"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights." – Bram Stroker, Dracula

CHAPTER 1

"Good morning, Miss Jefferson," Davey said, tipping his hat to the young woman in a modest outfit.

"David, how many times must I remind you to call me Minnie?"

"It just don't feel right, you's bein' a lady n' all."

"Oh, Davey, I am a person on this Earth same as you," Minnie places a few dollars in his hand.

"How many papers, Miss…Minnie?"

"None today, Davey, Father cancelled the meeting on account of," she looked around before stepping closer and lowering her voice, "the protest in Russia, about 500 students dancing in front of an officers house."

Davey smiled, "you truly are an angel. Jack's still sulking from last week when ya didn't visit him. Old boy sat on the roof all night."

"He's a sensitive guy, Davey. You know, a lot of women love sensitive men, the need of strong protectors is over. Women can hold their own now."

Davey took off his hat, "I can be sensitive."

Minnie laughed, "I'm sure you can be, have a beautiful day, Davey."

"You make it beautiful, Miss Jefferson."

Minnie waved behind her as she carried on her way. Davey waited until she was gone to check the money she gave him.

"Holy water," Davey looked at the five-dollar bill in his hand.

Minnie walked down smiling at the familiar faces she knew, passing out dimes to children on the street.

A few small girls almost ran into her, "sorry, miss." They said, Minnie knelt down to their level.

"No need to be sorry, where are you headed too this morning?"

"Mama told us to fetch a paper then come straight back," one girl said. "Only, I'm too scared."

"Scared huh? Well, I know a wonderfully nice young man who sells papers just around this corner, I'll go with you."

The two girls nodded and grabbed part of Minnie's skirt as they followed her.

"Thank ya kindly sir," Minnie heard Jack say as he tipped his hat to a man not paying attention to him as he walked off with his newspaper. "Well, if it isn't the woman who broke my heart." Jack said, crossing his arms with a smirk.

"Jack, put your pride aside for a while so these lovely ladies could purchase a paper," Minnie patted the back of the girls.

Jack took off his hat and smiled widely at the young girls, "hello, madams. What can I do for ya?"

"A paper, please."

"Of course, here ya go," Jack handed over the paper and took the penny from the girls as they ran away quickly. Jack laughed as he stood back up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see you last week, Jack. How can I make it up to you?"

"Spend the day with me?" Jack asked, knowing he'd get rejected.

Minnie thought, "how about half the day?"

"Deal," Jack held out his dirt covered hand and shook with the polished and clean one of Minnie's. "Ya know I wasn't that upset."

"Oh, really? So you didn't spend all night sulking on the roof?"

"Davey, that snitch."

Minnie laughed, "I never want to make you sad, Jack."

Jack wanted to confess that he felt sad every time she walked away from him, but that wouldn't help the situation. "I know," he said simply. "And it's not so much sadness as it is the lack of happiness."

"I'm pretty sure that's the same thing."

"Nah," Jack sat down, placing his newspapers beside him. "Tell me a story?"

Minnie smiled and brushed her hands on her skirts, buying time to think of one. "Alright, I just finished this one. It made me stay up all night I was so terrified. It's called Dracula, the story of the infamous vampire from Transylvania that searches for the reincarnation of his first love, Mina."

As Minnie told the story, Jack watched her facial expressions, how her arms moved as if she were in the place she talked about. He took this time to imagine that he was in a soft chair in a small living room inside a real house. Jack imagined that Minnie was his wife and that they would start every day with a new story.

Minnie hadn't even noticed she had spent almost three hours with Jack until the 12 o'clock bell rang. "Oh, I've got to go." She handed over a small bag from her purse.

Jack stood suddenly, grabbing his hat and squishing it in one hand while grabbing the bag with the other, "thank ya, for spending the mornin' with me, Minnie. You make life worth livin' in this city." He wished he could tell her how much he hated it here, how much he wanted to leave. Take her with him and go West. But he knew, that a classy lady like Minnie Jefferson could never be with a newsie like him.

"It's people like you who are worth doing it for," she replied. Jack felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest and follow her to wherever she went. Most people don't give him a second glance, and the ones that do are always looking for something from him. Minnie Jefferson always gave and gave, and expected nothing back but a smile and a pleasant conversation.

He looked in the bag and saw a sandwich made with fresh bread and a couple dollars at the bottoms along with a note.

Happy Birthday, love Minnie -

She had remembered, not even the other newsies bothered to remember birthdays, not even their own. But Jack always made sure he knew when he was a year older, when he became a year closer to being on his own.

Jack took a bite of the sandwich and closed his eyes with the feel of soft bread in his mouth. He imagined the people who ate like every day, how lucky they must feel. But then again, most of the didn't. Most of them just went about their day not knowing how lucky they are to have fresh bread, or bread at all. They didn't know about the hundreds of children living next door who went to bed hungry. They didn't care.

But Minnie did. Minnie Jefferson cared. And that is why Jack couldn't leave. Not yet at least, not yet.