Disclaimer- Well, I owned Question, but he died. I guess I still own him though… I own Bull Dog, Parker, Knuckles, Oppie, and other people that I don't remember. No one else though… I also don't own the song used in the chapter. That would be owned by Garfunkle (I think… it may be Simon though…) It's an amazing song though, it's called We'll Never Say Goodbye… go download it!
L/N- Well, my faithful and beloved readers, this is it- the last chapter of ISDH. This is bitter sweet for me, because as happy as I am that I actually finished something, I'm really going to miss it. I love you all for sticking with me the whole way through, I really do appreciate it. And thank you to everyone who has left me at least one review. I'm sure that all of you know how good it feels. I hope you guys like this chapter, I spent a long time on it. Now, for the last time on ISDH:
Shout outs!
Crunch- Woohoo! Finally another Chruchy review! I'm so happy that you liked my last chapter that much! I like Lifetime *nods* some angsty stuff on there, but I like the movies nonetheless. LOL, maybe if you had brought Blink back to life, I would have. But you didn't, so I'm not. I blame it on you. :) Anyway… I really hope that you like the epilogue… and Crunch, how LONG do I have to wait for something new from you?~
Christy- Welcome newbie! And thank you for reviewing! Every review I get brings the review button close and closer to perfect help, so yours was much appreciated by both myself and the button. Thank you for the compliments! If you want to read more of my stuff, I have a bunch of stories up here in my profile. Thank you again for reviewing!~
Arlene- Ahh, denial; Makes everything all better. Thank you mushly for reviewing!~
Omni- Haha, Snipes is like a magnet for things I guess. Hats, pillows, anything thrown ends up hitting him. Oww! I was thwaped! Thank you for reviewing!~
Falco Conlon- *nods somberly* Yes, dead. Don't cry! Thanks for the review!~
Crazer1899- Evil flying monkeys? Ahh! I'm updating, don't send them! Thanks for the review!~
Blinks-Tiger- Thanks for the review! Here's the epilogue!~
Frenchy- Thanks for the review! And the compliment on the title! (It took me AGES to think of a title, actually, so I'm really happy you like it!) Hope ya like the epilogue!~
Keza- *cries* NO MORE RAPS? NOOO!!!! Hmm… I don't think there is a shorter word… you can make one up though… I like morbid… methinks I like it too much sometimes. I WANT MORE RAPS! PLEEEAAASSSEEE! Thanks for being so loyal and reviewing every chapter since the first one! YAY for Keza!~
SparksdaNewsie- Never said I wasn't evil… Thanks for reviewing!
Studentnumber24601- Wow! One of the most creative and innovative pieces? THANK YOU! Mush is my favorite ever; of course he has to have a great character! Hehe, glad you like him. Lots of Mush in the epilogue. Why, thank you. I like being told I rock! Here ya go, it the epilogue. Enjoy!~
Rumor- No! Don't leave! Stay! I promise I won't rub it in anymore how you reviewed for the wrong story! (J/K!) Unfortunately, Question will not be able to take anymore of your advice… but hey, he listened before, right? Hey! Leave Question alone! He's young and uneducated, how was he supposed to know that if he killed Blink then Blink wouldn't be able to save him? Thank you for the review!~
Duchess- I agree… I think, had he not been killed by Question, he would have killed himself eventually because of the guilt. In fact, when I first had this mapped out, I had Blink kill himself by jumping off the tower and drowning himself, but I liked this better. Same goes for Question though on the guilt front. I don't think he's really evil, it's just that the need for revenge can really take over a person and if he had survived, he would have probably gone through what Blink had gone through only worse because he MEANT to kill Blink. Anyway, thank you for reviewing!~
Sphinx- Here ya go! Thanks for the review!
Again, you guys are all great!
Il Salto di Honor
You ain't a real newsie until you jump…
Dark storm clouds hung mercilessly over the open field the newsies had gathered at, completely hiding the sun. This weather matched Mush's mood perfectly. The sky threatened to, any moment, open up and rain down on them. Mush felt the same way. His face remained serene and expressionless, the hurt and anguish he felt was bottled up inside him and would most definitely erupt at sign of emotion. He had hardly spoken to anyone, had hardly removed the blank stare from his eyes since the day before. He had trapped himself inside himself with all the pain, not wanting anyone to help him lest they become to close; as close as Blink had been.
