The Refuge

The World Will Know

The streets were cold puddles forming as more rain fell. I shivered holding myself as I walked down the street. The boys will be expecting me but what the hell am I to do? We have already lost the fight, Pulitzer has pinned us in a corner we can't get out of. The only chance that we have is to get the whole cities support, or at least show them how much us kids do for them. But with Catherine's betrayal and this entire story being black listed it's hard for us to even get the word out. My thoughts are broken when someone knocks into me hard. "What the hell? Watch where you's is-" I stop talking when I see who it is. Catherine is looking at me, her face one of delight and happiness.
"Oh Jack thank goodness! I have some good news I managed to sneak out of the house and-" I cut her off.
"Why did you come back? You betrayed us." She rolls her eyes.
"My father has spies all over the city trust me. He didn't need me to spy on you. Now would you listen to me for a minute. If we manage to get my father in a corner he won't be able to get out. I overheard him on the phone and circulation is down already. If we slow it further than he will have no choice but to give in." She finishes this with a smile. I frown a bit and turn from her.
"How do I know you ain't lying?" I ask all of my hope riding on that question.
"Because I love you Jack. I would never do anything to hurt you. That's a promise." She looks into my eyes and plants a soft kiss on my lips. I hug her holding her close.
"Thank you Catherine, thank you so much."
"No problem you sap." She laughs "The only really problem is going to be figuring out a way to get the papers printed. No one will let me near any of the printing presses." That's when I remember something.
"Could you get us into your fathers basement? There's an old printin' press down there. It might still work." Her face lights up.
"I forgot about that old thing! Yeah I'll get some of my friends and we can get it all greased up and ready to go! You get all the boys together and we meet back here around one, then we can sneak in and print my article." I smile at her.
"Sounds like a date then. I meet you's here at one." With that I turn blush staining my face and start down the alley towards the building I call home. Some boys are outside Race is smoking his cigar.
"Well look who it is. Jack I didn't think you'd show your mug around here again." He says with a sneer. I sigh and look at him.
"Listen to me I have a plan to get the boys and win this strike." I look at me a smile growing on his face.
"I knew you hadn't left us." He says more to himself then me.
"Go get the other boys." I say and he runs inside calling out names. With in moments all of the newsies barrel out of the building, boys from all over the city. "When did all of you's get here?" I ask looking from boy to boy. Spot comes forward adjusting his shirt.
"We's new you'd come back. We was waiting." He smiles wide and laughs. "Gave us a start Jack. I'll give you's that." As soon as the boys settle I explain my plan. We are going to break into Pulitzers office, go in the basement and print our paper. This will tell all the kids in the city to take a stand with us. Then we will storm into Pulitzers office and demand he listen to us. With all this attention we could and would win. The boys cheered and smiled. "Be ready to move at one." And with that we waited. We waited for hours before we moved. Catherine waited out back with a janitor and two of her friends. They let us in. Crutchie, Davey and Romeo are in the basement. As soon as I see Crutchie I pull him into a hug. He looks pretty ruffed up but other than that he's fine.
"Jack! I knew you was coming!" He says a huge smile on his face. Davey stands and walks over to us. Romeo stands and runs over to Race.
"You came!" He smiles and Race smiles back.
"Course I did! I hafta watch your ass. Make sure you is okay." Catherine gets to work after our reunion. We all help passing papes to each other. Slowly we all fill our bags then take to the streets. Crutchie is at my side the whole time. I can't lose him again and I won't. It takes us until 6 to give all of the kids we can papes. Then we wait watching the sun rise over the city and hoping our plan work. I hold Crutchie's small hand, he is smiling his eyes full of joy. We know that the noose that was supposed to be around my neck was around Pulitzers. We would storm the building and finally end this. And when that happened we would finally be able to show what us kids can do.