Blink chewed on his thumbnail anxiously. The black night sky had already begun to fade into a pale blue and there had still been no sign of Racetrack. There was no way that poker game could still be going on. Tibby's closed at midnight, every night. And Blink didn't think the tough old bird was going to make an exception for a group of ragtag gamblers, no matter how big the pot.
The blonde boy looked over to his right. Jack appeared to be sleeping soundly enough. Blink had to tell him about Race's latest cash endeavor once Kloppman had announced lights out and the diminutive Italian was nowhere to be found. Jack had taken it surprisingly well. Then again, if he blew his top every time Race slipped out after curfew he'd have no energy left to hawk headlines every day.
'What on earth is keepin' dat bum.' Blink mumbled to himself, not without a twinge of worry. If it had been anyone else he wouldn't have been as nervous, but Race was a different story. He had made a bit of a name for himself among gambling circles, and more than a few of the men he played with didn't appreciate being cleaned out by a sixteen year old. Jack had often joked about Race meeting his demise with a royal flush in hand, to which Race would grin and reply, "Ise wouldn't have it any other way."
Blink sat up a bit in his bed and surveyed the bunkhouse. The only time you could truly read another person was when they were sleeping. All the poker faces and fake smiles that were required among boys of their class would vanish, leaving behind whatever it was they were hiding. To his right he could see Mush sleeping soundly, his characteristic grin plastered across his face. If anyone was as honest awake as he was at night, it was Mush. Blink couldn't help but smile and muse what girl he might be dreaming about this time.
Jack was sleeping too, but his face lacked the dream filled ecstasy Mush wore. Looking more dead than alive, his eyebrows were only slightly knit together. Like he had just inhaled something unpleasant or been kicked in the same place as an old scar. Blink frowned. He wasn't too eager to guess what Jack was thinking about.
Blink turned a little to the left. Skittery's eyelids were fluttering slightly. Blink briefly thought he might be waking up but that was quickly dispelled by a high pitched, whiny snore. Blink chuckled and willed himself to remember that. Pushing Skitt's buttons was always good for a laugh.
Blink's good eye drifted over to Bumlets and Snipeshooters bunk. Bumlets was sprawled out, as usual. But Snipes was turning and shifting uncomfortably. Blink furrowed his brow. Snipeshooter always slept like a rock.
With a huge sigh, Snipes rolled onto his back. Blink could now see the whites of his eyes, confirming his suspicions. He ran his thumb underneath the strap of his eye patch. No one in the lodging house was ever up this early without a reason. In the back of his mind, Blink wondered if their reasons were the same.
A loud creak from the stairs broke Blink out of reverie. He saw Snipes visibly jump, then pull the covers over himself and feign sleep. Blink did the same. The last thing he wanted was for the rest of the boys asking questions, thinking he'd been getting soft, worrying over someone like Race. He'll be at the distribution offices, Blink thought casually. Where else would he be?
"Goodmornin' boys! Time ta carry the banna'!" Kloppman announced from thedoorway.Blink groaned along with the rest of the lodging house. After a minute or so, Jack walked over to him and wordlessly gestured towards Race's empty bunk. Blink just shrugged.
"Well, alright then," Jack sighed deeply, then headed over to the washroom. Blink followed, casting a sideways glance at Snipeshooter as he passed.
Sorry about the shortness! I was planning to merge this with the next chapter, but I couldn't get the transition right. I'm kind of crappy at writing Blink. But I like him so much I couldn't help but use him. I hope its good enough!