RUNAWAY is a story between David Jacobs and Katherine Benson. While selling, David sees a battered, beaten Kate (she is running away from her abusive father). But David sees beyond the physical, and is immediately attracted to her. Kate is oblivious to his attraction, but with a hint from Les, she's won by his tender lovin'. Just when things seem to be going right, an unforeseen incident happens, arousing David's suspicions, and sends the bulls after Kate! With help from the newsies and the Jacobs family, David and Kate make a run for it!
Inspired by Rockapella's song RUNAWAY:
Runaway, you don't have to go home
Baby stay, don't you leave me alone
We'll find a better world, oh who cares what people say?
Kiss the bad times goodbye, runaway
On the dirty city streets in your tattered dress
Like an angel lost in the wilderness
When our eyes met I knew, my mind was set on you
My poor heart was beating me half to death
Runaway, you don't have to go home
Baby stay, don't you leave me alone
We'll find a better world, oh who cares what people say?
Kiss the bad times goodbye, runaway
I could leave this heartless town, nothing stopping me
Go with you as far as we could go
It's a cold and lonely world, need you to hold me girl
Baby, you're no longer on your own
Don't runway, you don't have to go home
Baby stay, don't you leave me alone
We'll find a better world, oh who cares what people say?
Kiss the bad times goodbye, runaway
Kiss the bad times goodbye, runaway
Chapter 1 - Breakfast
Katherine Benson scrambled around the kitchen as she hurriedly prepared breakfast. Her father was a police officer, and had not returned that night, and she didn't know when he would show up. This happened quite often, but she made breakfast and dinner every day, just in case he did come. Sometimes he'd be gone for a day, sometimes longer; sometimes he came back in good spirits, but most of the time, Kate dreaded his homecoming.
She heard the front door swing open just as she was frying eggs on the range. Her body tensed. "Please let him be in a good mood, please let him be in good mood," she prayed silently.
"Father, is that you?" she called out nervously, looking for him. She heard his heavy footsteps approaching nearer. The kitchen door opened. Her father stood in the doorway and dropped his hat. He reeked of alcohol and filth, he was unshaven, his hair was unkempt, he was still wearing his dirty police officer's uniform, and Kate could spy smeared lipstick on his face and neck. He had no doubt been to a brothel rather than on duty.
"Where's my breakfast?" he asked as he moved to the kitchen table and sat.
"Right here," Kate said quickly moving the eggs onto a plate and placing it in front of her father.
Her father picked at the meal with the fork Kate had set. "What is this?"
"Ham, eggs, and toast," Kate answered.
"Ham, eggs, and toast," her father said mock-imitating her in a whiney, high-pitched voice. He picked at it a little longer, and then without warning he picked up the plate and threw it down on the floor. Kate flinched as the porcelain plate shattered spilling the breakfast all over the floor. "I DON'T LIKE HAM, EGGS, AND TOAST!" he screamed.
"I'm sorry… what would you like?" Kate asked calmly, trying not to anger him further.
"Look at this mess!" her father said as he grabbed her arm and threw her down to the floor.
Kate cried out in pain as a shard of the plate cut her hand.
"CLEAN IT UP, or I'll give you something to really yell about!" he ordered.
"Y-Y-Yes, sir," Kate said trying not to cry.
"You know, you're just like your mother! You're a slut, just like her! A stupid whore, that's what you are!" He spat out, as he grabbed her dark blonde hair, which was in a loose bun. He forced her to look him in the face. With each insult he jerked her around by her hair, and then let go and threw her back down.
Kate remembered her mother well. Her mother had walked out on them when Kate was 11, and it had been a little over five years since then. Before her mother had left, Kate was safe. She was never hit, because her mother took all the blows. Why had her mother not taken her along? Why did her mother leave her with this demon? Kate cried bitter tears.
"Are you crying? WHAT ARE YOU CRYING ABOUT?" her father demanded to know.
"If I were really like mother, I would have left you already!" Kate said resentfully. Then, it dawned on her. Why hadn't she left him already? There had been plenty of opportunities for her to leave, what was keeping her there? Was she afraid of going out on her own? Surely, anything would be better than having to deal with this!
"You dizzy cow!" he said grabbing her up and shaking her.
"Let go of me!" she said as she kneed him in the groin. For the first time, she fought back.
He grabbed his crotch and keeled over. Kate didn't see a reason why shouldn't leave while he was down. She headed for the doorway, but her father had the strength and determination to crawl and grab at the hem of her dress. It tore and she stumbled and fell. She got up just as her father was getting up and he grabbed her with one arm and backhanded her with the other. Her nose poured out blood.
"I'll teach you a lesson!" he said as he backed her into the hot range. He was planning on burning her.
"No, stop!" Kate said panicked. He had burned her before, but now she was afraid that he might very well set her on fire. "Dear God, help me!" she cried. At that moment, she noticed the skillet was still sitting on the range.
"Not even God can help you now!" her father laughed cruelly as he shoved her into the range.
"Oh, yeah?" Kate challenged him as grabbed the hot skillet with her bare hand. As it burned her flesh, she cried out- half because of the pain, half out of furyand she swung it at her father. It hit his head with a hard thud, and she dropped it, shocked that she had the courage to fight back. Her father was lying on the ground; he was out cold. She didn't bother packing a bag; she only wiped the blood from her nose with her sleeve, and ran out of the house.
