The bird of Manhatten

Chapter 10 - in which there is a painful goodbye and many tears

A/N: This chapter takes place before the last one, bc I'm an idiot and confused them while puplishing. Sorry :/

July 1897
The Newsies Lodge House, Manhattan, New York City
Jacks P.O.V. (again)

"Hey Race, have ya seen Mags?"
Race looks up an' begins ta bite his cigar. "Um... no. Not since dis mornin'. Why?"
"I can't find her, an' she wanted ta meet me here an hour ago."
"Oh. Maybe she's on a roof."
"In da Penthouse?"
"Maybe."
"Ok, I'll check there. If she comes here, send her up ta me."
"Will do."
I head ta da roof an' begin ta climb da ladder.
I's almost up when I hear it.
Someone's cryin'.
I reach da top an' step into my Penthouse.
I can hear someone, but can't see anybody up here.
Confused I look around, listenin'.
Da cryin' comes from behind one of da chimneys.
I walk over ta find Mags sittin' there, sobbin'. She has her back turned ta me an' is bowin' over somthin'.
Claire an' Dylia is sittin' on each of her shoulders an' Emma sits beside her on da ground.
"Mags?", I ask carefully.
She jumps an' turns her face ta me. Her eyes is red an' puffy, her cheeks pink an' her nose's runnin'.
"Jack.", she whispers. "She's..." Her voice breaks an' she begins ta weep again.
I sit down next ta her an' hug her.
Da magpies flutter away an' land on da chimney.
On Mags lab a magpie's layin'.
A dead magpie.
Belle.
Mags hides her face in my chest, wettin' my shirt wit' her tears, but I don't care.
I draw her closer an' hug her tighter.
She's slightly trembelin' but I don't know, what ta say ta her.
She jus' lost her best friend.

After half an hour I carefully pull away.
She raises her head an' looks at me wit' her red, puffy eyes.
"Come", I say softly. "We'll burry her."
Mags nods, picks up da dead bird an' stands up. Her legs give in, causin' her ta fall, but I catch her before she can fall off da roof.
We climb down an' head for da backyard.
Mr. Kloppman has a small plot there, where he cultivates cucumbers an' tomatoes an' stuff like dat. He also has a small apple tree back there.
I dig a small hole next ta da tree, carefully so I won't hurt da roots.
When I think it's deep enough, I let Mags lower Belle into da grave. I begin ta fill da hole again, while she's sittin' there cryin'.
I spot a little flower, which grows wild between da cobblestones.
I pick it an' hand it ta Mags.
She forces herself ta smile at me an' throws da flower into da half-filled grave.
When I's done, it already begins ta darken.
"Wanna come back in?", I ask quietly.
She jus' shakes her head.
"Ok.", I say, kiss her hair an' walk back inside. I turn at da door an' look back at her, she's still cryin'.
I kinda feel bad for not helpin' her, but... I don't know what ta do.
As I enter da bunk room, Race raises his head.
"Found her?", he asks wit' a cigar between his teeth.
I nod.
"So... where is she?"
"In da backyard."
"Why?"
"Because.", I answer.
Race raises his eyebrow. "Because what?"
"Nothin' of ya concern."
"What happened?"
"Mind ya own business, Higgins."
"Sorry foa askin'.", he grumbles sarcastically, but he lets me be.
I sit next ta Crutchie on his bed.
He's tightenin' da cloth of his crutch but looks at me as I sit down.
"Wanna talk?", he asks in his adorable carin' way.
I shake my head an' drop myself across his bed. I look at da slatted frame of my own bed above, sigh an' close my eyes foa a moment.

I must have been fallen asleep, for when I open my eyes again, it's dark an' silent in da bunk room.
I sit up ta see Crutchie peacefully sleepin' beside me.
Everyone's sleepin' I fact.
Suddenly a thought hits me.
Mags!
'Shit!', I think an' jump of da bed, without carin' 'bout da others ta wake up or not.
I run down da stairs an' rush outside ta da backyard.
Magpie ain't sittin' there anymore. She's layin' on da ground, hopefully sleepin'.
I carefully pick her up, makin' sure, she's really jus' sleepin'.
Luckily, she is.
I carry her upstairs ta da bunk room, where everyone's awake by now. Dey look at me, but I jus' walk past 'em an' lay Mags down on her bed.
I take off her shoes an' cover her up.
Then I turn ta da others an' lay my finger on my lips.
"I'll explain tomorrow. Promise.", I whisper an' head foa my own bed.
I hear da boys sigh an' grumble, but shortly after everything is silent again.
I lay down an' fall asleep once again this evening.