This chapter contains child abuse.

I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Seven

Emmy was cold. She had been cold ever since she had arrived at the refuge. But now, Emmy felt even colder. Perhaps it was the feeling that she knew it was her turn to be beaten, again tomorrow. It could have been because Emmy had been dreaming of how warm Santa Fe must be.

In the morning, the children lined up. Emmy started at the spider with all her anger. She wanted him to die after doing what he had done to Levi. Once Jack saved them, Emmy would make sure Snyder would be chained up in prison. Snyder would rot there, until the day he died. There Snyder would make friends with the rats. The rats would soon betray him and bite him all over. When the rats died, their bodies would be hidden so Snyder couldn't eat the corpses. Snyder would be starved and beaten daily. He would see how terrible he was. If Snyder ever apologized, it wouldn't matter. Because the children in the refuge never got to apologize for their sins. Snyder would pay!

"You!" Snyder shouted in Emmy's face, "Come with me."

Levi gave her hand a squeeze, though it must have hurt him. Emmy felt her eyes water. No, she had to be brave. For Levi. For Einstein. For Lil' Governor. For Mutt. For Crackers. For Georgie Boy. For Froggy. For Freckles. For One Sock. For Shoeshine. And for any of the other children who had been or was in the Refuge. Emmy would be brave.

Emmy was dragged down to Snyder's office. Snyder slammed the door behind him. He took out his belt. Emmy's hands started shaking. She took a few deep breaths as Snyder walked up to her.

She was whipped 20 times across the back. Emmy whimpered. Snyder struck her forearms thirty times. She was forced to count the 15 times the belt hit her knees.

After the belt, Snyder began to get more creative. He picked Emmy off of the ground and threw her to the wall. Emmy screamed. Her ankle was twisted in a strange way. It seemed to be broken.

"Get up, girl!" Snyder yelled.

Emmy attempted to stand up, but fell, screaming with the pain. This felt like death.

Snyder got his whip out again. He started whipping her over and over. Emmy tried to block him with her hands.

"GET UP, GIRL!" he screamed, as he would whip her.

"I can't!" Emmy would reply.

She was answered by more whips.

After Snyder was done with her, he left her there. Bleeding. Cold. Broken.

Emmy bawled. This was too much for her. Is this what Levi had gone through? The thought made her cry harder. Now she was left in the dark office. How could she get out? Emmy couldn't even stand.

She must have fallen asleep at some point because Emmy woke up with Levi's worried face looking down at her.

When would this ever end?

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