A Drunken Mess: A Sprace Story.

Chapter 16- Snowfall

The bridge seemed long at night, incredibly longer in the dark, in the distance the bells chimed ten. Just four months ago they would have walked this bridge in the dying sun. August seemed the perfect time to walk the bridge, still warm enough that it frightened off any cold chill coming off the river below, but a gentle breeze rocked through making the evening feel like a walk through heaven. However, it's December and the cold chill coming off the river was vicious along with the wind that swept across the bridge and played between your ankles as you walked.

Spot could only think about how happy he was to not be alone walking the bridge. Not only was the walk dark, but it was also incredibly lonesome when you couldn't see through the black curtain of night which covered the silhouettes of buildings and the floor in front. They had already been walking since seven-thirty they were nearly there now, good thing they were too as small white flakes drifted leisurely from the sky slowly covering little patches of the ground beneath them. Spot looked to his right to see Racer looking up at the sky, little flakes of white dusted across his brown-black hair. "Racer it's snowing" Spot murmured, mesmerised with how each flake slowly melted into Races scalp.

"Yeh, it is" Race replied turning his head to look at Spot, who had dropped his hand and was now picking flakes out of Races hair. "Watcha doin there"

"Nothin'" Spot said picking Races hand back up and walking on, accepting defeat over the snowflakes.

Race laughed, it was ironic really, Spot wouldn't let anyone defeat him, but little white flakes of snow falling from the sky he would accept.

They finally reached the lodge house and went up the fire escape only to find that Ace had locked the door, "Damnit the one night he actually chooses to listen to me."

"Do ya not have ya keys?"

"Left 'em on the desk in my room"

"That means we need to go through the-"

"Boys bunks. Yeh, I know", Spot said finishing Races sentence, "We need to be quiet. Let me go first, I'll check everyone is asleep", Spot instructed walking round the front of the lodgings.

Race nodded and took a step back away from the door.

"Coast's clear" Spot whispered back to Race.

They tiptoed through the corridor and up the stairs, reaching Spots room. Spot unlocked the door and opened the door slowly; limiting the creaking noise. Race grabbed the packet of matches out his breast pocket and passed them to Spot, who lit a candle which illuminated the small room.

Race took his shoes off and sat on the edge of Spots bed, now lighting his cigar. "Looks like the snowball fight will be tomorrow"

"Yeh, perfect timin'" Spot replied taking his shirt off just wearing his under top, the three top buttons hanging open as usual. "So, I'm guessing you liked the meeting then"

"Yeh it was fun. Does Jack always get that drunk?"

"Only when Bowtie ruffles his feathers"

Race chuckled holding the thin blanket open for Spot. Both boys settled quickly, nevertheless union meetings were tiring especially after a day's worth of selling and hiding your relationship from those around you.

The next morning, they awoke to a blanket of snow covering the pier, the cold draft blew through the rickety windows and thin doors. Spot left Race to stay warm in bed whilst he woke the boy's downstairs, instructing them to get the salt from the dock shed and spread it around.

Race could hear him downstairs making sure younger newsies were well fed and wrapped up before heading out. The lodge house went silent after a while, Spot hadn't reappeared yet, so Race got up and pulled his vest on then tiptoed down the stairs. Spot was sat in the threadbare armchair in the corner of the room. Race tiptoed down the last few steps, craning his neck awkwardly round the corner to check no one else was around. Once he finished observing the room he started walking over to Spot, "Watcha doin down here Race? We could get caught" Spot said in a hushed voice.

"Ya didn't come back up, and all went quiet"

"Just checking they're doing what I have asked them to do."

"Heard ya making sure the littlun's are wrapped up"

"Yeh, can't afford a sickness, not after last year"

"Felice came close, huh?"

"Yeh, look at her out there, she can barely walk" Spot said almost chuckling, Race looked out the small window, bumping his head into Spots and resting his at the side, Felice was possibly the most bundled up than everyone else. She had a scarf, a slightly oversized jacket and mittens. "Maybe I've gone insane" Spot continued, this time with a disappointed tone in his voice.

"Nah, ya just being protective, you're like her older brother, I can understand why, after the close call last year"

"Yeh, I nearly lost her, she can't go through that again"

"Neither can you"

Spot nodded, he didn't like to admit he had an emotional side, he was used to being closed up, it inferred more of a powerful status that way. "I'm gonna kill Charlie if he keeps throwing snowballs at her"

"'s only cus he likes her"

Spot looked to Race, "What?"

"Yeh, can't ya see, he's picking on her over all the other boys"

"No- It can't- no." Spot stuttered

"Oh, c'mon Spot, it ain't that bad"

"Ah, but it is, see Charlies irresponsible, and Felice is like an angel, she wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Spot seriously, don't worry Felice will make her decision, they's

only nine, it can't harm to let them explore a little."

As Race finished his sentence they looked back outside the window, Felice picked up a handful of snow and threw it at Charlie, who faked falling over, only to land at the feet of Ace, who was on his way back to the lodge house. Spot watched as Ace picked Charlie up and ridiculed Felice for throwing a snowball. Spot rolled his eyes and murmured a comment under his breath. Ace entered the lodge, closing the door behind him and noticing Spot and Race sat on the armchair side by side, heads still connected. "Morning boss" Ace cleared his voice uncomfortably as he carried on to the back of the lodge, grabbing another bag of salt. Spot watched; eagle eyed as Ace lifted the bag over his shoulder and sighed before exiting the house again.

"At least he stayed silent about it"

"Not good enough, I've been there for him since we was little. The least he can do is support me"

Once the salt had cleared a pathway to the distribution centre Spot headed out to get papers for him and Race. He returned back with 100 papes, 50 for them each. They exited out the back of the house, walking towards Sheepshead, selling papers along the way, leaving only around 20 to sell when they reached Sheepshead around 2 pm. To their disappointment, it was closed due to snow. They resorted to selling the odd pape on the way to Manhattan, wandering down alleyways, doing their usual canoodling as they did, around 3 pm they reached the Manhattan lodge house, to find everyone inside. However, the room went silent when they walked in, instead of the usual celebrating and whistling. "Spot I think they want you to leave" Race said elbowing Spot who was at his side, "They are discussing the Snowball fight"

"Ah, suppose I better get my boys down here to discuss the plan"

"Mhm, see you later" Race said planting a kiss on Spot lips before Jack said, "Race if you could stop firkytoodling with the opposing sides leader, we could actually organise"

Race joined the organising,helping Jack assign places for each individual newsie, this year including Daveyand Les.