Alex and Harper came out of the bottom entrance of Central Park.

"He's nowhere in Central Park." Alex said.

"He has to be somewhere." Harper said.

Alex and Harper walked to Carnegie Hall and they saw a man singing 'Lean On Me' by Bill Withers.

"Harper, give him $10." Alex suggested.

"But I thought we were going to buy lunch with that." Harper said.

Alex gave Harper the 'Do it or else' look.

"Fine." Harper said, giving the man $10 when he finished singing.

"Thank you," he said.

Alex had an idea. "Do you know a Max? He's my brother. About yay high, brown hair, kinda looks like me?"

"Yes." He said.

"Harper he knows Max!" Alex told Harper.

"Really?" she asked her in excitement.

"Where is Max?" Alex asked the man.

"He lives in an abandoned tenement near Little Italy," he said. "But he is probably out doing magic tricks right now."

"Thanks. Umm…" Alex said trying to get a name.

"John."

"John. Hey. I'm Alex, and this is Harper."

"Hi."

"So, how do you know Max?"

"He was an old friend. I used to live there with him, a man named Jeremy, and his family. But I had to run away… Because their family reminded me of my family."

"Where is your family?" Alex asked.

"They starved to death." He said. "I couldn't make enough money for them."

"That's so sad," Harper said.

"I'm so sorry," Alex said.

"It's okay," he said. "You go find your brother."

"Thank you," Alex said as she took off her black, gray, white, blue, and red friendship bracelet that Harper gave her to feel better about Max being missing and gave it to John. And then she walked away to get on a subway to get to Little Italy.


I came back home early. Only $10 today.

"Max!" Hannah said as she ran over to hug me, like every day.

"How much did you make today?" Josh asked.

"Only $10," I said.

"Oh…" he said, disappointed.

I'm a wizard. I should just make food come out of nowhere! My dad, my old dad, never taught us that, though.

"Max!" I heard a voice yell.

I turned around and it was my older sister, Alex.

She hugged me, even though I was filthy.

"Max!" Alex said, "I've been so worried about you! You need to come home!" she pleaded.

"No, Alex. This is my home now," I told her.

"Max! I'm your sister! I love you! We all do! We miss you," she started to cry, which is unlike Alex.

Harper came into the room, exhausted. She said nothing.

"You never told us you had a sister," Jeremy's brother, Nate, said.

"He also has an older brother," Harper added.

"Not anymore," I said.

"Max, please," Alex begged.

"No."

"Max…" Jeremy started to say, "Go with her. You should be with your family." He said as he hugged his wife, Andrea.

"But-"

"No, just go," he said as he smiled.

I left with Alex and Harper. I never looked back; I would miss them too much.