Chapter 6: Gideon's Hunt

After awhile at the Lodging House, Elmer slammed his hand on the table. It's pretty late at this point.

"At the orphanage we used to play a game called Gideon's Hunt." He said quickly. He was adopted and ran away from his abusive foster parents years and years ago. "Basically, you choose someone to be the Gideon. The Gideon has to hide his face and counts to whatever number and the other players have a hand on his arm or something. Then wen Gideon gets to the number, the players have to find a way to make sure he doesn't see everyone hide. Sometimes that involves a sacrifice, then Gideon has to hunt the other players. We call the other players the bucks."

(Basically a more difficult version of hide and seek)

"Okay." Jack nodded, leaning forward. "Who wants to be Gideon?"

Race's hand shot up into the air.

"Okay, Race." He nodded. "You're Gideon."

"Right." Elmer stood up and motioned to where he wanted Race to stand. He did. "Race, cover your eyes."

So now Race is standing in the middle of the Lodging House with his hands over his face. Every Newsie there was holding his arm, including me. He counted to thirty. During this period, Crutchie and I communicated in a series of facial expressions. He made a kissy face and nodded to the temporarily blinded Newsie. I shook my head violently, but my brother's puppy-dog eyes were too pleading. I mouthed the word fine.

"Thirty!" Race declared, beginning to uncover his eyes. As soon as the Newsies darted off to hide, I took removed my cap and recovered his eyes. Then I used my other hand to grab the collar of his flannel and pull his face to mine and pressed my lips against his. He had a sharp intake of breath, but didn't object.

"This ain't one of the boys, right?" He asked quietly.

"Nope." I breathed, angling him so his back was to the musty sofa. Then I shoved him (not in a bully way) into the cushions and threw a pillow over his face, taking off silently to the hiding spot I had chosen. 

We don't have anything to fill the kitchen cabinets with, so I ended up curling into a ball in the pitch-darkness of a small cupboard. 

"That was well planned." Racetrack chuckled, knowing we could all hear him. On my way to the kitchen I saw Albert, Smalls, Buttons, and Specs. All of which shouted in protest when they were easily found. I soon heard the thunk of my brother's crutch on the floor as he walked. 

"Crutchie, dy'a know where your sister's hidin'?" I heard Racetrack ask.

"Nope." My brother replied quickly. Which was true, this cabinet was improvised. Sooner than later, all of the boys were found and all were tearing the place apart to try and find me. It took all of my control to not laugh at their efforts.

"Cass?" Jack called. His voice didn't have an edge, so I knew he wasn't worried. But my brother was.

"Come out, Cass!" He said loudly, trying to reach all corners of the Lodging House. So I decided to direct them in the right direction by carefully opening the cabinet and lightly tossing out the lid to a bowl. It clattered to the floor and drew the attention of all the Newsies.

"Kitchen?" The word echoed throughout the boys as they came over to investigate. They looked in all the nooks and crannies, but not the cabinets. I was listening for it: they began to finally open the cabinets. I held my breath when I heard the pop of knees as someone knelt in front of my cupboard. It slowly opened and the first thing I saw was a pair of big blue eyes.

"Cass!" Racetrack exclaimed. I grinned, climbing out of my hiding place. All jaws dropped as they looked into the cabinet.

"You fit in that?" Albert gawked, trying to fold himself into it.

"I'm slimmer than you." I shrugged.

"Whatever!" He scoffed, standing back up.

"Okay, Cass." Elmer shoved through the small crowd to talk to me. "Now you're Gideon."

"Alrighty." I nodded and we all went to the living room to start the next round. After I counted to the selected number, someone covered my eyes and started yelling go, go!. This person was stronger than me, so I couldn't push their hand away. I felt myself being directed somewhere before falling onto the sofa and having a pillow thrown onto my face just as I had done with Race. I got up instantly and saw Racetrack himself standing like a deer in carriage-way (about twelve hours later I realized that "deer in headlights" isn't a thing at this point in time) mid flee. I winked at him and his face washed over in relief. I went to look in the opposite direction. From there I found Kid Blink, Finch, Henry, and Tommy Boy.

The game continued for another couple rounds. The next Gideons were Jojo, Buttons, and Mush. Before everyone was about to go to bed, my brother came to talk to me.

"So tomorrow we's stoppin' the wagons." He told me. "It's gonna be dangerous. I think you should stay here."

"No way." I shook my head.

"Cass, I'm worried somethings gonna happen." He pleaded.

"That's why I'm going." I retorted. Although my brother was short, he was still unfortunately taller than me. "If somethin' happens I gotta be there to help."

"I have Jack." Crutchie shook his head.

"So do I." I shot back.

"But if somethin' happens to both of us, he can't be in two places at once." My brother pointed out.

"If both of us needs help the he'll go to you first." I reminded him. "Because I can try to get away if it was serious."

"What's goin' on?" Jack asked, walking up to us.

"I think Cass should stay here when we stop the wagons." Crutchie explained.

"And I told him no." I finished.

"Who says it'll be too dangerous?" Jack's brows furrowed.

"What if the bulls show up?" Crutchie demanded.

"The cops ain't gonna care about a bunch of kids." Jack reassured him.

"What if Snyder shows up?" My brother asked quietly.

"Snyder ain't gonna show up." Jack finally said after a minute of thought. "How's about I tell one of the boys to watch her back?"

"I don't need anyone to." I protested.

"It'd make me feel better." Crutchie told me pointedly. 

"Fine." I sighed.

"Racer!" Jack shouted, making both me and my brother jump. Racetrack scrambled over. "Tomorrow when we stop the wagons, stay with Cass just in case somethin' happens."

"Sir, yes sir!" Race declared.

Then everyone slowly began filing into their rooms to go to bed and rest before tomorrow. Mush and I were already in bed when Race crept in quietly. Then he went to sleep, and so did I.

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