This story is dedicated to Flame. She was part inspiration for it and for Kenzie. Flame helped me, the author, with something just as Kenzie tried to help Maddy. If any of you talk to Flame, take her advice. She's good at it.

"Maddy! Noooooo!" the girl yelled out the window.

Kid Blink stood outside the orphanage on Fulton Street with a bouquet of daisies in his hand. He sighed and walked up the steps and into the building. As he stepped into the lobby, a few girls and the headmaster walked up to him.

"Heya, Craig," the girls cooed.

"Good afternoon, Craig. Here to see Madeleine?" the headmaster inquired.

"Yup," he answered with a nod.

"She's in the garden today," the headmaster informed, continuing on her way.

Blink thanked her and walked through the building to the garden. The girls followed him. He trudged through the snow to the far side of the garden, approaching a girl with strawberry-blond hair sitting on a stone bench. He handed her the flowers. "Heya, Maddy," he greeted, kissing her cold cheek and sitting down beside her.

"I see ya brought da club," she mentioned, nodding to the three girls standing a few feet away. Blink shrugged. She stood. "Shoo, you girls. Go on; git outta here," she yelled, motioning for them to move along.

They grumbled and headed back inside. "Why's she git 'im?" one of them mumbled, glancing back over her shoulder as Maddy sat back down.

"Maddy, tell me 'gin why ya likes ta sit outside in da snow?" Blink asked, facing her fully.

Maddy smirked. "Beats bein' in dere," she quirked. Both laughed.

"Naw, really," he said after a minute, still wanting to know the real reason.

She sighed. "Gives me time ta think. No one else comes out in da cold wit' me. I git ta be 'lone fer a while, till Hodgkins decides it's too cold fer me ta be out here anymore. I'll say one thing. It's more soothin' now than in da spring wit' all da flowers," she answered, half-smiling and glancing over at Blink.

"I thought cha liked flowahs," he commented.

"Too many people 'round in da spring." She paused. "Craig?" she began, sounding curious. He looked at her intently. "You’ve never tol' me the answer ta this. Ever since ya became a newsie, you've been wearin' dat patch on yer eye. Why d'ya wear it?" she asked, turning her blue eyes up to meet his.

He removed his eye patch, revealing that he had two perfectly good blue eyes, the same shade as Maddy's. He fumbled around with it in his hands. "Sympathy," he answered meekly. "I ain't cute 'nuff ta sell papes on me looks like da lil' kids—"

"Ya never 'ave been," she interrupted sarcastically, smirking again.

He gave her a dirty look and continued. "Ya see, crips sell more papes cuz dey git sympathy. I thought dat if I was one, I'd make some more money fer us. We need it fer da futcha," he finished. She looked away from him.

"Madeleine, Craig, time to come in now. It's starting to snow," the headmaster called from the doorway.

They both stood. Blink put his arm around her shoulders and led her inside. As they walked inside, Blink spoke again. "Say, d'ya think ya could git a pass out on Christmas Eve? Da fellas're t'rowin' a party at Medda's fer Christmas. I'd like ya ta come 'n' meet 'em all," he said.

She looked at him, smiling a little. "I'll ask," she answered with a nod.

Blink grinned and decided it was time to leave. "I gotta go now, but I'll come back tamorrah. I love ya," he said and kissed her cheek. She kissed his cheek back and watched him walk out the door.

After the door shut, she turned around and headed for the stairs. Before she reached them, a girl with long black hair bounded down the steps. "Looks like somebody's sweet on ye, Madeleine," the girl bubbled.

"Shuddup, Bea," she snapped, hurrying up the stairs and into her room in the attic, slamming and locking her door.

"Maddy, please, come inside," the girl said.

The next day, Blink returned to the orphanage, flowers in hand. As he entered, the three girls suddenly appeared before him. "Aftahnoon," he greeted politely, removing his hat. "Ya seen Maddy?"

"She's not here," the tallest girl informed arrogantly.

"Not here?" he confirmed. The three girls nodded in unison. "Where is she?" he asked, worried.

"She escaped aftah ya left yesterday," the girl standing in the middle commented.

"If ya ask me, yer too good fer her," the last one quirked.

Blink looked at the last one oddly, thinking of where Maddy could've gone. "Where's Hodgkins?" he finally asked.

"Maddy, what's wrong?"

"In 'er office. We kin show ya!" the first said.

"Naw, dat's awright. I know where it is," he answered, slipping past them. The girls tried to follow him, but another girl distracted them. He sighed with relief and hurried to Hodgkins' office. Once there, he knocked on the door.

