10 December 2006
Author's Note: Part Three! Yay! I think this was a pretty quick update, at least for me. So, that rascal Cowboy makes an appearance in this chapter, and that makes me happy! Thank you xLittlexItalyx and Garen Ruy Maxwell for reviewing! You guys are my first reviewers and I appreciate it. More reviews are welcome, but, of course, not necessary. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Newsies or claim to own them.
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From Beginning to End
III
Race asked him to tell their story, beginning to end. Lead has an empty notepad and a sharp pencil, and that's all he needs.
--
"So how old are ya, Ray?" Racetrack asked one week later as they ate their lunches in the refuge cafeteria. Cold soup, vegetables, and milk were the lunch that day (as it was every day.)
"Thirteen. I'll be fourteen next month," replied Ray, trying to conceal the pride in his voice. To him, the age of fourteen seemed so. . . grown up.
Racetrack nodded absently and pushed his vegetables from one side of his tray to the other. Ray held back a sigh. Lately, he had been noticing how distant his new friend seemed that day. Ray tried not to be hurt by Race's lack of interest and attention.
Racetrack suddenly looked up from his tray and said to Ray, "You wanna get outta here, kid?"
Ray looked back at Race quizzically. "What do you mean? Out of the cafeteria?"
Race shook his head and looked away. Ray sighed in exasperation. He wasn't enjoying this strange mood that Race was in. Ever since the night of Ray's trip to Snyder's office, Racetrack and Ray had become as close as brothers. Race had continued to sleep in the bunk beside Ray's, abandoning his former bunk across the room. Every night they would stay up whispering to each other until one of the other boys would irritably yell at them to shut their traps. Ray had learned that Racetrack was in the refuge for one month for talking back to an officer. He also learned that Race was a sixteen year old poker expert. One of the only things Ray had to look forward to during his days at the refuge was playing cards with Race at night. Racetrack taught Ray how to play poker, and they would spend hours with cards in their hands before they would finally retire to their beds. Racetrack made Ray's life in the refuge all the more bearable. That was why Ray was becoming annoyed with his friend; Race was not acting like himself and had said barely two sentences to Ray the whole morning.
Race suddenly leaned forward over the table so that his face was inches away from Ray's and lowered his voice. "What I meant was, do ya wanna get outta here, da refuge."
Ray's eyes widened. He had heard many boys talking about escape before, but Race had never partaken in those conversations. Ray was shocked that his friend would want to take such a big risk.
"Da preparations are all made. We've got it all woiked out, me and Jack."
Jack Kelley. . . Ray had heard many stories about the famous Cowboy, leader of the Manhattan newsies. In the refuge, he was notorious for his great escape from the refuge on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage. He was also famed for the newsie's strike he had led that past summer. Ray was confused about how Race had managed to communicate with Jack.
Race seemed to read Ray's mind by saying, "I had a visit from Jack late last night at da window. He said he's plannin' on gettin' me outta here tonight." He paused, as if to let Ray process the new information. Race continued. "I told him about ya, and he said you're welcome to come if ya want."
Ray looked at Racetrack in uncertainty, while Race returned the gaze eagerly. It was obvious to Ray that Racetrack wanted him to escape with that night. Ray was flattered, but was also slightly hesitant to agree to go. By leaving the refuge, he would be breaking a rule, and Ray was not one to break rules. He could picture himself out in the city, freezing from the cold and running from the law.
Ray's hesitant manner did not go unnoticed by Racetrack. "If ya come tonight, you could stay at da newsie's lodgin' house. Kloppman wouldn't mind. Hell, maybe I'd even teach ya ta become a newsie. And if Snyder or anyone else evah came looking for ya, me and Jack and all da other newsies would protect ya. . . So what do ya say, kid?"
