Chapter 13: There's more in the Papes?

I woke up next morning and realized everyone had already left. This got me aggravated because it was the second time it had happened. I walked down stairs in a fury and saw Race standing by the door. He was cracking his knuckles and pacing nervously.

He saw me and looked up. He forced a smile but stopped when I had started talking.

"Ok, ya know I'se hate it when ya don't wake me up!" I let out a low groan and continued "Lets jist go get our papes ok?  I jist hate it when ya do dat, leave me dere…" I started mumbling to myself. I looked over at Race and he looked worried. I stopped walking.

"Race, hun, whats wrong…?" I questioned.

He grabbed me gently by the shoulders and told me that we couldn't sell today and he'd talk to me as soon as we were in Tibby's. I looked at him in a confused manner, but he kept walking.

He sat me down in Tibby's and it was just the usual older people since the Newsies were out selling their papes.

"Look…" He spoke quietly as we sat down at the same isolated table in the far corner the last time he gave me bad news. "I got somthin ta show ya, and I'se want ya ta know dat nothing will happen to ya and da Newsies are here to protect ya…"

He cautiously grabbed a newspaper from behind him and put it on the table. I looked at the headline and gaped.

"Whereabouts on the Missing Girl"

A Reporter had found out more about the missing girl reported in the Newspapers days ago. She is said to have been seen in places such as: Tibby's, a local Manhattan Diner. The Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House

And walking the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

If anyone has seen or heard of this missing girl please contact her parents or the police immediately. (A current Picture was unavailable)

I stared wide-eyed at the newspaper in disbelief. I couldn't believe it…how could that happen…my parents are dead…so now someone's following me? I would have screamed if I hadn't of heard a familiar voice from behind me.

"Look, its gonna be ok, we'se got Brooklyn lookin 'round too…" The voice comforted me as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks Spot…" I chocked out, my eyes were filling with tears. "I have to go…rest…think…see ya later Spot, Love ya Race…" I got up and walked out of Tibby's hearing only footsteps from behind me.

"Ey, I'se love ya too, and that's why I'se don't want ya ta be alone." I heard Race say as he slipped and arm around my waist. We walked into the Lodging House and as we walked upstairs my shirt got caught on a nail and tore in the back.

"Ugh, what else can go wrong?! I mean, UGH!" I couldn't even form sentences, as I was too angry and scared to think. "Someone's after me Race, and I have no idea who, but my parents are dead and there's no way that that story printed itself! I'm being followed and I need ANSWERS!" I pounded my fists into Race's chest just to let out anger.

Tears were falling from my eyes as he picked me up and carried me the rest of the way to the bunkroom. He laid me down on the bed and sat on the edge of it.

"Its ok, look, nobody's gonna touch ya, we'se can make sure, its ok ta cry, let it out, ya cant always be strong…" I looked up at him slightly angry that he said I couldn't always be strong. I mean, why not?

"Why can't I always be strong? It's worked so far, I never needed help, I never wanted it…" I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down. I heard Race laugh lightly. HE came up a lied down beside me.

"That's what I love about ya, you'se can take care of yaself, but sometimes, ya jist gotta let others help out, even if its jist a little, ya know? His words were a little calming, and they made a lot of sense. I sighed, he was right.

"I know, I jist don't understand why its me…I jist need some time ta think…I'm gonna go outside," I looked up at him and he looked at me as thought I was crazy, "alone…" I finished. I kissed him goodbye as Spot walked into the room.

As I was leaving I heard Race say: "Spot, you'se watch hoir from da streets, I'll watch her from da roof."

I paused for a second annoyed, but kept going. I walked my way into a darker ally, thinking Spot or Race wouldn't be able to see me. I heard and eerie voice and stopped walking.

"Haven't you had enough?" It said.

"I looked around, stunned, only to find that no one was there. I thought the voice was in my head and so I kept walking.

"I mean, I've put 2 adds in the paper, and you haven't given up, you don't even know who I am yet! What more do I have to do? Kill the one you love, whats his name…Racetrack?"

I looked around everywhere and shouted "NO! No! Never…take…him…away…from me…" I said so calm and threateningly. "Whoa re you? And why are you doing this to me?" I shouted into the night.

It answered me back. "I am your worst nightmare, the one who can bring you down, I am the one you can never escape, the one who will kill off your loved ones one by one, I am the one you will run from, but will never be hidden from, I am your one fear…"

I ran out of the ally way and rounded the corner only to run into Chewy and Ponine. They looked down on me confused, but I couldn't fill them in, I was too scared. I just stared back at them.

"Stormy? You ok? Ya fell kinda hard…" Ponine asked cautiously.

"Yea, I mean, where's the fire? What were you running from?" Chewy asked extending a hand out to help me up.

I took it gratefully and felt a pain in my back as I got to my feet. "I…gotta…go…" I said slowly looking around me, seeing nothing, I ran off. I glanced back a few yards away and saw them looking at each other and shrugging in bewilderment.

I found my feet leading me to a long abandoned road by the docks all the way in Brooklyn. There was a breeze that was hitting the newly formed cut on my back from the hole in my shirt.

"Ow…" I groaned, my mind feeling like nothing could get worse.

"Had to run didn't you?" The eerie voice spoke. It made me jump as I shot around, knowing he couldn't possibly be in the water.

"What are you?" I shot back at him.

"I already told you that, now, why did you have to run, I'll only kill you faster if you run…"

A shiver ran up my spine as if ice-cold lips had kissed the back of my neck. I wanted to get away, I wanted Race to be ok, I didn't want to put him in danger. I ran, again, I didn't even see the point this time, except that if the voice was going to haunt me, it could haunt me at the Lodging House, where there were people who cared about me…

I had been running for a while as the Lodging House came into view. It was now even darker out and I was about to open the door when something told me to freeze.

"You should get that fixed…" The voice said slowly.

"Get what fixed?" I asked it.

"Your shirt."

My heart stopped. I didn't know what to do. I jerked my head around only to see I was alone.