"Enter," she called from within. Blink entered. "Ah, Craig. I take it you've learned of Madeleine's disappearance," she greeted.

"Yes'm. D'ya know where she went?" he replied, shutting the door and taking a seat in the chair across from the headmaster.

"You haven't seen her?!"

"No'm."

"I was sure she would've come to you first." She paused. "When was the last time you saw her?" she asked.

"Yestaday, in da gawden," he answered.

"She didn't come to you at all?" she confirmed.

"No'm. If she did, I wouldn't be heah. Da goyls said she escaped aftah I left," he answered.

"Apparently so," she began. "Beatrice says that she spoke to Madeleine just after you left. Madeleine snapped at her and ran up to her room. We didn't hear anything else from her until dinnertime when Susan went to get her. She knocked, but no one answered. When I unlocked her door and went inside, all her belongings were gone," she explained.

"She jist ran out? Dat don't sound like Maddy. She wouldn't do dat. Somethin's wrong," he deduced.

"I have to agree," the woman said, leaning on her desk.

"No," Maddy argued, standing her ground.

"Dere anythin' ya kin do?" he wondered, looking up at her.

"All I can do is send the police out after her. I'd rather not do that. She's a good girl, never did anything wrong." She hesitated. "I'll tell you what, I'll give you some time to find her. If you don't find her by this time next week, I'll send the police out after her. All I ask is that you both come back in. It's been many years since she came here, and you're both certainly old enough to make your own decisions and to take care of yourselves. I'd just like to know that she's safe and taken care of," she offered, smiling.

Blink nodded. "Thanks, ma'am," he agreed, standing. He looked down at the flowers in his hand. "Merry Christmas, ma'am," he said, handing them to her.

"Merry Christmas, Craig. I hope you find her soon," she replied, taking the flowers.

"Maddy! What're ya doin'?" the girl yelled, running to the window.

Blink left the orphanage and walked down the street glumly with his hands in his pockets. One of his friends walked up to him as he walked.

"Heya, Blink. How's it rollin'?" the Italian greeted.

"Aw, not great, Race." He paused. "Ya seen a goyl wit' kinda blond hair, blue eyes, skinny, 'bout dis high," he gestured with his hand, "would a had a green 'n' gold cawpet bag wit' 'er?" he asked.

"Naw, Blink. Why? Ya lookin' fer 'er?" Race replied.

Blink would've smacked his friend upside the head were he not preoccupied. "Yeah," he mumbled.

"Ya like 'er?" Race prodded. Blink didn't answer. Race finally realized that Blink wasn't looking for this girl because he just wanted to see her again, but because she'd disappeared completely. "Hey, uh, Blink, listen, we'll all help ya look fer 'er," he offered.

"Thanks, Race, dat'd be great," he mumbled.

"Why’re you doin’ this? Why?" Maddy mumbled to herself.

Later that evening, Blink sat on the steps inside the lodging house. He just stared vacantly across the room. Race had explained the situation to the others for him. A few of the older boys had gone out to look in the usual places, and a few others had gone to Brooklyn to ask Spot Conlon if he'd heard anything. None of them knew where the orphanage was, so they just basically searched Manhattan.

"Please, Maddy; don’t,” the boy pleaded.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Spot Conlon had just heard the news about Maddy from his friends in Manhattan. He sent a few of his newsies out to look for her, staying at his own selling spot a while longer. He still had a good bit of his stack left. Just after he sold a paper to an elderly woman on her way home, someone tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around to see a girl with beautiful blue eyes.

"Evenin', miss," he greeted, tipping his hat to her.

She looked nervous. "Um, d'you know a boy named Craig?" she asked, hopeful.

He thought for a second, shaking his head. "Naw, don't know nobody named Craig," he replied.

She seemed a little discouraged. "He- He wears a patch over 'is eyes when he sells papers," she tried.

"I only knows one fella dat wear a eyepatch. Dat's Kid Blink over'n Manhattan. Ya lookin' fer 'im?" he replied.

She nodded, suddenly much more cheerful. "Can ya tell me where I can find 'im?" she asked, fidgety.

"I'll do bettah 'an dat. I'll show ya dere. It may be Christmas time, but it still ain't safe on dese heh' streets," he volunteered.

She smiled. "Thank you. My name's Madeleine Deltry, Maddy," she replied, relieved.

"Spot Conlon, 'n' yer coitenly welcome," he replied, offering her his arm.

