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Davey couldn’t quite believe what he was doing, he could believe even less what they’d actually managed to accomplish. Considering only a few days ago he wasn’t even wanting to sell papers and now he was helping to lead a strike…well to him it felt like quite an achievement. As he stood there, beaming as the camera flashed, he took a moment to look around at the other boys, all of who looked immensely proud, no longer scared of the fact that they didn’t have Brooklyn or Queens or Harlem or any other borough backing them up. They’d done this all by themselves and they were winning. They’d stopped the wagons from delivering any papes and it was only up from here on out. Davey could see it now, he and Jack would march into Pulitzer’s office followed by all the boys as Pulitzer grovelled and apologised for ever even dreaming of raising the price of the papers.
After the photo was taken and Katherine and the photographer had left, Davey turned to Jack, about to speak before he heard a hushed whisper fall over the Newsies. He looked around, wondering what the sudden quietness was all about, when he saw them. Wiesel and the Delancey brothers, armed with bats.
He hurried over to Les, pulling him close to him, kneeling down so he was at eye-level.
“Les, stay with me. If I tell you to run, you run okay?” When Les looked like he was about to protest, Davey fixed him with a silencing look, standing himself back up but still keeping a tight grip on his shoulder. He zoned back in to what was being said just as Jack shouted.
“Newsies! Get ‘em!”
All the Newsies rushed forward, yelling. Albert jumped on Wiesel’s back as Jack swung a fist at his face. Romeo signalled to Ike and Mush to go for Morris, all of them converging on him as Elmer and Specs did the same with Oscar. Davey turned around wildly, keeping Les in a death grip against him, trying not to show how scared he was but his hands were shaking against Les’ shirt. He moved quickly through the crowds of people, desperate to get Les away from the fighting, pushing Les in front of him. There’s a shout to his left and he sees Elmer running in his direction with Oscar following. Davey stood in front of Les as he dodged a punch from Oscar, shoving him to the ground. Elmer stood behind Davey, looking up at him, trembling with fear, as Davey stood over Oscar. Before either of them could do anything, a shrill whistle sounded, making everyone freeze.
“It’s about time you showed up!” Splasher said as a group of cops entered through the circulation gate, slowly making their way so that every exit was covered. “They’re slaughtering us!”
The cop took one look at Splasher before reaching for his baton and smacking him across the side of his head. Davey watched as he crumpled to the floor, not moving as the other boys took this as cue to jump on the officers. Davey turned around to tell Les to go, to run, to get out of here, but he couldn’t find him. With twice as many people fighting them now, it was chaos everywhere. He wasn’t looking as Oscar closed in on him,angry at Davey for getting one up on him earlier, punching him hard in the stomach then the face in quick succession.
Davey stumbled backwards, hitting the wall as his head spun. He had lost Les, he had no idea what was going on anymore, everything was confusing to him. He closed his eyes for a few seconds as he used the wall for support, trying to stop the nauseous feeling in his stomach. After a few minutes he blinked his eyes open. Someone moved quickly next to him and he flinched away as a hand touched his shoulder.
“Dave we’s gotta go.” The voice spoke quickly as they helped Davey to his feet. Davey looked up, seeing Tommy-Boy looking down at him, blood seeping from a nasty cut across his cheek.
“Les-” Was all Davey could manage to get out. Tommy-Boy shook his head.
“Henry got ‘im, it’s fine. Now come on-” He said as he dragged Davey away, faster than he perhaps would have liked but he knew it was necessary given, well, everything.
They finally made their way back to the lodging house, both of them walking through the door and surveying the scene. About half the boys were back and all of them hurt in some way. Jojo and Mike were sat together, both inspecting each other's injuries. Jojo had a cut that looked like it had narrowly missed his eye and Mike had a fully fledged black eye that looked as if it was only getting worse as time went on. Albert, Buttons and Specs were sat with each other, Buttons having gotten his needle and thread out, preparing everything for the worst as they all anxiously kept glancing at the door; giving Tommy-Boy and Davey tired smiles as they entered. Henry was sat on one of the beds with his arm around…
“Les!” Davey exclaimed in relief as he spotted his brother leaning against Henry’s side. Les looked up, immediately running over to Davey, clinging tightly as he wrapped his arms around Davey’s waist. Davey quickly knelt down so he could hug Les back before he pulled away to check him over. He had a bruise on his face and was holding his arm in a slightly strange way. Les’ lip trembled as he looked up at Davey.
