Dreams Change

Chapter 11

Chaos broke out everywhere. Things were happening so fast it was hard to keep track. Newspapers were hurled through the air, I even think I saw a barrel being thrown, but I had one goal: find Katherine and get her to safety. She had never been in a fight before, that I was sure of. 

I aimed for where I saw the girl, huddled in a corner, out of the way of everyone else. As I ran past Jack, he grabbed Les and handed him over to me.

"Get both him and Katherine safe," he yelled above the noise. I took the boy and pulled him behind me. We reached Katherine in a matter of minutes. 

"I'm getting you two out of here," I said. 

"Watch out!" Les cried, pointing behind me. I rolled to the side, a flying baseball bat narrowly missing my head. The man swung again, but Katherine kicked him as hard as she could between the legs. He toppled over, bat crashing to the ground. 

"Thanks." She nodded at me. 

"Give them to me," a voice said behind me. I whirled around and came face to face with a girl who looked like she had been living on the street her whole life. "Your friends need more help then they do."

"And why would I trust you?" I glared at the girl.

"Because I know that Snyder is going for your friend with the crutch. If you leave for him now, you can get him out before Snyder gets him."

"Why are you helping us?"

"Trust me, I'm really not. Pulitzer is who I'm after, and with your friend in the Refuge, Jack is going to be awful hard to keep the strike going. Now go. You don't have much time." 

"What's your name?" I asked the girl.

"Ruth, now please, we can't afford you to lose this battle." I hesitated, glancing at Katherine. 

"Go," she said. "We'll be okay." With those words, I turned and ran back into the fight, looking everywhere for Crutchie. I cursed when I saw him, held tightly between Oscar and Morris. 

I ran forward just as the boy hit Oscar with his crutch. 

"Get out of there," I muttered. Just as Morris raised his fist to hit Crutchie, I dove between the two of them, receiving the full force of the punch and crumpling to the ground.

"Caz!" Crutchie gasped.

"Go," I yelled. He glanced down at me, hesitating a moment too long. Oscar grabbed him from behind as Morris took the crutch from Crutchie. I let out a cry of pain as the stick made contact with my gut. 

"Well," I heard Snyder's voice sneer. "I guess it's off to the Refuge for these two."

"No!" I yelled. I locked eyes with Crutchie, begging him to take the opportunity I was about to give him. Then, with all the strength I had left, I kicked as hard as I could, my foot making contact with Oscar's leg. He howled in pain, releasing Crutchie, who took off as fast as he could. 

But it wasn't fast enough, and Snyder grabbed him by the throat, throwing him to the floor beside me. 

Tears poured unwillingly out of my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to him. He wrapped his hand around mine. 

"Me too." 

"Caz!" A strangled cry from my brother made me look up. His face was twisted into a look of pure horror, tears streaming down his face. I looked over at the boy standing next to him, my best friend, who looked equally as frightened, but his gaze held something I couldn't read. Something that made me want to fight with everything I had left, but it was useless because I had absolutely nothing left. 

So I didn't struggle as Snyder locked my wrists together. 

I didn't struggle as Morris dragged me toward the awaiting carriage. 

I didn't struggle as I was taken inside the harrowing Refuge.

 And I didn't struggle as they beat me until black filled my vision, sucking me into the dark hole that called to me.

No, I bore it all, knowing that I had failed Crutchie and Jack, my brother and all the Newsies. Even that girl who had sent me to save Crutchie. 

But above them all, knowing I had failed Albert. 

So that was like a really, really short chapter, but I felt like it was better to leave it there. What did y'all think? Hope you're enjoying it!!