She smiled and took his arm, glad to have someone else around who seemed to enjoy her company so far.

"Stop it! Stop it!," Maddy screamed.

Back at the lodging house, Blink still sat on the stairs with a vacant look in his eyes. He hadn't moved in over an hour. The others were beginning to worry about him. If they didn't find Maddy soon, their friend might be gone forever. Most of them knew what it felt like to lose someone close to them, but they'd lost their families at a young age. Their grief had been shorter because they were young and didn't fully understand the consequences. By his actions, they knew that Blink truly loved this girl.

A short time later, Spot entered the lodging house with a thin girl in tow. "Evenin', boys," he called. The boys removed their hats when they saw the girl he was with. "Anybody ordah a goyl goin' by da name a Maddy," he asked, looking over at Blink.

Blink's eyes shot up toward Spot. "Maddy!" he screamed gleefully, jumping to his feet and whisking her up into his arms instantly. He swung her around in a circle. She held onto him as tightly as he held onto her. The others were glad to see their friend happy again.

"I take it dey know each oddah," Spot whispered to the cowboy, laughing.

The cowboy laughed, too. "I guess so," he whispered back.

Blink finally put Maddy back down. "I'se was so worried 'bout cha," he divulged, holding her head in his hands.

She forced a half-smile and tried not to look at him. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Why'd ja leave like dat?" he wanted to know. Before she could answer, someone cleared his throat. Blink was suddenly reminded of the other people in the room. "Oh! Maddy, dese're me friends. Dat's Jack," he pointed to the cowboy, "Specs 'n' Dutchy," the two with glasses, "Snipeshootah, Race, 'n' Skittery," the three playing cards in the corner, "Boots, Itey, 'n' Snitch," the boys in the far corner, "Crutchy," the boy with the crutch, "Jake, Snoddy, Bumlets, Pie Eatah, 'n' Swifty," five on the stairs, "an' ya knows Spot 'n' me," he introduced, gesturing to each. "Fellas, dis's me sistah Maddy."

"Sistah!" Race screeched. Everyone looked over at him. "Ya didn't tell me she was ya sistah," he clarified.

Blink thought for a moment. "Hm," he sounded, realizing that he really hadn't told Race that information. He shrugged.

"Stop! Stay away from me!" she replied, close to tears but her eyes dry.

Blink turned back to his sister. "Maddy, why'd ya leave da orphanage?" he wondered.

Maddy looked down at the floor again. "Ya don’t understand,” she mumbled.

His brow furrowed, and he turned her face up to him. "Tell me," he demanded compassionately. She jerked away from him and crossed her arms over her chest, facing away from him. "Madeleine."

"I'm not goin' back!" she retorted angrily, glancing over her shoulder. The other boys jumped at her sudden outburst. She looked too small and frail to make an outburst like that.

"Why not?!" he asked, confused.

She spun back around and looked right into his eyes. "Cuz I'm not," she emphasized. She picked up her carpetbag and headed out the door. Spot stepped into her way. She tried to get around him, but he just got in her way again. She glared at him, but he stood his ground.

"Maddy, he's yer bruddah. Give 'im an answer, huh," he tried.

"He didn't live in dat house fer seven years. Fer da longest time, 'e didn't even visit me. I thought 'e was dead. One day last year 'e came 'round lookin' fer me. He has no idea what 'appened in dat house," she replied, staring at the wall, remembering.

"No! I said stop it! Stay away from me!" she screamed.

"Maddy, please," the boy pleaded.

"I said stop!"

"What 'appened?" the boy named Skittery asked.

She turned to see the speaker but didn't answer. She opened her mouth to say something when a bunch of rowdy girls stumbled into the lobby. They all turned to see them. When the leader noticed Maddy, she walked right up to her.

"Whose're you?" she wanted to know.

"I don't belong ta anybody," Maddy answered, her eyes narrowing.

The girl smirked. "Da name's Flash. What's chers?" she replied.

"Maddy," she stated.

"Don't, Maddy!" she yelled out the window.

"Maddy? Dat short fer somethin'?" one of the other girls asked. Maddy looked over at her. "Kenzie."

"Madeleine," she replied, lowering her guard a little.

"Hm," Flash began, "who ya heah fer?"

"Fer—"

"Jack? Mush?" Flash continued, walking around the room with her arms folded over her chest. "You Spot's newest conquest?" Spot's eyes burned.