Ray looked around him. He realized how much he would be giving up if he left with Race. In the refuge, he was insured safety, a warm bed, and three meals a day. From what Race had told him, the life of a newsie wasn't always so glamorous. If you didn't make enough money selling papers, you would very likely find yourself sleeping in a doorway or on a park bench. Race had also said that there had been times when he had had to go without food for days at a time. The nuns from the convent always had warm rolls for the newsboys in the mornings, but that was sometimes the only meal they ate, especially in the frigid winter months when there were few street vendors one could "borrow" from.
And yet. . . Ray wasn't so sure if he wanted to spend more than seven years of his life locked up in the refuge, hidden from the adventure and excitement of New York. The opportunity of freedom Race was so generously offering to Ray was irresistible. Maybe the life of a newsie was less than perfect, but Race seemed to love it anyways. According to Racetrack, "It's da only way ta live."
Taking a deep breath and looking Racetrack in the eye, Ray finally answered, "I'll come."
Immense relief washed over Racetrack. It was obvious that he had desperately wanted Ray to come with him. He had become strangely attached to the kid, even though they had just met a week ago. From the start, Race had been able to tell that Ray was different. At night, when they played poker together, Ray seemed to play for the fun of it, unlike Race, who played to win (winning other people's money made him especially happy.) Race was eager to teach Ray the ways of the Manhattan newsies. He had a feeling the kid would be a natural at it. Secretly, Race was also eager to show off his new friend to the other newsies. Ray was smart, smarter than most boys his age, and Race felt that he would fit right in.
Bong! The bell signaling the end of lunch. Race sighed and stood up from the table. He had been hoping to discuss his plans for that night with Ray, but it would have to wait until later.
"We'll talk more tonight, Ray," promised Racetrack.
Ray nodded his agreement. Then both boys went off in separate directions to their afternoon duties.
--
That night, Racetrack and Ray did not play cards together. Instead, when all of the other boys had fallen asleep, the boys sat together in a corner of the bunkroom and discussed their plans in low voices. Race had managed to find a small stub of a candle which the boys lit as they talked.
"Jack'll be here a little aftah midnight, befoah dawn. A couple othah guys will be on da roof ta help out. Jack said he'll come to da window with anothah rope for us ta use. You'll go foist. Me and Jack will tie da rope around your waist, den one of da other guys on da roof will pull ya up. Understand so far?" Racetrack asked in a serious tone.
Ray nodded. "Then what?"
Racetrack took a deep breath and continued. "Then, aftah they pull me up, we'll all go down da fire escape, get through the hole in the fence outside da refuge, and head back to da lodging house. It's pretty simple. Jack's gotten tons of newsies outta here befoah without getting caught."
Simple? Ray sighed and stared into the flame of the candle. He could feel Race's gaze on him, but could not look him in the eye. The seriousness of what they were about to do was beginning to dawn on Ray. All throughout the day he had been convincing himself that Race knew what he was doing, that no one would catch them, that he would become a newsie. But now that the moment is almsot here, I'm not so sure anymore, thought Ray.
Race watched his friend closely. Ray was gazing into the flame, deep in thought. Race ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. It was obvious that Ray was having second thoughts, and Race was worried that he would decide not to go after all. Maybe he just needs some reassurin', Race thought to himself before moving closer to Ray.
"Hey kid?" Race asked in a soft voice.
Ray looked up at Racetrack. "Yeah?"
Race put his arm around Ray's shoulder in a brotherly gesture, looked him in the eye, and said in a soothing tone, "Ya gotta trust me, Ray. I sweat to ya dat befoah da sun wakes up da city, you and me will be safe in da lodgin' house, sleepin' in our bunks."
Ray looked into Racetrack's eyes as he said this and felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders. He was no longer unsure of what he wanted to do. Upon hearing Racetrack's words, Ray knew that Race meant what he said.
Ray smiled up at Racetrack, his confidence fully renewed. "Thanks, Race. I do trust you."
Race grinned at his friend. "I'm glad, Ray." And he was. "Jack won't be here for anothah couple of hours. Why dontcha try and get some sleep, Ray. I'll wait by da window and wake ya up when Jack comes."
Ray shook his head. "I'd rather stay up. I don't think I could sleep at all tonight."
