race turned and faced a brown-haired man, "Hello, Joe."
Joe grabbed him and shoved him into a darkened alleyway. He held him against a wall, "Hope you have the money you own us."
Race scoffed, "That isn't my debt. I don't own you anything."
Joe scowled, "Oh how wrong you are Anthony. Your father is dead and he owed us a lot of money. So the debt is handed over to you. $100 kid. I know you have money you won that race just now. Hand it over."
Race tried to struggle out of Joe's grasp but stopped when a knife was stabbed into his right shoulder and pulled down to his elbow. Joe's hand went into Race's pocket and pulled out the money, "Hmph, only five bucks. $95 more and you'll never see us again. You have one week to get the rest," Joe pushed Race's head into the wall causing him to black out.
When Race awoke his arm and head throbbed. He pulled out his pocket watch and saw it was after 11:00. Race picked himself up and walked slowly back to the LH. A normal half hour walk took him longer then an hour. When he got there the front door was locked tight. Race groaned and made his way to the fire escape. He weakly pulled himself up and into the bunkroom. He was thankful that his bed was next to the window and just fell into it. A few minutes later the window opened again to reveal Mush and Blink sneaking in late as well. Blink started to pull himself up onto his bunk accidentally kicking Race's right arm. Race awoke and screamed in pain. Blink, Mush, and Jack were by his side instantly.
Jack looked at Race, "You hurt, Race?"
Race nodded.
Blink turned on the little with a lot of protest from the still sleeping boys.
Mush looked at Race's right arm soaked in blood, "Jeez Race, What happened?"
Race whisper, "Bookies," and fell asleep.
Jack, Blink, and Mush washed and bandaged his arm and then returned to their beds.
(Outside the LH)
Joe stood staring up at the building. He spoke to himself, "Well, Anthony, now that I've found you. I won't let you get away without paying your father's debt. I'll see you tomorrow Anthony, whether you come to the Track or not." Joe laughed and walked away.
(At the train station across town)
A young girl with reddish-black hair stood in black pants and a red top with a black vest over it. She walked to a bench and sat down. She thought to herself, "Well, here I am in New York City. This is where Papa's last letter cam from. This has to be where Gambler is. I'll check all of New York if I have to, to find you but I will find you." She laid down on the bench and fell asleep.
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Shot: Well, what did you think? Too much info? Not enough? Let me know by reviewing. It's not hard just click the little button over there. And if you review I'll give you the newsies of your choice for one whole day. Just so you know you can't have Race cause he's mine and you can't have Spot because Sparks has already laid her claim on him. Oh and if you want to flame me go ahead. Just don't make it too bad because I use the flames to heat my apartment and ummmmm the heat is kinda stuck on at the moment so it's scorching in here. So if you feel the need to flame just don't make it too bad.
