The Only Girl Newsie

Chapter 18: Find Jack

When I woke up again, all the other boys were awake.

I look around, trying to see if I can see Jack. He doesn't seem to be anywhere. Oh, and all the boys look panicked. I slowly start to sit up, getting a few of the boys' attention. Spot and Race rush over to me and help me sit up in bed.

"Why is everyone freaking out?" I quietly ask them.

"We can't find Jack," Race tells me, sitting on the bed beside me.

"Where have you looked?" I ask them.

"Everywhere," Spot says.

I look at the two boys skeptically. Then I look at everyone else who is still freaking out amongst themselves. Then I decided to yell, "have you checked all his usual spots?"

Everyone shuts up and looks at me.

"What usual spots?" Romeo asks me.

"The penthouse up above, the tree near the distribution center, Jacobi's, the bridge, Medda's?" I list, naming a few places I know he hangs out.

"We didn't check Medda's," Race says to me.

"Or anywhere else you said," Spot tells me.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go check those places for him." I start to get out of bed when Race and Spot both push me back down.

"Now, where'd you think you're going?" Race asks me.

"To go find Jack," I say matter of factly.

"Youse is stayin here. We can find Jack without ya help." Spot says.

"Yeah, no. I'm helping." I tell him. I start to stand up and grab Crutchie's crutch so I can walk. I walk past the two boys and straight outside without much of a problem. With the crutch and the fact that my ankle is wrapped, I can walk well enough on my own.

I see Les running around the streets when he spots me. "Madie! Where ya going?" Les yells as he runs up to me.

"Ta Medda's. Ya wanna come?" I ask him.

"Oh yeah. I think that's where Davey went to find Jack!" He explains to me.

"At least someone here has a brain," I mutter to myself.

"What?" Les asks.

"Nuthin. Let's go find Jack."