From Crutchie To Wheels (And a Little Les Trouble)

Nightmare

(Just a little graphic)

Jack was in the refuge again. Except this time, Crutchie was there, too. They had both just gotten horrible beatings. Black eyes. Whip lashings. Brass knuckles. Bruises everywhere. And blood. Lots of it. Unable to move a muscle in their bodies. The final swing had cracked Crutchie's arm clean in half. They were in the same cell facing each other.

"Crutchie, you ok?"

"This is all your fault, Jack. If you had been there to walk me home like you said you would my arm would be fine. Which means Les would be fine. And Davey. And Specs. And Elmer. And Buttons. They'd all be fine. You're such a jerk."

"What?"

"You heard me, 2 legs."

Oscar barged in the cell.

"Get up you crip."

"I can't."

"Then I'll make you."

Oscar dragged Crutchie over to the window and opened it.

"Jump boy. You jump or you're screwed."

He set Crutchie sitting on the window sill, legs dangling out.

"Crutchie, no!" Jack screamed.

Crutchie looked at Jack with sad, swollen eyes.

"This is for you, Jack. Makes you wish you treated me better, now doesn't it?"

Crutchie scooted to the edge of the sill. Then he slid off. Down, until a loud thud was heard.

Oscar looked out the window and grinned to himself. Then he walked over and relentlessly beat Jack with Crutchie's crutch.

Jack woke up drenched in sweat and shaking. He was breathing heavily, his vision very hazy.

Romeo and Race were trying to talk to him.

Jack started crying, not caring what they thought. They dragged him back inside.

"What happened?" Asked Buttons, whose knuckle and fingers had turned a dark shade of blue and swelled to the size of small hotdogs.

"I think he's having a panic attack!" Race screamed.

Everyone gathered around trying to calm him down. Nothing worked. Finally, they decided to bring him back up to the rooftop and let him be.
After Jack had some time to cool down, he went back inside.

"Newsies!" He screamed, getting everyone's attention. "In a few hours, we break out Specs. We'll leave at 8am sharp. We'll be making a quick stop at the hospital to check on Crutchie and Les and get Buttons's fingers checked out. Am I understood?"

"Yeah."

"Good. If you aren't up and ready to leave by 8, I'll have Race break all your fingers, too."

Jack walked out back to the rooftop. He laid down and just stared at the sky, thinking.

"Crutchie. I'm coming brother. You'll be fine. You're stronger than we give you credit for."

(Ahh!!! Alnost 700 reads! Thank you guys so much. We meet some new characters in the next chapter.Also, in the next few chapters, you're going to hate me...)