“I couldn’t find you and then there were so many people and then Henry was helping me get away but someone grabbed me instead and now my arm really hurts and I didn’t know where you were and-” It was all too much for Les as he burst into tears, throwing his arms around Davey and burying his head in his neck. Davey whispered comforting words to him as he lifted him into his arms as he looked around at the others, seeing that Splasher, Ike and Mush had also now arrived; Splasher being heavily supported by the two others as they laid him so he was on a bunk leaning against the wall. Ike had a frown on his face which deepened the longer he looked at Splasher before he looked up at the others.
“He didn’t get up after tha’ cop busted him. I ain’t even sure his head’s stopped bleeding yet.” He said as Mush nodded his head in agreement. Buttons went over to see what was going on as Specs also got up and made his way to Davey.
“Davey you ain’t seen Jack have ya?” He asked. Davey shook his head.
“To be honest with you Specs, I’m not sure I could tell you a lot about anyone or anything that happened.” Davey said. “I barely remember any of it.” It was true, the entire fight felt like a blur to Davey. Specs looked like he was about to say something in return when a flurry of people came in, raised voices could be heard.
“You’se gotta let me go back Racer!”
“I ain’t letting you go anywhere Finch! ‘Sides it’s too late now anyway.” In stormed Racetrack and Finch who were closely followed by Elmer and Romeo.
“You heard ‘im, he was calling my name! And I’se just left him there!” Finch’s voice was choked up as he glared at Race.
“What good would’ve it done you to get yourself locked up in The Refuge as well!” A silence fell upon the room as they all looked over at Race, who was breathing heavily as he stared down Finch, noticing everyone looking at him, realising what he just said very loudly.
“Who’s…who’s in The Refuge?” Mike asks quietly. Race sighs as he runs a hand through his hair.
“Crutchie.” He says as he turns back to Finch. “There ain’t nothing you could’ve done okay?” He tells him as he looks around, counting everyone. Davey didn’t even want to think about it, remembering Jack’s warning on his first day of selling and his stories of The Refuge. Even in the short amount of time that he’d known these boys, he could tell it was a subject not to be brought up.
“Everyone’s back now.” Albert says. “Well everyone ‘cept Jack.” Davey couldn’t remember seeing Jack after the start of the fight and judging from the looks on most of the newsies faces, neither could they. Race was the one looking the most worried, Davey noticed, though he quickly hid it when he saw the other boy watching him.
“Right then.” Racer said as he seemed to steady himself. “I’se not going to say if you’se injured we’ll sort you’se cause look at you’se, we’s all injured. Buttons, judge if anyone needs stitches, that’s top priority right now. Anyone that has a head injury as well, no sleeping yet. Everyone else, get some rest. You’se need it.” He spoke in a commanding and calm tone as everyone in the room nodded, listening to him and getting to work. Davey placed Les down on one of the bunks, noticing that he’d fallen asleep, before he walked over to Race. The younger boy looked over at him, a look of resignation on his face.
“You need to have someone check you out yourself Racer.” Davey said quietly to him as he studied his face, noticing many bruises that were beginning to appear.
“Does it look like we have time for that?” He replied with a sigh as he looked around the room. “Look at them all. All because of a few pennies for papers? They’re kids!”
“You’re a kid yourself.” Davey pointed out to him as his eyes followed Race’s. He had a point, even the youngest of the kids here were bruised and beaten. “And it isn’t just about pennies. It’s about taking a stand for what is right. They can’t do this to us and we’re not going to back down.” Davey spoke.
“Well what are we’s gonna do then?” Mush said. Davey looked over in surprise, he hadn’t realised more people were listening. But every single Newsies in the room had his eyes upon him and Race. Davey turned to Race, giving him a small smile as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
“We’re going to win.”