As Night Falls- A Newsies Fanfiction

Chapter 4

Katherine woke up to someone shaking her.

"C'mon, we'se gotta get sellin!" Crutchie said. Katherine sat up. She hadn't expected to be able to fall asleep, but after being up the entire night before, she slept surprisingly well. She pushed herself out of bed. She hadn't eaten since the afternoon before, and she wasn't used to the intense pains in her stomach. She followed the boys to the distribution center, but as they saw the headline, panic grew among the newsies. Katherine saw the headline and gasped.

SNYDER BREAKS OUT OF JAIL

She turned to look at Jack. This wasn't going to end well.

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They hadn't been selling for long when they heard the scream. Jack and Katherine didn't hesitate before they ran toward the scream. They found Mush standing in an alley. He was the one who had screamed. He was staring frozen at something on the ground. When they looked down, Katherine had to stifle a scream of her own. Tommy Boy was laying on the ground, covered in blood and definitely dead. No one could speak. That's when Katherine spotted a note in his hand. Her intention was to grab it, but she couldn't. Instead, her stomach lurched and she became sick in the nearest trash can. Jack must've seen the note, because he was reading it when Katherine came back. She peeked at the note.

Jack Kelly,

You never should've interfered in my matters. I'm back, and I'm coming for you. I'll kill every last person you love if I have to. Unless you come to me.

Jack crumbled the note furiously and threw it as far as he could. k

"I know who dis is from." he said, his voice quiet yet furious. "Snyder." 

"Well... We don't know for sure..." Katherine trailed off. She didn't know who she was kidding. The timing was too perfect. The morning's news was all about Snyder breaking out of jail, and not three hours later, one of Jack's friends turns up dead. 

"Should wese call da police?" Race asked.

"We can't." Jack said. "Dey'se after Katherine. Her fadduh wants her locked up." 

"Are we just going to leave him here?" Katherine asked. 

"I dunno what else we can do." Jack sighed. With one last look at Tommy Boy, they left the alley and walked back dejectedly to their selling spots. 

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The following days were a succession of horror. Elmer was horrifically injured the next day. It was under debate whether he would heal at all. If he had any internal wounds, he wouldn't. Finch had been with him. He had a small gash on his leg, but the real problem was the trauma. He was completely traumatized from seeing his friend attacked, and he couldn't go back to selling for four days afterwards. Crutchie was attacked two days later, but he got away with minimal injuries, because he called for help loud enough that he attracted the attention of several bypassers. Buttons was killed together the next day. The newsies were all terrified and in shock from the attacks. They were always on edge. Jack insisted on being with Katherine at all times. One day, Katherine finally convinced Jack that she could go with Specs and he didn't need to worry. They were selling their papers as usual when Katherine heard a stifled, cut off cry from behind her. She turned, and saw Specs fall to the ground, his throat slit. The dark figure standing over Specs grabbed Katherine and dragged her around a corner, out of sight. She didn't even have time to scream. 

"I know who you are." The person whispered. After hearing his voice, Katherine knew for sure it was Snyder. His words made her heart pound. Would he turn her in? Or would he kill her?"

"Are you going to kill me then?" she asked defiantly. "Good luck facing Jack when he finds out you murdered me." Her voice sounded confident, but the words felt unearthly coming out of her mouth. Am I really about to die? Snyder chuckled. 

"I don't need to kill you. All I need to do is seriously wound you and leave you where Jack will find you. You'll die slowly, torturing Jack in the process. Once you're dead, he'll come looking for me, but he'll be so full of grief that I'll be able to kill him easily. And then that will be it." On the last word, Katherine saw a dagger in his hand, but she didn't see it soon enough. Snyder stabbed it into her arm, and she screamed.

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Jack knew he'd promised Katherine he wouldn't worry, but he couldn't help passing by the spot where he knew she'd be selling with Specs. As he neared, he thought it strange that he couldn't hear Specs and Katherine shouting out the headline. An uneasy feeling grew in his stomach. As he reached their selling spot, they were nowhere to be found. Jack felt sick as he ran to the nearest alley. Sure enough, he found Specs hidden behind a trash can, dead. He didn't even have enough mind space to be sad. He had to know if Katherine was ok.

"Katherine!" he called out. He heard a noise from around a corner. He followed the sound and when he turned the corner, a strangled cry escaped him. Katherine was on the ground, covered in blood and barely breathing. He heard footsteps and turned quickly to see Davey and Les running toward him. 

"We heard you. We thought you were being attacked." Les said. Les ran to hug him, but Jack put his hand out.

"Don't come over ere, Les." he said. He was dismayed to hear that his voice was shaking. "Davey? I...I'se gonna need your help." Davey walked over to Jack and saw Katherine. His hand flew to his mouth.

"Oh my god." he said. "Is she...?"

"No, she's still alive, but we gotta get er outta ere. Couldja help me move er?" Davey nodded. Together, they lifted Katherine. They were as gentle as they could be, but she still let out a quiet cry as they moved her. It was horrible. Les obeyed Jack and stayed back, but once they lifted Katherine, Les couldn't help but see her. He gasped and almost immediately started crying. 

"We'se shouldn't be seen on da streets like dis. I know how to get to da Lodge through alleys." Jack said. They moved carefully and slowly, but they finally reached the Lodge. The newsies were still out selling, except for Elmer, who was still healing from his own attack. His jaw dropped when he saw Jack and Davey enter with Katherine. They put her down on the closest bed. Davey ran to get his first aid kit that he had brought from home. They didn't exactly know where to start. They decided to try and clean the blood off first. After seeing the wounds more closely, Davey looked at Jack despairingly.

"These are bad." he said. "She should go to a hospital, but we can't afford that." They looked at each other, unsure of what to do next. There was a knock at the door. Davey went to the door and opened it. There was a sophisticated, richly dressed woman.

"Hello. I saw you boys in the alley and I believe I can be of assistance. You see, I think I know that girl who was injured. May I come in and see her?" she said. Davey was quite startled, and didn't stop the woman as she entered. Her gloved hand flew to her mouth as she saw Katherine.

"She needs to go to the hospital!" the woman gasped. "I can call an ambulance right now if you boys have a telephone anywhere."

"But ma'am, wese can't afford a hospital." Jack said, but the woman waved him off.

"Oh nonsense. This girl needs treatment. I'll pay for it." Jack and Davey were in shock. 

"Who are you? Why do you want to help us?" Davey asked. The woman was searching for a telephone, but she turned to look at them.

"I'll explain it all once she's at the hospital." she said simply. She located the telephone and dialed the nearest hospital. It didn't take long for an ambulance to arrive at the Lodge. The doctors brought Katherine out and put her in the back. They told them that only two of them could ride in the back.

"You boys stay with your friend." The woman said. "I'll ride in the front." Jack held Katherine's hand the whole way there. Once at the hospital, the doctors sent Jack, Davey, and the woman to the waiting room. Jack protested the whole way in until a doctor shut the door in his face.