Elizabeth

As soon as we walk in Les looked around amazed. I just sat on the steps quietly. "I want some answers," David yelled. Jack shushed him. "Who is he and why was he chasing you, and what is this Refuge?" David asked. "Refuge is this jail for kids," Jack explains, "The guy chasing us is Snyder, he's the warden." "You guys were in jail?" Les asked. "Yeah," I answered for the first time. "Why?" He asked. "We were starving so I stole some food," Jack said. David rolled his eyes, "Right food," he said. "Yeah, food," Jack agreed.

I sighed sitting back down on the stairs and playing with my hair. "He called you Sullivan," David said. "Yeah, well, my name's Kelly. Jack Kelly. You think I'm lying?" Jack asked. "Well you have a way of improving the truth," David said. I rolled my eyes. "Why was he chasing you?" David asked. "Cause we escaped," Jack said. "Oh boy how?!" Les asked. "This big shot gave us a ride out in his carriage," Jack explains. "I bet it was the mayor, right?" David asked condescendingly. "Actually was Teddy Roosevelt smart guy," I say the last part sarcastically. "Liz, sit down, I gots this," Jack said, "But it really was Teddy Roosevelt," Jack said to David.

That's when Medda came. "What's going on here, out! Out! Out! Out!" She said. I jumped up and hug her. "Medda!" I say. "You wouldn't kick us out without a kiss goodbye, would you Medda?" Jack asked. "Oh Kelly," Medda said reaching down to pick me up, "Where you been, kids?" I smiled reaching for Jack. "I missed seeing you up on the balcony," she said to Jack. "Hanging on your every word," Jack said kissing her hand. "So Medda, this is David and Les," Jack introduced. "Yes, hello," She waved.

I sat back down on the steps again and zoned out. I loved being a newsie, I really did, but sometimes I wish I had a normal life. I wished I didn't have to run from the cops, I wished I had parents, and I wish I could go to school. Jack always says that my place was with the newsies, and school was for rich kids who could go a day without working. I really wished I could be like those kids. "Hey," I was pulled outta my trance by Jack. "Hi," I said. "Cmon kid, shows over, we's gotta sell our last few papes," he said. I take his hand and follow him out.

"So you liked that?" Jack asked Les and David. "Oh I love that, loved that. It was great, she is beautiful. How do you know her?" David asked. "She's a friend of our father's," Jack explains sitting on a bench. "Cmon Les you wanna, shine my shoes for me?" Jack asked. "Well it's getting late, our parents are going to be worried. What about yours?" David asked. "They're out west looking for a place to live," Jack lied. I roll my eyes as he tells them about that Santa Fe that wasn't even real.

Jack

Just as I finished telling about Santa Fe I heard yelling and fighting. I grab pick up my sister and run towards it. "Amazing!" Lizzie said with a huge smile. "Jack, why don't we go back to my place and divvy up?" David suggested. I watch as they started beating up some guy. "Yeah, we should go, Ellie and Les don't needa see this," I agree. "Look, e' slept through it," Liz said pointing to Les.

David and I carried Les and Lizzie all the way back to his place. That's when we met his folks. "My god what happened?" A blonde woman asked. "Nothing Ma, he's just sleeping," David said. I look down at Liz to find that she was almost asleep too. "We've been waiting dinner for you, where have you been?" Their dad asked. David just poured the money out of his pockets.

"You made all that money selling newspapers?" Their dad asked. "Well half of it's theirs," David said. "They're our selling partners, and our friends," he said. "Jack and Elizabeth Kelly, my parents," David introduced. "Hello," I say. "Uh, that's my sister Sarah," David pointed. She smiled at us.

"Esther maybe David's partners would like to join us for dinner. Why don't you add a little more water to the soup?" He suggested. I set Lizzie down and let her walk and then we all had dinner together. After dinner David and I talked on the balcony. "So how did your pop get hoit?" I ask. "The factory, it was an accident," he said, "he was no good to em' anymore so they just fired him." I nodded along, that was terrible, but normal. "He's got no union to protect him," David explains.

"David, it's time to come in now," his father said. "Jack why don't you stay here tonight?" David suggested. "No thanks, I got my own place, just needs my sista and I can head off," I say. "Here," his father said handing her to David through the window. "Thanks, sir," I say climbing down the balcony with her on my back.

I hitch a ride on a wagon still holding her. Walking through the rain with Liz in my arms. I steal a horse and put Liz on it with me until we got to the lodge. "Hey Race," I say walking in. "Hey Jack," he said. "How's the track?" I ask. "Remember that got tip I tol' you bout?" He asked. I nodded. "Nobody told the horse," he said. We walk in and I put Lizzie in her bed after slipping the shoes off her feet. She was squirming at first, but I got her to sleep.