Exactly what the title says. This is one of those wild, shorter, intense-ish chapters. I did have to do some research, so expect it to show up here and in the afterword author's note. Sunday, September 1, 1895, there was an earthquake scoring 4.3 on the Richter scale. True, the real one happened in New Jersey, so sorry for fudging it a little bit, but I need them to experience the earthquake without them being in New Jersey haha. And why they need to experience it ... you'll find out why. Enjoy! :)
Inevitably, the faces of the Manhattan newsies lodging house are different. There are faces that are no longer there, like how Sheeny left last summer and Henry left in the spring. And there are new faces, like Bumlets, who came in June; and Specs, who just came in August.
Antonio, or Race(track), is still getting used to all the changing faces. And sometimes, the older ones who he doesn't talk to that that much will purposefully change up how they look to throw him off. He knows they're just teasing him, but it's still frustrating for him.
But that doesn't matter. Race has a routine to keep things in check. He goes to Sheepshead for the day to sell. In the late afternoon/evening, he goes to one of Medda's shows. Of course, there's variety. But having at least something to hold on to really helps. Besides, he likes these things.
Today appears to be one of those normal days.
Race gets back to the lodging house in the evening.
Some people are already there, others have yet to come.
"Hey, Race," Jack greets him.
"Hey, Jack."
"How was betting today?" Crutchy asks. The newsies have accepted pretty quickly, along with the new name, that Race goes to Sheepshead Races. He likes it when they ask about it.
Race shrugs. "Average, I guess. Could have been better, could have been worse. I guess that's how it always is."
"Why does he get to go to Sheepshead?" Snipeshooter complains.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you try makin' the effort to go to Brooklyn," Race retorts.
"Lay it off, you two."
True, they listen to that voice of reason, but they still scowl lightly at each other. No real harm. Just two people living in the same space that they share with a bunch of other people.
As more talking goes on, everyone ends up returning.
Suddenly, the ground does something it was never supposed to do.
It moves.
Everyone freezes, on high alert, not knowing what's happening.
"Earthquake!" Skittery hollers.
Oh.
"Everyone get down!" Jack shouts. "Doorways! Tables! ANYTHING!"
Everyone starts moving at once. No one has ever been in an earthquake before. They've had some warnings for what to do. Now they just need to make sure that they don't panic too much to remember what they should do.
Crutchy slips. His crutch slides all across the room as he falls to the ground.
"Crutchy!" suddenly Jack is there on the ground too. He puts Crutchy's arm around him and hoists Crutchy up.
Race starts running to get the crutch. Crutchy's gonna need that.
"NO! LEAVE IT!"
Race ignores that. He reaches down and grabs the crutch, and right as he's about to stand up, he's thrown off balance by another tremor.
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I'll Always Look Out For You
Fanfiction15 years before the legendary newsies strike of 1899, a child was born. When he is 18 months old, he is brought to the Manhattan Newsies Lodging House. In time, he would be known as Racetrack Higgins. This is his story. This is the story of the news...
