Six Years From Now

Part Seven: The Fire

Hugo ran to the window an threw it open. "Where is it? Where's the fire?" he asked a boy running by on the street below.
"The newsies' boardinghouse!" he replied.
Winnie's heart stopped. The boardinghouse!
"The-"
Winnie pushed by Hugo and climbed down the fire escape.
"Winnie! Wait!" Hugo called after her, but she didn't stop.
She ran and ran until she came to the scene. The boardinghouse was up in flames, just as the boy had said.
It hardly looked like the same building. The walls were all black, and the sign that had once read "Newsboys' Boardinghouse" only said "New-"
"How did this happen?" Winnie cried.
A newsie called Mush replied, "No one knows."
"Is everyone here?" Jack asked from atop a wagon. "Is anyone inside?"
The boys looked around. "Where's Jojo?" asked Buttons.
"He's inside!" Ike yelled. "Where's those lousy firefighters?"
Winnie never thought she'd see any of these tough newsboys cry, but almost all of them had one or two tears carving a path through their sooty faces.
"I'll get him," Jack said, but Katherine held him back.
"Winnie!" Jesse appeared next to her.
She was relieved. This whole time she'd been scared that he was stuck inside as well. "Are you okay?" he asked, brushing a stray hair from her face.
"I'm fine," she replied, and buried herself in his arms. "I'm glad you're okay."
He stroked her hair but then gently pushed her away. "Was there anyone inside?"
"Jojo."
Even though his face was covered in black soot, she could see it pale. Without another word he handed her his crutch and ran into the flames.
"Jesse!" she screamed, going after him. But Hugo caught her hand. "If what you told me was true, then he'll be fine," he told her.
She repeated the words to herself. He'll be fine He'll be fine He'll be fine He'll be-
She nearly collapsed, but Hugo caught her in time. Katherine ran to her.
"Where's Crutchie?" she asked, holding her hand.
Weakly Winnie nodded to the boardinghouse.
"He's still inside? But I saw him-" She stopped. "Did he go in for Jojo?"
Winnie nodded again.
"How?"
But Winnie couldn't say anything. She was still numb from anxiety.
"Winnie Foster!" Katherine cried in terror. "How did he go in?"
Winnie handed her the vial from around her neck.
Katherine looked at her, then Hugo. "Is she alright?"
"She's rattled," Hugo replied, "but she's in her right mind."
"Then what's this?" Katherine asked, holding up the vial.
Wildly Winnie wondered where the firefighters were. She couldn't even hear the bells of the wagons yet.
"There he is!" someone shouted. "Jojo's alive!"