His mind went automatically to two days ago- back when Blink was still alive. Mush had broken away from the conversation when he'd seen Blink leave. He knew he shouldn't follow him, Blink needed his space. That hadn't sustained his curiousness, though, and the rest of the night, Mush worried about him, wondering where he was.
He hadn't come home by the next day, and Mush went to look for him. Worry pounded through him as he checked all over Manhattan and found no trace of his best friend. He'd headed to Brooklyn, trying to convince himself that Blink could've been there, but Spot Conlon (who knew everything that went on all over Brooklyn) said he hadn't seen him. Walking dejectedly back to Manhattan, he had an idea and made his way to a place he hadn't seen for years.
It looked exactly the same, save the overgrowth of ivy that now clung to the sides of the tower, and the something, no the two somethings, that were floating in the calm water.
His breath caught in his throat as he realized that they were people. Two boys were lying facedown in the water, one big, the other small. The smaller one was floating about six feet from the edge, and Mush dove in and pulled him out. The boy was already dead, but Mush had known that. He lay the boy down on his back on dry land and his brow furrowed in concentration- he'd seen this boy somewhere, he knew it.
But he hadn't realized where until he let his gaze drift down to the boy's leg. Or what had once been a leg. Question. Blink's Question. That meant that the other boy… no, it couldn't be.
Feeling sick, he'd dived back into the water and swam to the other body, bringing him back to shore, refusing to look at him until they were on solid ground.
He squeezed his eyes shut as he lay the larger boy down, then slowly opened them, still not looking at his face. He already knew, though, as he recognized the clothes the boy wore. He sucked in his breath when he saw the large knife sticking out of his chest. There was no blood. No, please…no. Mush had thought desperately as he finally allowed himself to look at the boy's face. It was just what he had been dreading.
We shared the days of laughter…
We shared the nights of sorrow…
And in the morning after…
We faced a bright tomorrow…
Two holes were dug into the earth; both about six feet deep. One was small enough for a child. Snoddy and Skittery stood somberly side by side, each tightly clutching a shovel. The rest of the newsies stood in pairs or small groups surrounding the empty graves, none of them talking.
Mush stood by himself, staring into the distance, never even acknowledging anyone that came by to see how he was. He and Blink had been best friends since before they were Les's age. They had gone through everything together, from puberty, to girls, to selling. Most nights they could be found awake and talking until early morning, and they always sold together. They had been as close as two friends could be. Along with Blink, Mush lost a part of himself.
Side by side we'll always stand…
Spirits flying high…
Long as I can hold your hand…
We'll never say goodbye…
"We- we's should prolly staht," Jack said softly, his voice sounding strange cutting through the sorrow hanging in the air. "Snoddy, Skittery…"
Both nodded and dragged the crude boxes into the center of the clump. Slowly, each was lowered into a hole.
"I'd give anyt'ing not ta be heah right now," Jack said, looking around at the crowd. "But dere's not'ing I'se can do about it. I'se just t'ankful da I'se knew dem while dey's was still alive. I'se didn't know Question very good- he only came ta da lodgin' house a few day's b-foah 'e had ta jump, I'se didn't even know his real name- but he was one a us, a newsie, a street rat. He didn't desoive what he got.
"And Kid Blink, he was one of me best friends. I met him da foist day I came ta da lodgin' house. I'se'll nevah foahget dose foist few yeahs. Me, Blink, and Mush, we's was always tagether, we's would always have ouah own little adventuahs when we sold, pretendin' we's were in a different place, a place dat treated us much bettah den heah. Blink, I'se hope youah in dat bettah place now. Jack finished and tossed a copy of the day's paper, into Blink and Question's graves. "I'se'll miss you guys."
Silence followed Jack's speech, and then Racetrack spoke up. "I'se met Question da night 'e showed up, taught him how ta play poker." He shook his head and grinned sadly at the memory. "Da kid couldn't lie ta save his life, how he was plannin' ta be a newsie was beyond me. 'E was young t'ough, so he could've managed. He was a good kid, I'se wish he'd stayed around longah.
"Blink was special, on of a kind. B'foah all dis happened, 'e was always dere foah me when I'se needed 'im. A few months ago, I lost awl my money at da races, an' he used 'is own money to help me out until I'se could afford ta pay foah myself again. He offered, I'se didn't even have ta ask him, an' 'e didn't even tell anybody. 'E was selfless like dat foah as long as I knew him. I'se'll nevah foahget ya, Pal."
