Musical Newsies || Musical Theatre Songs

Chapter 10 - Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

- Chapter 10 - Empty Chairs at Empty Tables -
Ships: None
Canon Era
Song: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - Les Mis (the Broadway Musical)

Warning: This will hurt every Fansies heart.

Jack walks into Jacobi's Diner, alone.

He looks around, before letting his head fall in shame.

There was an accident. The Lodging House was burned to the ground, killing all of the Manhattan Newsies.

Les hasn't come out of his room since he heard. Davey, Katherine, Spot, and a few others came to the boys' funerals and wished Jack the best, but they had left.

It was only Jack now.

He stayed with Medda. He was too torn to sell and the Lodge was gone. Medda made sure he ate too.

Mr. Jacobi comes over and sets a water in front of Jack. He stares at Jack sadly for a few minutes, as Jack wouldn't make eye contact with him, before he walked away, shaking his head.

He had liked the Newsies. They were a bit annoying, but they didn't deserve this. They were happy, they made people smile. They were only trying to live.

Jack stares at the water, swirling it around in his cup, until he looks away. He couldn't stare at his reflection anymore, he only saw the Newsies.

Jack: There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.

Jack looks around at the tables the Newsies would sit at. They had so many memories here.

Flashback

Davey raises his glass.
"I'd say we launched our strike in the most auspicious manner" He toasts, smiling.

Everyone looks at each other, trying to figure out what he meant.

"I don't know about that, but we sure scared the beejebers out of Weasel!" Mush exclaims. The boys all cheer.

"And did you see the Delancey's? They didn't know which way was up!" Crutchie exclaims, basically jumping with excitement.

Flashback over

Images of each boys' first time at Jacobi's, meeting the Newsies flashed through Jack's head.

Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone.

Here they talked of revolution.
Here it was they lit the flame.

Images of the strike flashed through Jack's head. When they won, the smiles on their faces.

Here they sang about 'tomorrow'
And tomorrow never came.

The boys were gonna go to Medda's to celebrate the anniversary of the strike win today...

A year ago today, they won the strike together, Once and for All...

From the table in the corner
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
I can hear them now!

Flashback

Newsies: The world will finally (finally) know

They sat down in their seats, determined. Things were gonna change.

Flashback over

Jack: The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn.

Oh my friends, my friends forgive me

That I live and you are gone.

Jack kinda wished he had died with them. He could hear the boys' screams.

Elmer's screams.

Romeo's screams.

Race's screams.

Crutchie's screams...

He had wanted to go in and try to save them, but someone held him back. They wouldn't let him go, the Newsies were too far gone to be saved. Jack would've just died with them.

There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.

Jack wished the fire had never happened. He begged for them to be alive at points. He needed them. They were his family, his brothers.

Phantom faces at the window.
Phantom shadows on the floor.

When the firefighters had stopped the fire, they found Mike and Ike clinging together, burned to death. Crutchie was holding hands with Race and Elmer. Boots was with Sniper, and Specs was holding Lucky's hand.

Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more.

Jack remembers coming to Jacobi's Deli, walking in and seeing the boys downing their water, fanning themselves with their hats, and sweating when it was hot.

He remembers them clinging together for warmth when it was cold. How Mr. Jacobi gave them hot chocolate in the winter.

Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me
What your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables

Jack looks around the tables where the boys had sat. They were empty. He saw the seats each of the boys always sat at. They never changed...

Where my friends will sing no more.

Memories of the boys singing Christmas carols, songs on the radio, and evening singing and tapping King of New York flashed through Jack's mind.

Even singing King of New York after the strike, as a joke and to remember that they were in the papes.

Where my friends will sing... no more...

Jack feels a tear stream down his face, and heard a ping hit the table.

840 Words
I'm so sorry for this, but I had an idea and went with it! I'm sorry! I cried writing this. A happy chapter will either be out tomorrow or later tonight to make up for this.