"Cut it out, Flash," Blink said sharply, stepping up next to his sister and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You, Blink?" Flash asked, shocked. "I nevah expected you ta have a who—"

Blink punched her in the eye abruptly. She stumbled back and fell to the floor. "Don't ya dare tawk 'bout me sistah like dat!" he shouted, standing ready if she retaliated.

Flash covered her eye in an attempt to alleviate the pain. A moment later, she had collected herself and stood, still holding her eye in pain. "Sistah?" she clarified.

"Twin," he confirmed. He turned around, but Maddy wasn’t there. She’d disappeared upstairs. “Maddy?” he yelled and began searching for her in all the usual hiding places.

Kenzie slinked upstairs quietly and unnoticed. She’d seen Maddy run away up there. She found her on the roof. “Maddy?” she began, walking over to her slowly.

Maddy glanced over to her. “Kenzie is it?” she replied softly.

“Ya mind me bein’ up here?” Maddy shook her head and looked out over the rooftops. Kenzie took a seat next to her on the edge of the roof. “What’s so bad dat ya gotta go runin’ away from ya bruddah?” she asked, concerned.

“I can’t tell ya,” she whispered.

“Why not?”

“Please, Maddy; don’t,” he pleaded.

Maddy was silent. She was remembering the events that had taken place only two weeks before. She didn’t answer Kenzie for several minutes.

“Maddy? Maddy?” Kenzie called. Maddy finally looked over at her. “Why cain’t ya tell no one, huh?”

“It’s too terrible,” she breathed.

“Aw, nothin’s dat terrible.”

“I could go ta jail.”

“Da Refuge ain’t dat bad.”

“Not the Refuge, prison,” Maddy clarified. Kenzie didn’t pry any further. She just smoothed Maddy’s hair gently. Maddy just continued to stare off across the rooftops as she leaned on Kenzie’s shoulder.

A few minutes later, Blink stepped onto the roof. When he saw his sister leaning against Kenzie, he smiled and walked over to them. “Maddy, dere ya are,” he began loudly.

“Shh, Blink,” Kenzie hushed, “she’s sleepin’.”

Blink nodded and went to pick his sister up. He adjusted her in his arms and carried her downstairs slowly and easily. Kenzie followed with Maddy’s carpetbag. Blink set her down carefully on his bunk. He arranged her hair neatly and kissed her forehead. “G’night, Maddy,” he whispered, smiling. Kenzie smiled, too, and set the carpetbag next to the bunk.

The next morning, Maddy was gone when the boys awoke. Blink had slept on the floor next to her and found her missing after he’d woken up. He searched around the house for her, but he couldn’t find her. Her carpet bag was still there, so she must’ve planned on coming back. Blink dressed quickly and ran into the girls room and shook Kenzie awake violently.

“Kenzie! Kenzie!” he called, shaking her.

Kenzie grumbled something and opened her eyes. “What?” she snarled.

“Ya seen Maddy? She’s gone,” Blink explained.

“No, Maddy, don’t.”

“Blink, I been asleep all night. Leamme ‘lone,” she snapped, hitting him in the face as she rolled over on her side.

Blink mumbled something and yanked her out of bed. “C’mon. Yer helpin’ me find ‘er,” he ordered, throwing her clothes at her.

“Blink,” she whined.

“Git dressed, Kenzie,” he ordered again.

“I have to.”

She hissed at him and pulled her clothes on. Once she was dressed, he pulled her out into the streets. By this time, most of the others were waking. Blink just ran down the street calling his sister’s name. Kenzie followed a little more slowly. She was still very tired. She yawned and looked up, suddenly noticing someone on the top floor of an eight story building. Her eyes widened, and she rushed into the building. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could. When she finally got to the top floor, she was out of breath, but she hurried to the window anyway.

“Maddy, please, come inside,” Kenzie pleaded, extending her hand out the window.

“I can’t,” Maddy replied.

“Whatevah it is, it ain’t woith killin’ yerself ovah,” Kenzie reasoned, trying to get Maddy in off the ledge.

“You don’t know what I did!”

“Tell me, Maddy. We’ll set it right.”

“It can’t be set right!”

“Maddy, please, don’t!”

“Maddy, please, don’t!”

“It’s happening again. I can’t stop it,” Maddy yelled, putting her hands over her ears in an attempt to drown out the voices.

“What’s happenin’?” Kenzie yelled, trying to be heard over the quickly filling streets.

“Maddy, please. Don’t do this,” the boy cried.

“I told you to stay away from me!” she yelled back.

“Maddy-“

"No! I said stop it! Stay away from me!" she screamed.

