The bird of Manhatten

Chapter 15 - in which no one is safe from pranks (not even Jack Kelly)

April 1st 1899
Newsboys Lodge House, Manhattan, New York City
Crutchie's P.O.V.

I's on my way back home, when suddenly Mags stands in front of me. I almost bump into her. "Sorry.", I say an' try ta walk past her, but she grabs my arm.
"Don't go in dere."
"What? Why?"
"Don't ya know which day's today?"
"Um... Thursday?"
She starts ta laugh. "It's Saturday, silly. But dat's not what I mean. I mean da date. Today's da 1st of April. It's April fool's day. Everything's possible today."
"What?", I ask again.
"How don't ya know? Ya here since... how long?" She counts some fingers. "Five years. Five, Crutchie. How don't ya know, what happens today?"
"Um... don't know?"
"Where were ya all those years?"
I shrug. "What happens today?"
But she doesn't answer. Mags jus' sighs, takes my hand an' pulls me after her.
"Where is we going?" No answer. "Mags?" Silence. "Magpie? Where is ya takin' me?"
She leads me around da Lodge House ta da fire escape. She points up da ladder an' I begin ta climb, with her right behind me.
When we reach da top, I see one of da younger Newsies hidin'.
Well, I can only see his head, which is lookin' 'round da chimney he's hidin' behind. Mags leads me over ta him an' we sit by him. It's Tumbler. He looks slightly scared.
I turn ta Mags. "What's goin' on here? Why is he so scared?", I ask.
"Sh! Not so loud.", she whispers. "Dey'll find us."
"Who?", I whisper back."
"Da others."
"Please. I jus' wanna know, what's goin' on."
She sighs. "Ok. As ya maybe know, it's April 1st , April fool's day."
I nod.
"Da boys is very big pranksters, ya know. Don't believe anythin' they is tellin' ya. Da best thin' ta do is be out or, well, hidin'. Like I said: Everything's possible today."
I take a breath ta ask another question, but Mags shoves her hand over my mouth. I want ta protest but she lays her finger on her lips, causin' me ta be quiet.
Then it's absolutely silent.
After a few seconds I hear what she meant. Someone's runnin' up da ladder.
Tumbler an' Mags duck away like dey fear what's goin' ta follow. Mags grabs my hand again an' pulls me down on da ground.
I hear steps on da roof. Two people. One's runnin'.
"Where?!", I hear Jack yellin'. "Where?!"
"Maybe she already jumped.", someone reposes. I think it's Race.
"What? No!" Jack's voice's trembelin'.
I risk a look an' see Jack leanin' over da ledge, lookin' down like he's searchin' foa somethin'.
Then Race begins ta laugh.
"April fool!", he yells, before her races over da roof an' climbs down, leavin' Jack in shock.
"Ya little-", he shouts.
He doesn't say, what Race is. He turns an' our eyes meet. Quickly I duck away, again, but... too late.
"Crutchie!"
I turn ta Mags foa help, she jus' rolls her eyes an' facepalms.
"You'se part of dat too?" Jack comes over an' in an instant he's standin' right in front of me.
But da anger in his eyes vanishes in da second he spots Mags an' Tumbler.
Tumbler has his face buried in her chest, cryin' an' she's huggin' him tightly.
"What...?", he asks confused.
Mags looks up ta him, smilin'. "We'se hidin', Jack. Wanna join in?"
He, completely confused, simply nods an' sits down beside me.
Then we sit in silene again. Jack's too confused ta say something an' da rest of us is still in shock.

Sometimes I hear Tumbler sob. Mags's motherly paddin' his head or back an' begins ta sing quietly after some time.
We don't move.
Listenin' ta Mags singin', waitin' foa da end of da day.
Da sobs slowly fade an' so does da sun light.
I's jus' about ta breathe a sigh of relief when I again hear steps on da ladder.
"He's up here foa almost two hours now. Think he's ok?"
Kid Blink!
"I hope so. If not, it would be my fault."
Race again.
Both reach da top, but they can't see us from there.
"He's not here.", I hear Race speak. His voice sounds kinda scared.
"Maybe he jus' tries ta scare ya back?", Blink says, but it sounds more like a question than a statement.
"Ya think so?"
"I hope so."
"Ya think, I drew it too far? Da foolin' I mean?"
"Don't know. What'cha said?"
Race laughs nervous. "I... um... I told him..." I can't hear da rest of what he says because he speaks too quiet.
Blink seems not ta understand it eighter, for he asks: "What? Speak up please."
Race takes a deep breath. "I told him Mags was about ta jump down. Ya know? Committin' suicide."
It's silent foa a second.
"Ya did what?!", Blink then almost yells. I can easily picture his face. "Race! Have ya lost ya mind or is ya simply weary of life?! He'll kill ya when he gets ya."
"I know, I know. I jus' thought it would be funny ta scare him a little."
"A little? Seriously?"
Jack stands up. He silently walks over ta 'em. I look at him an' roll my eyes. Mag's jus' sighs silently an' covers Tumbler's ear wit' her hands.
"Racetrack Higgins! Ya little snitch!"
I carefully glimpse around da chimney. Race an' Blink is standin' there frozen of da shock. Jack's comin' closer ta them, yellin' at 'em an' talkin' in a way... well, let's just say I understand why Mags's coverin' Tumblers ears.
Race tries ta run, but he's too slow. Jack catches him an' well, begins ta soak him. Race starts screamin' in shock an' pain.
Tumbler begins ta shiver an' cry again. Mags hugs him tighter an' begins ta sing again.
Finally Blink moves an' tries ta get Jack off Race. It doesn't work.
I bet twenty dollar, he'll never ever try ta fool Jack again.

Eventually Jack stops soakin' Race, comes over ta us an' holds his hand out for Mags. She looks at him confused.
"Come.", he says.
Still confused, she carefully hands me Tumbler, who, also confused, stopped cryin', an' takes Jack's hand. He pulls her up and picks her up bridal style. She gasps an' begins ta laugh. "Jack! Lemme down. Please."
"No way. I'll make sure ya near me foa da rest of da day."
"Jack!"
"Nope."
He carries her over da roof, climbs down da ladder an' then they is gone.
I stand up and limp ta Blink, who's still confused, an' Race, who's still layin' on da ground.
"Ya sure they'se not in love?", I ask.
"I's not sure about anything today.", Blink answers.
Race winces on da ground.
"Ya ok?", I ask, lookin' down.
"I think he broke my nose.", Race complains, touchin' his nose. "Ow. I hate April fool's day!"