Chapter Three

Author's Note: Finally, the next chapter. I had school all week and got a little bit lazy about typing, but I am trying to make that up today. So here is chapter three!

Jack's POV:

That morning, I left the lodging house in earnest. Noone had bothered me, and I hadn't bothered them, so I didn't care if they found me missing from my bed or not. All I cared about was Crutchie. What if a gang had gotten him, or something even worse? What if he was lying on the bottom of the Hudson right now and I didn't know it?

All these thoughts rushed through my head as I made my way through the streets. I was practically running. And then I saw Katherine out of the corner of my eye. She looked confused and worried when she saw me and started to come over. I slowed down to a stop.

"Jack, what's going on? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Ace..."

"Just explain slowly to me. Is it about Crutchie?"

"Well...yeah, it is. He-he ran off outta da lodging house last night. I hit him, I pushed him, I mean, an' he ran off. Dere was nothin' ta stop it. I don't know where he is or what coulda happened ta him, but I'm worried, Ace, I'm worried. Dere's no tellin' where he is now. I can't find him anywhere in Manhattan." I explained in one large rush, but she understood.

"Alright, Jack. Cool down. I told you not to be so angry at him."

"I know, but dere was dat an' more. An' I pushed him, Ace, I pushed him, I hurt him. He ain't gonna evah trust me now. I can't do dis. I need to find him." I said, bursting into tears. She looked at me, knowingly and alarmed.

"Jack, I know this is hard on you. But don't worry, we'll find him."

"How can ya be shore of dat?"

"Well, Jack, Crutchie can take care of himself, well, mostly. I think we'll be able to find him if we search hard enough. And that's all that matters right now, finding him. We will and have to. First off, did you have breakfast?" she asked. I shook my head, and next thing I knew she was dragging me to a restaurant where they served breakfast. I knew she wouldn't let me go hungry.

I ate, slowly, wondering where Crutchie would go to in this case. How far would he leave to find shelter elsewhere. I had been angry, too angry. It was stupid of me. I thought then about how he had insulted me. He was stupid for saying that. No, no I couldn't think that. It was my fault. I was going to have to find him.

Crutchie's POV:

I sat on a bench on the sidewalk. Anyone who passed merely saw a newsboy or a beggar, whichever they decided I was in their minds, sitting on a bench. Little did any of them know that I was a runaway, too. It was hard trying to figure out where to go. I was still in Brooklyn, but planned to go to the Bronx and stay there as long as I could. There was little hope of getting a job anywhere else but Manhattan, so I didn't know how long I could last without begging.

Begging. The one word in my life that I don't really like at all. I begged my father to not hurt me when he got drunk when I was younger. I had begged people for money before, after I left home, before I became a newsie. I had never stolen something. I only begged. I would sit there, and look pathetic. I hadn't become a newsie because I didn't think that I would ever fit in with the others. I was a freak. People had called me that on the streets. My father had yelled that and many other crude things at me as I begged for mercy, as he beat me.

So begging was not my first choice or plan of living. But I didn't know how else I could survive. I didn't want to be a cannery worker. I didn't need to live like a beggar, either. But I didn't know what to do.

I moved down the street making my way towards the Bronx. I didn't think that was a great plan, but I couldn't stay in Brooklyn or the Delancy brothers would chew me out. They came here during the day a lot. I had to get away from them. Maybe I could go to a park in the Bronx and live there. I didn't know, I didn't have a clue. I was in pain, it was bad.

But I moved onward towards the Bronx. I could get there, then decide what life would be like after that. I was slow, but not terribly slow, and nobody minded if I pushed through crowds. In fact, I knew that everyone did so. People sometimes smiled at me as I walked, others scowled and younger kids called me names. But I didn't care. I wasn't going to let them through my weak side. I wasn't going to give way.

But that day, around lunchtime, I sat down on a bench in a park, and started to cry. Yes, I cried. Noone was around. I felt lonely and deserted. I wanted Jack more than ever, but I couldn't go back. I didn't feel like it. I couldn't believe that he had done that to me. It wasn't fair. I had left him because he hadn't wanted me at the time. Katherine was his main partner and so was Davey, now. I had gotten caught during the strike. Jack had been unhappy, I knew he had been, but I couldn't believe that Davey had practically taken my place.

Then it came to me. Davey hadn't become his right hand man. I still was, and would be. This made me cry harder. I couldn't believe what was happening. Katherine was a replacement as well, or had cut part of me off. Now I was confused. Was it me or him that was wrong? I didn't know anymore. I was stuck here, and didn't know what to do.

Jack's POV:

I finished eating. Katherine and I then left the restaurant.

"Where would he go?" she asked me.

"I don't know." I replied. I saw, all of a sudden, Oscar and Morris Delancy brothers. They sneered at me, coming closer.

"Hey Jack Kelly!" yelled Oscar.

"Where's your little friend?" asked Morris.

"What are you talking about?" I asked them.

"Ya know, the gimp?" said Oscar.

"What 'bout him?"

"We had a little...encounter, should we say, an' that boy ain't got nothin' left." replied Morris.

"What did you do to Crutchie? What? Tell me!" I yelled, terrified and angry.

"Jus' did a little fixing him up. He deserved it. We followed him ta Brooklyn." said Oscar.

"Get outta heah, out! Leave!" I screamed. They ran off, snickering. I cooled down, but was ready to cry. Katherine put her arm around my shoulder.

"We'll find him. They can't have killed him. He'll be alright. I promise you." she said.

"I, Ace, they hurt him. They are gonna pay. It ain't fair."

"I know. Just, let's find him. He's in Brooklyn, that's all we know. Let's get some help." she said. "And then, we can be ready to get him back."

Author's Note: There is the next chapter. I hope you liked it. This is getting pretty drastic, I think. Alright, so, please, please, please review!