Race smiled and nodded. "Alright den. We'll wait togethah."
Racetrack blew out the candle and stood up. After helping Ray up to his feet, the two boys quietly walked over to the window and sat down. In a contented silence, they awaited the arrival of Jack.
--
A soft tapping at the window aroused Racetrack from sleep. He rubbed his eyes and looked around him. What time is it? he thought to himself. He couldn't remember falling asleep and was worried that they might've missed Jack. . .
The tapping noise came again, this time louder and more demanding. Racetrack quickly opened the window. To his relief, Jack was hanging from a rope outside the window. He had a very annoyed look on his face.
"Twenty minutes, Race. I've been hangin' here for twenty damn minutes, freezing my ass off, while you were in their snoozing."
Racetrack smiled and put on an innocent expression. "Sorry Cowboy. Guess I fell asleep."
Jack fought back a grin. He could never stay mad at Race for long. "Yeah, I guess ya did. So where's the kid you were talkin' bout? You guys ready ta get outta here?"
"Lemme wake 'em up. Den we can go." Race said. Leaning down to Ray, Racetrack gently shook him by the shoulder. "Wake up, Ray."
Ray opened his eyes as he felt Race shaking him. "Okay, I'm up," he muttered sleepily. "Is Jack here?"
Race nodded. "Yeah, he's right here. It's time ta go." Racetrack helped Ray up to his feet and said to Jack, "Hand me da othah rope, there, Jack. I'll tie it around Ray foist."
Jack called up to someone on the roof. "Drop da othah rope down, Blink. Get ready ta pull da foist one up."
A second rope was lowered down to the window and Jack handed it in to Race. Race then tied it around Ray's waist in a complicated knot, helped Ray up onto the windowsill, and nodded to Jack. After yelling "Go!" up to the roof, Ray felt himself being pulled up the side of the building to the rooftop. In less than a minute, he was safely standing on the roof of the refuge along with two other boys who introduced themselves as Mush and Kid Blink. Do all newsies have such odd names? thought Ray as he introduced himself to the two boys.
Mush and Kid Blink then pulled up both Jack and Racetrack. Ray stood to the side and watched, unsure if he was expected to help. He didn't have long to wait. In a matter of minutes, both boys were pulled up on to the roof. Racetrack embraced both Mush and Blink as soon as he was safely on the roof.
"Thanks for coming, you guys," he said warmly.
"No problem," said Blink, grinning.
"Wasn't da same without ya, Race," added Mush.
Jack nodded his agreement before saying. "Alright, let's get outta here. We still gotta get through da fence."
Without another word, the five boys silently climbed down the fire escape and made their way over to the gates of the refuge. One man guarded the gates. As quietly as they could, the boys crept past the guard and, one by one, began climbing through a large gap in the fence Ray was the last one in line. Just as he was almost through the fence, Ray felt someone pulling him back. The guard had found the boys.
"Oh no you don't," grunted the guard as he attempted to pull Ray back.
"Race! Help!" Ray cried, fighting against the guard and desperetely trying to get through the fence.
Race whipped around at Ray's plea for help and grabbed Ray's arm. "Hey guys! Come and here and help!" Race called to the other boys. All five of the boys struggled to pull Ray through the fence. Finally, the boys tumbled backwards with Ray safely in their arms.
"Hurry up and get outta here!" yelled Jack to the others as the guard began climbing through the fence after them. The boys all jumped up and ran in the direction of the lodging house. After only a few minutes, the guard gave up the chase and made his way back to the refuge, cursing all the way.
When the five boys reached the lodging house, they found the doors to be locked (it was after curfew, after all.) So they were forced to climb up the fire escape and climb through the unlocked window of the bunkroom. All of them were exhausted from the night's activities, so they said their goodnights and retired to their bunks.
"Come on ovah here, Ray. Dere's an empty bunk beside mine for ya." whispered Racetrack. Both boys collapsed on their bunks without bothering to undress. The last thing Ray said to Racetrack before he fell asleep was, "Thanks for keeping your promise, Race."