Newsies everlasting

Chapter one

The noise was the first thing she noticed.

After years of being trapped in the dull reality of Treegap, Winnie foster welcomed each and every sound, from the train whistle to the cry of each passing newspaper boy. New York was full of life, bursting at the seams with energy and chaos, a complete contrast to her sleepy hometown. Fifty smells polluted the air, Perfume, cigar smoke, coffee, yet it all fused to create a perfect blend of excitement. She had only been there five minutes, fixed to the train station platform, and she already felt at home.

"Sorry miss, didn't see ya there, care for a pape?" Winnie was brought back to reality as a grubby boy collided into her, before waving a newspaper in her face. She examined him closely - his boots were scuffed and caked with mud after years of strolling through the streets of new York, and didn't even have matching laces. His clothes clearly hadn't been washed in some time, and were littered with moth holes.

"Miss, how's bout that pape? I ain't no carnival clown to look at" he said, before placing a cigar in his mouth.
"Yes, I'm so sorry, how much?" She asked fumbling in her bag for some change.
"However much you got. Ya new round here, cos ya looks it?" He asked, before handing her a paper in exchange for a few cents.
"How can you tell?" Winnie asked nervously, clearly she wasn't blending in.
"Well for a starts ya just got off a train, so that's a clue. Also, ya ain't telling me to beat it. Names Racetrack, call me Race." The boy removed his scruffy cap and waved it in a grand gesture while bowing, as Winnie laughed.
"Well, I've never met anyone called Race before, I'm Winnie Foster by the way. Hey, do you know how to find this address, Race?" She asked, before producing a crumpled piece of paper that her mother had written her aunts address on. She was visiting her aunt Medda over summer - Winnie was excited as she had never even been allowed to listen to music much, let alone go to the theatre, and now she would be living in one for 2 months!

"Sure, follow me, but it'll cost ya," Race said, hand outstretched for more money.  Reluctantly, she pressed a dime into his hand, and was surprised to see the look of joy across his face.
"Boy, thanks, I could eat two days on a dime!" Hearing this broke her heart a little, how many other boys were like this?

After ten minutes, they reached the entrance of the theatre, Race was bouncing off the walls in the excitement of his new profit.
"Thankyou so much," Winnie began.
"No probs, miss. Tell Medda I says hey will ya. Gotta go, papes to sell, I'll see you round!" And with that, Race leapt back onto the street, shouting headlines that had little correlation with the actual writing on the papers in his hand.

Winnie breathed in, and knocked, but no one answered. She could hear faint singing coming from inside, and assumed her aunt was busy performing. Before she could second guess herself, she pushed open the theatre door, and stepped inside.

Eventually, she managed to find her way towards the stage doors, and sat at the back of the empty audience to watch her aunt rehearse a song, "that's rich", enjoying it intently. If only her own mother was as lively as her aunt, she refused to wear anything other than black at home.

Just as the song was coming to an end, she heard footsteps running frantically through the corridor outside, followed by raised voices, without even thinking, she shot up and ran towards the door, to find two older looking teenage boys, panting, out of breath, looking terrified.
"He nearly had us that time, Jack, we can't outrun him forever" one of them said catching his breath, clearly oblivious to Winnie's presence.
"Dave! I thought ya said Crutchie was with us!" the other boy screamed as he looked around "where the hell is he?"

"Excuse me can I help?" Winnie asked, desperate to make her presence clear. The boys jumped in shock, thinking they were alone. "Is someone chasing you?"

"Look miss, don't sneak up on us like that! And yeh, if ya must know, Snyder, he wants to lock us up the the refuge, basically a prison for newsies, to help his pay," he turned his attention back to Davey "what if he got Crutchie?" He yelled as tears formed in his eyes.

"Ya called?" A warm, friendly voice called out from behind them, as a slightly shorter newsboy stumbled towards them with the aid of a crutch, dragging his numb crippled leg behind him.
"I may be crippled but I could still out run anyone!" Where had Winnie heard something like that before?

I may be 102 but I can still out run anyone.

"That scabber ain't having me yet..." but his voice trailed of as he locked eyes with Winnie, a look of confusion and shock spread across both of them.

It was Jesse...