Hey there, here is the very last chapter of "Heart of Stone." Hope you enjoyed reading it as I did writing it. :::smiles::: now I can go on to other projects. (such as 'The Left Shoe Show')
Thanks: Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed. You people are cool.
Disclaimer: Ok, I didn't own newsies last chapter, what makes you think I own them now?…..NO I DON'T OWN THEM! Minnie is mine though, muhahahhaha.
Ok on to Chapter 5
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Minnie looked up at Skittery, "I know, some how, I jist knew." An awkward pause past.
"She saved me life ya know." Skittery stated, "I was asleep an' she woke me up. An' she says 'kid dis is gunna hurt.' An' she pushed me out da window an' yelled somethin' like, 'run'…she didn't follow me." Skittery looked at the snow.
Minnie smirked a sad smirk, "she was always like dat, she probably went ta get yer parents or somethin' an' jist didn't make it." She suggested.
"Yeah," Skittery agreed, "Yer sistah was one-in-a-million, an' so are you, is that a trait in the 'Thatcher' women?"
Minnie laughed, "it must be, well it's 7:30, should we start heading back?"
Skittery shivered, "alright."
"Are ya cold?" Minnie asked.
"N-no." Skittery's teeth chattered.
"Liar, here," she took off her scarf, "wear dis, it'll keep ya warm."
"Nah, I couldn't."
"Will ya stop tryin' be a gentlemen, wear the scarf." She commanded.
"Alright, but ya ain't gettin' back until we get to the lodgin' house." He teased.
"Sounds fair." Minnie smiled. "The scarf looks good on you, ya can 'ave it."
"No," Skittery insisted, "yer gettin'it back when we get there, end of discussion!"
Minnie shook her head, "alright, don't get angry."
The two made the long walk to the lodging house. It was so long because the two friends would stop and have snowball fights from time to time. They were the only two people on the streets. But finally they were at the lodging house.
"It's 7:45, is it ok if we go in?" Minnie asked.
"Are ya nuts, these guys 'ave been up for hours." Skittery said as they walked inside. Nobody was in the lower floor.
"Skit," Minnie lowered her voice, "before they come down I haf'ta tell you, don't evah forget da day we had. I wouldn't trade it for anythin', yer gunna find a goil, an' she'll be da luckiest goil on the planet."
"Minnie? Will I evah see ya again?" Skittery asked worried,
Minnie smiled, "not for a long time, but remember I'll always be in yer heart, 'cause you'll always be in mine, let me leave happy, tell me ya learned somethin'."
"Skittery!" A voice at the top of the stairs called, "is dat you'se?"
Skittery smiled again, "Min, I 'ave learned so much from you'se." He hugged her, "I'se gunna miss ya." He let her go and ran up the stairs.
"Me too," Minnie whispered, "me too," and with that she disappeared into thin air.
Skittery came racing down the stairs, with a bunch of newsies behind him.
"an' her name's Minnie, she's an awesome goil, wait 'til-" Skittery stopped, no one was down there.
"Are ya sure ya feelin' alright?" Racetrack cracked.
"Yeah Skit, you've lost it." Mush agreed.
"I ain't lost it, she was 'ere, well she was 5 seconds ago." Skittery looked confused.
"He's right!" A voice cried, it was Tumbler's.
"What'doya mean kid?" Race asked, walking to the window.
"Well," Tumbler began, "There's two tracks comin' into da lodgin' house, but look, dere ain't any comin' out."
With that comment said, every newsie crowded around the window to get a good look at these mysterious tracks.
"Wow Skittery!" Tumbler cried. "Yer so lucky."
"Why do ya say dat kid?" Skittery asked.
"I'd do anythin' ta see an angel, an' you spent a whole day with one." Tumbler said amazed.
"No kid, Minnie ain't no angel, I mean, dis is her scarf." He pulled it off, "I was able ta touch 'er."
Tumbler shook his head, "she wasn't a ghost Skit, angels are different."
Skittery was about to argue with Tumbler when Jack interrupted.
"Ok you guys, go 'ead an' open yer present."
All the younger newsies, including Tumbler, burst for the tree.
"Race," Skittery got his attention, "go 'ead, I'll be right back."
"Butcha jist got 'ere." Race argued.
"I need ta check a couple of dings." Skittery raced out the door. He ran all the way to Minnie's apartment. Or where he thought it was. The place where the building was, it was now an empty park.
'I must have me street wrong.' Skittery thought. 'But I could of sworn it was here.'
"Wait," He said outloud, "John an' Estah's!" and with that, he ran all the way to the broken down apartment building. He was glad to see the building was still there.
He ran up the stairs and knocked on the door. No one answered, he turned the doorknob, it was locked.
