Shades of Grey

Chapter 4-The Others

Racetrack sat alone in his cell, holding his head in his hands.  He'd changed into the white uniform that the orderlies had provided upon his return to his cell.  Since then, all he could do was think about the conversation he'd had with the Doctor.  He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, and truthfully, he really didn't care.  All he could think about what the date that was written on the pape the doc had showed him.  It couldn't be 1967.  It just wasn't possible, he was from 1899.  Not 1967.  And he wasn't crazy, he knew he wasn't crazy. He was Racetrack Higgins, after all.  He wasn't crazy.  Not possible.

He couldn't be crazy.

As he sat there, on the bed, holding his head, his mind racing, his thoughts whirled at an incredible speed.  The same thought, the same image, forever burned into his skull.  A paper, with the date - September 27, 1967 - straight across the top.  It couldn't be real.  It just wasn't possible.  He couldn't be crazy.

"It's time to wake up, Mr. Higgins," a voice interrupted his train of thoughts.  "Or perhaps I should say something else, since you did not sleep at all."

Racetrack looked up, and saw the nurse staring at him.

"I'se fine."

"No, you really aren't," she said sweetly.  "But that's what we're here for.  To fix you."

"I don't need fixin'."

"Yet you can't sleep.  You spent the whole night talking to yourself.  A sure sign that there is something wrong with you, if ever there was one."

"I'se fine," Racetrack repeated, although he wasn't completely sure of himself.

"Come now, Mr. Higgins.  It's time for you to get your breakfast.  We think that it is well past time that you get to meet the rest of your inmates."

Race continued to sit there, ignoring the nurse.

"Get up," came the sharp call.

Racetrack sighed, and stood up.

"Good," the nurse said, smiling approvingly.  "You're learning.  Please follow me."

Racetrack followed her out of the room, and into the hallway.  He began to walk down the corridor, passing rows of identical doorways.  The walk seemed to go on for a while, although not as long as the one to the Doctor's office had been.  The nurse paused in front of a set of double doors that Racetrack hadn't noticed on his previous trips down the hallway.

"Time for breakfast, Mr. Higgins."

The door opened, and the nurse nudged Race forward.  The cafeteria was filled with people, all dressed in the same ugly white uniforms.  They seemed to mostly be teenagers, although there were a group of children sitting together as well.

The nurse led Racetrack towards one of the tables in the back.  "Here you are," she briskly.  "You'll be sitting with the other inmates from your hall."  She turned to the group at the table, and glared sternly at them.  "Introduce yourselves.  And behave.  I'll be watching you."

"Yes, ma'am," one of the girls said quietly, looking absolutely terrified of both the nurse, and the new arrival.

"Good.  You'll make Mr. Higgins comfortable then," she said, heading out the doors.

"Hi, have a seat," one of the younger girls said quietly, gesturing towards the empty chair.  "I'm Whisper, but don't call me that while any of the staff can hear you.  Call me Lauren then.  So what are you here for?"

"They think I'm crazy," Race said, as he took the offered seat.

"Well, obviously, if you're here.  Everyone is crazy except me."

"Unless you talk to the doctors of course," Racetrack said sarcastically.

"No, they'd agree with her," one of the others spoke up.  "She's in here because her parents didn't want to deal with her, and I'd prefer it if you don't talk about her that way."

"And who are you?"

"Name's Hunter," she snapped back.

"Kristen!" another girl spoke up.  "Please, you'll get us all in trouble."

"Oh, give it up, Pitch," Hunter said, glaring at her.

She flinched.  "Don't call me that, don't ever call me that.  My name is Amy."

"I miss the old Pitch," Hunter muttered under her breath.

Amy ignored her, and turned to Racetrack.  "My name is Amy.  You've already met Lauren and Kristen, and those are Ruby, David, Emily, Carolyn, Elsie, Matt, Joe, Danielle, Alexander, Brendan, and Michaela."

The group reintroduced themselves as Dreamer, Lock, Harlem, Glimmer, Daisy, Tag, Phoenix, Flame, Visitor, Multi, and Teddy.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Teddy, who was half mangling the ragged teddy bear that she was holding under her arm.

"Name's Racetrack Higgins."

"And your real name?" Amy inquired.

"Me name is Racetrack."

