I Never Planned on This (A newsies fanfiction)

Chapter thirteen

Upon coming to the fire escape for The Wall, Les began to feel more afraid. This place terrified him, he couldn't stand to think of Davey locked up in here. He followed Spot up until they reached the stairs. He stopped at the bottom while Spot kept going. Realising he wasn't following her, Spot turned around, a look of worry on her face.

"Les? You...okay?" She asked. Les simply nodded and proceeded up the stairs behind her. Race, Albert, Finch, Romeo, Splasher, Tommy Boy, Specs, and a few Brooklyn newsies were already at the top, waiting for them. They smiled when they saw Spot reach the top, followed by Les. They were standing near a cell with a bag next to the window.

"Good to see ya back, Les." Race said with a smile. "Ya ready to try and find your brother?" Les nodded, but looked around Race at the window. Race looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Henri's cell. Ya wanna see 'er?" Les hesitated, then nodded again. Race nodded and waved Les closer. Les stood on his tiptoes but still couldn't see, so Race lifted him up so that he could see in through the window. "Henri." Race whispered. It was insanely dark inside the cell, but Les could see a small figure in the midst of it all. A girl, with combat boots on, a brown undershirt, with an orange overshirt, a green vest, patterned pants reaching down to her knees, a brown cap, and her hair down. Henri. She stood up from her spot on the wall and slowly but surely made her way to the window. Les stood there, gaping.

Henri made it to the window and Les could see a purple and blue bruise around her right eye, along with multiple scars along her arms. While she had been walking, he saw her left foot dragging behind her, as well as multiple scars along her back. She put her hands on the bars and smiled at Les.

"What have they done to you?" Les simply asked, still gaping at Henri, who laughed a little.

"Good to see you, too." She remarked. "It ain't...so bad. Could be worse, I guess."

"How?" Les asked. Henri shrugged.

"I dunno, just trying to be optimistic at this point." She answered, then shook her head. "I really hope your brother's doing better than I am."

"We all do." Race added. "I sent a letter to Jack the day of the fight, I hope it's gotten to him by now."

"I... actually had a dream about Jack and Katherine just last night." Henri said. "In the dream, he received your letter, but only got the news of the strike that day, 'cause Katherine didn't have time to open it. He felt helpless." She said. "Said he didn't know what to do."

All the Newsies sat there in silence. Jack. If Jack felt helpless, they had no idea what they were supposed to do. There was a thudding noise. Henri's eyes grew wide. "Get away from the window!!!" She hissed. "Kennedy's coming!!!" Race yanked Les away from the window as Henri dropped from view. He pulled him to the side just as they heard the door open. Unfortunately, they heard Henri tumble to the floor at the same time, having had not made it to the wall again in time.

"I've had just about enough of you." Kennedy snapped. Les could hear Henri gasping and whimpering out of fear as Kennedy stomped towards the window. He clutched Race's hand harder out of fear. Kennedy stayed at the window for a few seconds, surveying the outside, looking for anyone Henri could have been talking to. Les breathed as silently as he possibly could.

Then, Kennedy growled and stomped away from the window, dragging Henri screaming out with him.

Then, all was silent.

Les and the others cautiously crept towards the window, looking back inside. It was so dark, no one inside now. Les stood there, looking at where Henri had been moments before.

"What....what happened?" Les asked in a small voice. "Where'd he take her? Where'd she go?" Race looked inside the room and said with a bit of a scared expression,

"The Beating room."