We walked the halls of learning…
And served a proud tradition…
The flame of truth is burning…
To clarify our vision…
Minutes passed, turning into hours. Before long, all of the newsies had spoken; all except one.
"Mush? Do you'se want ta say anyt'in'?" Jack asked.
Mush slowly shook his head. If he said anything, he would lose control. There would be no way to stop the tears. No one else was crying, he wouldn't let himself be the only one.
"Okay, den I'se guess dat's it. Let's head ovah ta Tibby's." Jack said. The group slowly began to disperse, leaving the graves to be filled later. Only Mush hadn't moved.
"Mush, ya coming?" Race called back to him.
Mush shook his head.
Race just shrugged. "You'se know wheah we's'll be if ya change ya mind." He said before following the others.
Look at how the future gleams…
Gold against the sky…
Long as I can share your dreams…
We'll never say goodbye…
Mush sat down next to Blink's grave once everyone had gone. "Why Blink." He whispered, finally allowing the tears to slide down his cheeks.
"Hey Buddy," he whispered hoarsely through his tears. "How ya doin'? Ya got a nice sellin' spot up in heaven? Ya bringin' dem awl da impoahtant news from down heah?" He smiled at the thought.
"You'se had a pretty nice funeral dere, everyone said great t'ings about ya- but ya desoived only dat. You'se was a great guy, up until da very end. It wa'n't youh fault what happened. Dey may not admit it, but dey woulda awl done da same t'ing, even Jack.
"Evah since I'se found ya yestahday, I'se been t'inkin' about awl we's been t'rough. Remembah dat time when we was kids an' we's t'ought we's could fly an' jumped off da lodgin' house roof, an' I was okay, but you'se broke youah leg, an' Kloppy blamed me foah forcin' ya ta do it? Or dat time durin' da strike when we's was toastin' ta da rally an' Race didn't give you a cup so you'se tried ta take mine an' we's just ended up sharin'? Dat don't seem like much, but ya know I hate sharin'. You'se just meant dat much ta me."
He paused, and a sob escaped his mouth. "It's gonna be hard wakin' up an' not seein' ya there. I'se don't know how I'se gonna sell witout ya; dere ain't no sellin' pahtnah as good as you'se was, Blink. I'se'll nevah foahget ya Blink, you'se'll always be da best friend I'se'll evah have."
He pulled the eye patch he had found on the platform out of his pocket and tossed it into the grave. "Heah, I'se know ya don't really need dis, but keep it; it was a part of you, an' ya look weird wit'out it. An' Blink, I ain't mad dat ya lied ta me. Hope da sellin's good up dere, I'se love ya, Blink."
The sky suddenly opened up and the water poured down, mixing in with the tears still flowing down Mush's face as he got up and walked away. He'd miss Blink, and he'd never forget even a moment they'd spent together, but life would go on.
Tibby's held a somber air as he entered and joined the other newsies at their table. "Hey," he said, sitting down next to Bumlets.
"How ya doin', Mush?" Jack asked.
"Bettah," he nodded, showing emotion for the first time since he'd found Blink. "Blink's gonna be okay… I'se gonna be okay."
No one besides Blink and Question would ever know what happened that night, and no one else besides those in the refuge would ever find out how Question was suddenly alive, but none of that mattered.
The sun rose the next day, and the boys went back to selling the day after that. Although what had happened was still fresh in their minds, everything was returning to normal; all except for one thing. Jack gathered all the newsies the day after the funeral to make an announcement.
"Il Salto di Honor is what stahted dis whole t'ing. Witout it, both of dem would still be alive. From now on, no Manhattan newsie will evah be allowed ta jump again an' if I find anyone neah dere, dere'll be hell ta pay," he stated. Everyone was fine with that, no one ever wanted to see that place again.
It was all over; finally, it was all over. There was no more 'jump of honor', and eventually, time heals all, even the loss of a best friend.
There's little to be sure of…
But we will last forever…
For now we know the pure love…
We feel when we're together…
Then if someday we should part…
We will not say die…
Long as you are in my heart…
We'll never say goodbye…
~~~
There you go, the conclusion of Il Salto di Honor. I really hope you guys enjoyed it and that the epilogue wasn't too fluffy for you.
Review for me one last time, PLEASE!!!
Hm, this epilogue was ten pages long…
I'll have a new story up tres soon, so check it out.
Thanks for sticking with me, you guys! You're all great! Gift wrapped newsies for everyone!