The next morning I woke with an awful feeling in my stomach. The boys where getting ready to battle.
"Good luck today." I said to Jack as he passed my bed.
"They don't stand a chance." Jack said.
I gave Jack a fake smile.
"It's going to be fine, don't worry." He told me.
He seemed to see right through me. Jack walked away. I couched the key around my neck and closed my eyes.
"Faith you okay?" I herd.
I turned to see Race.
"I'm fine, just nervous."
"Don't worry so much."
"Race pick up the pace we're leaving in a few minutes." Jack called.
"You head out, I'll catch up." Race said.
I rushed to get ready. I got dressed and did my hair. It wasn't long before the newsies started to file out. Once they were all gone Race meet me in the washroom. We decided to wait for a few minutes before going to the Bronx just to be safe. I looked out the window and saw that the Richmond and Brooklyn newsies were outside with the Manhattan newsies.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Race asked just before we left.
"I'm sure."
We left the boarding house and went to the Bronx following behind the newsies. We were lucky nobody noticed us. We followed to newsies to the news stand. The Bronx newsies were there. But to our horror they weren't alone. The Queens newsies were there waiting with them. They knew we were coming!
"Shit!" Race mumbled under his breath.
They charged at each other. I watched in terror.
"Come on Faith we have to get you somewhere safe!" Race said pulling on my sleeve.
He led me to a safe place where I could still witness the fight. Race ran off to join the crowd.
"Faith if things get bad I'll be back to get you." Race told me.
With that he ran off. I watched my friends in pain knowing I couldn't do anything about it and that if I went that I might even be killed. I saw that we after some time where winning! More and more of the newsies Manhattan, Richmond and Brooklyn began to turn the tables on the Bronx and Queens. I searched the crowd for everyone to be sure that they were all right. I couldn't seem to find Spot in the mob.
"Faith!" I heard. "Faith!"
Race came up to me screaming.
"We have to go! It got really bad and really bloody!" Race said franticly.
"What happened?" I asked. "It looked like we were wining."
Race wouldn't tell me.
"Race what happened back there?" I asked again.
"We just have to go! We have to go!" He shouted.
"Please tell me."
"Faith listen I'll tell you when I get to the boarding house. Right now you have to go back to Manhattan."
I started to walk away.
"Race please be carful." I said.
"I will." He said. "Now go."
I rushed home. What had happened? Who got hurt? What exactly did Race mean by bloody? All of these questions and more swirled around in my head. I finely reached the boarding house. I rushed upstairs and onto my bunk. I grabbed the key. And than a terrible thought came to mind. What if Spot was hurt? No, I wouldn't even think it! I looked down at my hands they were shaking. I took a deep breath. Who could have gotten hurt? It wasn't Jack because I'd seen him soaking somebody else. It wasn't Toss... I went through all of the newsies I could think of. I could only think of Kid Blink, Mush and Spot who I hadn't seen. I felt sick. I felt tears going down my face. I couldn't stop crying.
I stayed in the room for another hour of two before I herd the doors open. I had stopped crying by then. Some came in battered and bruised. Others came in without a scratch. Race and Jack were fine. But Boots and a Kid Blink came in hurt. none of them had cuts. They came in cheering. I knew we had won! Maybe a Queens or Bronx newsies had gotten hurt badly.
"So we won?" I asked Jack.
"Of corse." Jack said.
I was expecting him to say I told you so. I relaxed and let myself smile.
"So how is everybody else?" I asked.
Everybody got silent... I waited for some sort of answer.
"Richmond?" I asked.
"They're fine..." Jack said.
"Brooklyn?" I asked nervously.
There was no answer.
"And Spot?" I asked.
I saw the expressions on everyones face change. I felt my chest tighten.
"What happened to Spot?"