Ghosts of the Refuge - A Newsies Prequel

Chapter Eight

As the jail wagon rattled along the streets of Brooklyn, Patch found herself sinking deeper into worry and fear. The closer she got to the New York House of Refuge, the more her anxiety mounted. Memories of Florrie's valiant attempt to escape and her subsequent death haunted Patch's thoughts, making her hesitant about what awaited her inside those cold, oppressive walls.

An hour passed, and the sun began its descent, casting an orange glow across the city. Inside the wagon, Patch and her father sat across from each other. His sinister grin and calculated words only heightened her unease. The knowledge that he plotted her capture to lure Jack back to the refuge unsettled her deeply.

"You'll be put in solitary confinement," Snyder hissed, enjoying Patch's visible discomfort. "And let me assure you, Pascale, Francis Sullivan will rescue you. And when he does, he will be trapped."

Patch's eyes widened, a mix of disbelief and stubbornness burning within them. "I've already told you, you're wrong. Francis won't come. I made him promise to never see me again."

Snyder's sinister laugh reverberated through the wagon. "Do you really believe that a promise can keep him away? Sullivan will come for you, and he will be met with a fate worse than you can imagine."

Patch's heart pounded in her chest, torn between fearing for Jack's safety and desperately wishing he would never attempt such a rescue. She knew Snyder's twisted game was designed to manipulate her emotions and lure Jack into a trap.

As Patch was led up the stairs to the empty room, she prayed that Jack wouldn't come to rescue her; not only because she made him promise, but she didn't want her father to win in his cruel game of cat and mouse.

.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, Jack, Racetrack, Spot, Kid Blink, and Mush stood outside the walls of the refuge. Kid Blink had a rope slung over his shoulder while the rest of the group had hidden slingshots.

As the group crouched behind some barrels, the main entrance came into view. Snyder was waiting attentively for something, like he was expecting someone. He looked down at his pocket watch, noting the time.

"What's he doin'/, Jack?" Mush whispered, trying not to sound as scared as he felt.

Jack frowned, "I dunno. It looks like he's waiting for someone."

He drummed his fingers on his chin, trying to think of why Snyder was doing this. The nuns had already come by with their food donations, that's how they got inside the compound in the first place. The group eyed Jack uneasily, knowing that their plan would fail with Snyder so close.

Suddenly, Spot got an idea. He turned around and pulled out his slingshot. He pulled the string, aiming for the closed white gates. The sound of the rock echoed through the courtyard and Snyder squinted his eyes, trying to see what caused the noise. Spot aimed for the gate again; this time the warden came closer to investigate.

"Sullivan," he said, loudly for the group to hear. "I know you're here; come out and surrender. It'll be easier that way."

Jack, Spot, Racetrack, Kid Blink, and Mush crouched low, their hearts pounding in their chests as they listened to Snyder's voice echo through the courtyard. The situation was dire, and the fate of their friend Patch hung in the balance. With a shared determination, they knew they had to rescue her, no matter what the cost.

As Snyder stayed focused on the gate, Jack motioned for the group to follow him. "Follow me," he whispered, his voice steady but filled with urgency. "We're going to the roof."

.

The breeze swept across the rooftop as Kid Blink lowered Jack down by a rope, Jack's heart pounding with a mix of worry and determination. He found Patch's left hand cuffed to the metal bars of the window.