"Maddy, please," the boy pleaded.

"I said stop!"

“It’s happening again,” Maddy repeated.

“Maddy, tell me what’s goin’ on,” Kenzie demanded, leaning out the window.

“I hafta stop ‘im. I hafta stop ‘im,” Maddy muttered.

“Stop ‘im from what?”

“He’s haunting me.”

“Hauntin’ ya?” Kenzie asked, very confused.

“He won’t leave me alone,” she complained.

“Who?”

“The boy I killed.”

Kenzie couldn’t say anything.

“Maddy, please!”

“No! I won’t let ya. Ya can’t.”

“Maddy!”

"Maddy! Noooooo!" the Kenzie yelled out the window.

It was too late. Maddy was already flying through the air toward the ground at incredible speed. Blink had looked up, hearing Kenzie’s scream, just in time to see Maddy plunging to her death.

“Maddy!” Blink screamed, horrified.

Maddy just dove toward the ground. She didn’t even scream. She just wanted to stop the voices from haunting her. As she neared the ground, she saw her brother, paralyzed beneath her. She stared at him as she fell. A moment later, Maddy slammed into the pavement. Blink rushed to her side.

“Maddy, Maddy,” he cried, shaking her. “Maddy?” Maddy was dead. “Maddy?” he asked again, not wanting to believe that his beloved sister was gone. Kenzie appeared at his side quickly. “Maddy?” It began to snow ever so lightly.

Kenzie took hold of Blink’s shoulders. “Blink.” He didn’t answer. “Blink, she’s dead,” she explained, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“No. No. She’s not dead. She can’t be dead. Maddy?” he whined, still trying to wake her. Her blood continued to stain the sidewalk.

“Blink, Blink, she’s dead. We can’t do anythin’ ‘bout it,” Kenzie shouted, beginning to cry harder.

“No, no, no,” Blink mumbled, laying his head down on Maddy’s back. He stroked her soft strawberry-blond hair that was quickly turning red. He wept for several minutes. “I love you, Madeleine,” he whispered, his tears slowing.

After several more minutes, Blink stood and walked to the orphanage, dragging his feet. Kenzie stayed with Maddy’s body. She knew that Blink had to be alone, but she got one of the younger newsies to follow him and make sure he didn’t kill himself, too.

Blink couldn’t even think straight. He just walked back to the orphanage, a blank look in his eyes. As he entered, the same group of girls scurried up to him, but, seeing the blood on his clothes, they backed off. He just stumbled into the office. The headmaster didn’t look up; she recognized the heavy footsteps.

“Did you find your sister, Craig?” she asked.

“She’s dead,” he said quietly.

The headmaster’s head shot up. “Dead?” she asked, her mouth dropping open. “How?” she asked after a moment of silence.

“Jumped off a buildin’.” He paused. “I jist came fer ‘er stuff,” he explained blankly.

The headmaster nodded. “You know where her room is,” she replied.

Blink turned and headed up to Maddy’s old room. As he looked around the room, everything reminded him of his sister. He loved her so much. He couldn’t believe that he would never see her again, never hear her sweet voice, never see her beautiful eyes. He was alone in the world for the first time in his entire life.

Epilogue

The headmaster of the orphanage held a quiet service to remember Maddy. Every evening at dinner for the next six months, after prayers of course, they had a moment of silence for her. The group that had hounded Blink were the ones that cried the most over Maddy’s death. Most of the other girls believed it was because they would no longer see Maddy’s brother. No one at the orphanage ever found out that Maddy and Blink were brother and sister.

The other newsies continued with their lives after a fewdays. They really hadn't know Maddy, and, therefore, didn't grieve for her. They had their little Christmas party at Medda's on Christmas Eve, though they spent most of the night having a snowfight outside in the street. A few of the newsies got Blink a present, but he didn't seem to notice.

After the small pauper’s funeral, Kid Blink was never the same again. Sometimes he’d go to the cemetery and just stare at the small stone plaque with her name on it. Sometimes he even forgot to eat. The others tried to take care of him, but he’d lost his lust for life. Kenzie feared that he might kill himself, so she attached herself to him as his selling partner. She did most of the selling, but he was still good for sympathy every once in a long while. Blink never smiled again. He’d lost something, something so important that he became a small wisp of a man. He rarely spoke, and he never had enough money to eat. It seemed like he was happiest whenever he sat at his sister’s grave, and, even then, he was sadder than anyone could ever imagine.

Back Home