Another story! In this one, Race finds out that Jack thinks he deserves all the bad things that happen to him.

Pre-strike

WARNING: Highly violent, description of child abuse, extremely abusive and toxic words (In italics) The rest has description of injury and incoherent screaming of self-blame. It's a really dark chapter. 

~TH~

Race growled, storming up the Lodging House steps. Only he would forget his pape money. He was way too stressed. He hated being in charge. Curse the Refuge and that stupid Spider. He couldn't do this. Not without-

"Jack?"

The Manhattan leader was laying on the bunk closest to the window. He was curled in on himself, facing the wall, his back to the rest of the room.

Racetrack carefully approached him. The older boy looked rough. "Jackie, can you hear me?" He reached out, lightly touching his friend.

Jack jerked back, gasping. He pushed out weakly hitting Race in the stomach. He sat up, blinking, looking at his concerned friend with only vague recognition.

"Jack, hey, hey, Jackie," Race lifted his hands in surrender, "It's just me, Race." In the brief moment of contact, he had felt the heat radiating off of his friend. He was clearly fevered, and from the looks of it, in pain.

"Race?" A croaky voice questioned.

"Yeah, yeah, it's me." He paused a moment while glassy eyes stared at him. "I think you've got a fever. Are you sick?"

Jack weakly shook his head, "Think, think it's infected." He mumbled.

"What is?" Race took a step forward, even more worry rising up.

"Muh back." The boy squeezed his eyes shut. "R maybe it's muh ribs. I o'n know." He was clearly delirious as he swayed back forth on the bed, seeming to will himself awake.

"Can I see?"

Jack shook his head adamantly.

"Come on Jackie, if you don't let me see it, it's just gonna get worse."

The boy in question groaned before going to undo the buttons with shaking fingers. Race began to help him unto the buttons and slip the shirt off. It was easy to see the dark bruises along the ribs. Some of them had to be broken. But Jack had said his back...

"D'ya think you could lie down for a minute? So's I can see your back?"

Jack didn't respond as he turned on his side.

It was bad. There were bruises, cuts and even several lashes. One of which was red and puffy. Infected.

Race went and got some water and a rag. This was going to hurt

"If I ever get my hands on that Spider I'll-"

"S'not his fault."

Race stopped, his hand just dipped into the water. "Then whose fault was it?" Who else would have done it?

"S'my fault."

He was shoved down the remaining stairs, barely able to stay on his feet.

"You're going to get it now boy. You should learn to control your mouth. Shirt off."

Jack glared defiantly at his captor, "I ain't doin' nothin' for you Spider."

Snyder smiled, anger gleaming in his eyes. He shoved the boy against the wall, his hand wrapping around his throat.

Jack gasped, clawing at the hands that kept him from breathing. Finally, he was released. He fell to the ground gasping for air.

"Let's try this again." The older man stood over him. "Shirt off."

The boy reluctantly did as he was told, knowing what was coming, but not sure he could survive another attempt at strangulation. He had heard rumours of what was to come next. Spider liked to beat on him, but he'd never pushed him far enough to actually be brought to the basement.

"Very good boy. Think of how much simpler your life would be if you just did as you were told."

Jack used the wall to help him stand to his feet. "Why do you like this so much? What kind of sick person likes to hurt other people?"

"You have it all wrong boy." Snyder clicked his tongue. "You think I like to hurt you? No, I'm just the only one brave enough to give you what you deserve."

"No one deserves this." Jack spat back.

The older man shook his head, "That's where you're wrong. You deserve the pain. You killed your mother."

"What?" Jack shrieked angrily. He threw himself at Snyder and was answered by being thrown to the ground.

"She was overworked, I can see why after dealing with you. I don't know how she did it so long! It's a miracle your father stuck around for a full seven. Especially since he clearly didn't have the courage to give you the beating you deserve."

Jack whimpered as the man's boot repeatedly came down on his ribs. He cried out when a particular harsh kick caused a loud crack in his chest. He curled in on himself, trying to get it to stop.

He was pulled up by the hair until he was looking the Spider in the eyes. "You need to understand, boy, you are nothing. You deserve everything you get. You're here because no one cares about you. Everything that happens is your fault."

The boy couldn't keep from sobbing as he was dropped onto the floor. Footsteps walked away for a brief moment before coming back.

"Remember, you deserve this boy."

There was a snap, then a pain like Jack had never felt before spread across his back.

"Say it."

He couldn't. He couldn't do anything but force himself to breathe.

Another strike."Say it boy, say you deserve this."

"I-I d-d'srve this."

"That's right." Another slash. "Now say you're worthless."

"'M worthless." He screamed as the whip came down again.

"Now you're learning boy. Say it again, whose fault is this?"

"Mine!"

This went on until Jack mercifully passed out.

"What do you mean it's your fault?" Race asked, bewildered.

Jack curled in even more on himself. "'Smy fault."

"Jack! None of this is your fault!" The younger boy didn't know how to respond. How could his leader, his friend, even possibly believe that?

The older boy didn't answer and after a moment, Race began to clean the infected stripe.

Jack jerked violently, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's my fault, it's mine!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Race tried to comfort him, "Jack, you're fine. It's just me. I's gotta clean it. You haven't done nothing wrong!" He felt nearly as frantic as his friend seemed to be.

"I deserve it! I'm sorry! It's my fault!"

No matter what Racetrack did, he wouldn't stop screaming, so he continued cleaning the wound with tears in his eyes.

~N~

A week later, Jack's fever broke. He was back to work in two. Race couldn't stop thinking about everything Jack had said.

When it was just him and Jack in the Lodging House, he approached him. "Hey, Jackie,"

"Hm?" The oldest Newsie turned to face him a slight and rare smile on his lips. Race almost lost his resolve.

"You know it's not your, fault, right? Everything he did to ya, it's not okay, no one deserves that."

Jack's smile faltered a moment before an extremely tight smile took his face. "'Course I know. Why ya askin'?"

"Jus'... makin' sure." He shrugged.

The older boy nodded, before turning and walking away.

Race had to say, that was quite possibly the least convincing lie Jack had ever told him.

~TH~

There you go! Will probably post the next chapter tomorrow. 

I beg you to leave comments. I don't want to be needy, but I desperately validation that my content isn't absolute trash  😁

Next chapter features Davey and Jack discussing Jack's importance to the Newsies.

Until then!

God bless,
Jamie