Race was ecstatic. Cards was his  specialty. He won at least a dollar on bets and winnings so far. His mind slipped the memory of the devastating day the fight, Specs, and Elizabeth. Spending the night with the boys felt familiar, like his home. "Got any 8's Race?" Elmer asked Racetrack with a smirk.

    "Ok, you've asked me for an 8 a thousand times. What do you think the answer is?" Race asked annoyed

    "Hey don't get all offended just because your name sounds cool with a number. But seriously, do you?" Elmer asked

    "Yeah." Race responded while throwing an 8 of hearts on the table. Elmer loved to mess with everyone, especially Race. Elmer was the goof ball of the Newsies, he was usually the person who always tried to lighten the mood when ever something bad happened. He knew that every Newsie loved to bet and play cards. Cards were the one thing that could bring a Newsboy to pure bliss and a little extra cash.

    Once everyone was broke and Race's pockets were full of cash the boys decided to call it a night. Surprisingly, they've been playing for hours. By now it was 10 o'clock, and Racetrack decided to go to bed. He washed his face and by force of habit, he looked up used to see a mirror and saw a plain brick wall with a nail hammered into it. He unbuttoned his shirt and hung it over his bed post where his Newsboy hat and bag hung. As he laid on his bed looking up at the ceiling, he was hit with the reality of the day. He was so lost in the card game that he forgot about Elizabeth, one of the few people that he cared about, the only girl who he would fight and get arrested for, and the one person who hurt him the most with her ever pending fear of him. He was tired and he didn't feel like going with out sleep, so he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

    Only a few seconds past before the loud ringing of sirens woke him up. Immediately he put on his shirt and ran to the window. The fire was right across the street at a hotel. Crutchie woke up too but he didn't sit up or get dressed he laid there. "I'll be back." Race told Crutchie. Race took his time going down the stairs he didn't even know why he got out of bed towards the sounds of sirens and chaos. They were usually like lullabies for him. The better the headline the better he ate and the further away from the boardinghouse he'd sleep. He just had a feeling this time.

    As he reached the bottom of the stairs and opened the doors, he saw Specs looking at the burning building. "Hey." Race said "How did it start?"

    "Probably a bumped candle that spread quickly." Specs replied. "Race! Race" Racetrack heard someone shouting his name. It was Elizabeth.