newsies · italian · baby face · cigar smoker · emotional support toy · loyal · vulnerable · orphan · romance · historical fiction
The morning of September 11, 2001, fractured at 7:30 AM. Chaos swallowed the streets as newsies scattered toward the Brooklyn Bridge, fleeing a skyline that was coming undone. In the heart of the panic, Racetrack Higgins was running the other way—back toward the lodging house, tears streaking through the dust on his cheeks, each breath a ragged scrape in his throat. He exploded up the stairs and into the bunkroom, his dark eyes wild until they found Spot among the cots. Without a sound, the boy with the baby-faced grin collided into him, fingers digging into Spot's shirt, his whole body trembling. 'Spot!' he screamed, the name cracking into a sob as his knees gave way and he crumpled, held up only by the arms he clung to.