"Can I help ya?" A voice said behind him. Skittery jumped and turned around.
It was a lady, a neighbor, she was leaning on the doorframe.
"Yeah," Skittery said, "I'm looking for John and Estah."
The lady shook her head, "Yer 'bout 7 years too late kid. They moved out 7 years ago."
'this can't be.' Skittery thought, then he spoke, "did they know a Minnie Thatcher?" he asked.
"Thatcher?" The lady said, "that name sounds familiar…wait, I remember girl always visited 'em, she was older, Margaret! Dat was 'er name, but she died a while ago."
"I know," Skittery said, "but she 'ad a younger sister, her name is Minnie, 'ave ya ever seen her?"
"Nope," the lady shook her head sadly, "nevah heard of her, you should go home kid. Merry Christmas." The lady closed the door.
"Merry Christmas," he said softly. He left the building, more confused then when he came in. He walked slowly to the lodging house.
"Hey Skittery!" they greeted him as he came inside.
"Hi," Skittery said, deep in thought.
Tumbler ran up to him, "thanks for the gloves. Here's your present." He handed Skittery a box.
"How didja know it as me?" Skittery asked.
"Process of elimination," Tumbler smiled. "I pulled yer name, hope ya like it."
Skittery unwrapped his box. "Suspenders," Skittery said, "thanks kid, I've been needin' a new pair."
Tumbler smiled and ran off to show his friends his new warm gloves. The morning passed quickly for the newsies and soon they all left for the distribution office to sell the afternoon addition.
"Hey Skittery," Itey called, "I'll sell wid you'se today."
Skittery declined, "nah! That's ok."
"Alright, if dat's how ya feel."
Skittery didn't sell many papes that day, his heart just wasn't into it, and not many people were on the streets. Skittery mostly walked around the city. He walked until he found himself in a very familiar part of town. He was standing in front of the store where he bought Tumbler's gloves, and where Minnie worked.
'Minnie!' he thought, 'I'll come 'ere tomorrow an' talk to the lady.' Skittery thought.
Skittery was more into selling his papes after that thought.
Christmas couldn't pass fast enough for Skittery. He was anxious to get his papes and talk to the lady at the store. After standing in line and getting his papes he ran to the store, and opened the door.
The bell jingled. The same lady was still there.
"'cuse me," Skittery panted, "didja know a goil named Margaret Thatcher?"
The lady looked confused, "Margaret Thatcher? That name sounds familiar, Margaret, Margaret, OH! You mean Minnie!"
"What?"
"Margaret was her first name, but she hated bein' called by that and insisted everyone call her Minnie," she chuckled, "I haven't thought of her in years, she died 'bout 8 years now."
"So wait," Skittery stopped, "Margaret an' Minnie, dey're da same person?"
The lady smiled, "why of course."
"Thank you," Skittery said, "I gotta go," he ran to the cemetery. He didn't stop until he got to Margaret's tombstone.
'Margaret M. Thatcher' ~1866-1890 You're an angel of God now.
'M! M for Minnie. No wonder dey looked the same, dey were da same person. But she said dey were sister's. Why didn't I see it?' He thought. Then he remembered.
So what? Was she yer sistah or somethin'?"
"Everyone says I look just like Margaret when she was my age,"
'She nevah said dey were sistahs.' He thought, 'wait a minute, she saved me life, an' she's saved it twice.'
Skittery looked at her tombstone again- You're an angel of God now that part repeated in his head, over and over again. He stood up and slowly walked out to the graveyard. He sold most of his papes, then walked to the lodging house. He was still thinking. Kloppy greeted him as he walked in.
"Hello Skittery."
"Oh hey Kloppy."
"You ok Skit?" He asked.
"No," Skit admitted.
"Ah, still thinkin' 'bout dat angel are ya?"
Skittery nodded his head, "why would dey send me an angel Kloppy?"
Kloppy shook his head, "well, it ain't a secret dat ya don't believe in god, maybe he was tryin' ta show ya he exists."
Skittery nodded his head, "maybe, anyway, night Kloppy."
"Night Skittery."
Skittery made it halfway up the stairs and then he remembered, what he said, just before he met Minnie.
"God," he whispered, "if you're even there, send me a sign, show me that I won't be alone the rest of me life."
And then Minnie came. Skittery smiled, that's why he met her, that's why he found his angel. She had saved his life once and died for it. He couldn't think of a better person to be an angel of god then Minnie Thatcher, and then he smiled, knowing that he would never be alone ever again.
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There it is, I was originally going to put this as two chapters, but I wanted this done before Christmas. So if you liked this, please review! I lovle (yes lovle) reviews.
Well, this is Lysaka sighing off…………