"The, the doctor isn't going to be very pleased with that," one of the boys (Matt, Race thought) stammered, not meeting Racetrack's eyes.

The girl with burnt hair, who had introduced herself as Flame snorted.  "Another troublemaker? If the doctors hate you, then I'm at least glad to meet you.  But really, Racetrack, that's got to be the stupidest name ever.  You gamble or something?"

"Yeah, I do actually."

"So you ran up a debt, and your parents through you in here to get rid of you.  Typical."

"Not that it's any of your business, but that isn't what happened."

"Right," Flame laughed.  "Next you're going to be telling me that you really aren't crazy."

"Exactly right," Racetrack laughed.  "Because I ain't crazy.  It's all of you who don't understand."

"We… don't… understand… what?" one of the girls said slowly, lowering her gaze to meet Racetracks.  She spoke in a low, even tone, with a hint of an accent.

"They keep telling me it isn't 1899, when I know that it is."

"Oh great, another freak like her Royal Highness," Hunter sighed.

"Like who?"

It was Amy who answered.  "Marie.  Over there," she said, gesturing to a pretty redhead sitting across the room.  "She thinks she's Marie Antoinette.  So she keeps telling everyone to eat cake, and to be nice to her because she's the queen of France."  She shook her head.  "Poor thing actually believes she's living in 1788."

Race quickly did the math in his head.  "She's off by over a hundred years."

Flame snorted.  "It's more like nearly 200 actually.  You're a crazy like her.  At least we know the year."

"It's 1899," Racetrack said stubbornly.  "Or at least it was when I last checked."

"Right. And I'm the queen of England," Flame laughed, then  jumped up on the table, screaming, "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"

Two orderlies came over, and pulled her off the table, and dragged her towards the head table.  Amy paled considerably, and hid behind Matt, wincing as Danielle was taken farther away from them.  Her eyes had taken on a horrible haunted look, and the rest of the table was looking towards her in sympathy.

While Racetrack watched, Flame reached the staff table.  Her head was bowed, and she had quieted considerably, as the nurse was chastising her.  They could not hear all the conversation, but bits and phrases came through.  All of it warning Flame about how she had just used up her last chance, and it was straight to the Doctor with her. Whisper was growing more and more angry, and it was only David's restraining hand that kept her from going up after them.

"She's leaving us," Matthew whispered.  "Why does everyone always leave?"

"Not her fault," Hunter said angrily.  "I hate this place."

"I predict that we'll not see Flame again.  She'll be ruined, just like all the others," came a haunting, almost mystical voice.  It was the girl who had called herself Harlem.

"You're predictions never come true, Emily," one of them snapped.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said haughtily.  "I'm always right.  Especially about this.  It's my gift.  I can see the future."

The group began to argue among themselves, until the nurse cleared her throat, instantly gaining the attention of everyone in the entire room.

"Back to your cells.  All of you," she snapped.

Everyone stood up, and began to head out of the room.

"Ms. Snyder," someone from across the room called quietly, "we haven't eaten yet."

"You will eat at lunchtime.  This meal is now at an end."

Snyder? Race thought to himself.  It's a coincidence.  It has to be.

"Amy, escort Racetrack back to room 87."

"Yes ma'am," Amy said shakily.  She was still trembling.  The group began to head for the doorway, and Amy motioned to Racetrack.  "Come on," she said.  "I'll take you back to your room."

~*~

Author's Notes-Thanks to everyone who sent me in profiles.  I owe all of you guys, a lot.  Many thanks to B, who is a total sweetheart and beta read this for me.  Next chapter, Amy tells Race more about the workings of the asylum, and we find out what's going to happen to Flame.

Disclaimer:  I still don't own Newsies.

Shoutouts:

B-I'm glad that this is making you want to write evil alternate universe newsies.  This is a very good thing, regardless of what you think. :P  And its completely healthy.  Really.

Sock Free-So, you've met the inmates now.  I think some of them should remind you of people… mwahahahaha

Glimmer- You're in the chapter! Only a bit, but you'll be in more. J  I promise.

Dreamer- I haven't even begun to torture Race yet.  Seriously, I have big plans for him.

Aura-It only gets creepier from now on.

Falco Conlon – I may have to go looking for the Flying Nun now.  You've placed a really scary mental image in my mind.

Til next time!

~TSB