I rewrote this whole thing because I didn't like the plot I had before. This is for MinnieG. Hope everyone likes it.

My best friend is gone. Gone like yestaday. She died and she ain't comin' back. It makes me angry. She died ta save me. Oh, Ise am glad ta be alive 'nd all. But Ise don't know how ta live witout her. Me friends think Ise should write about it. 'Parrently it helps ya feel better. I don't rightly know 'bout that. But dey're makin' me write dis on pain of death.

Ise don't know where ta start. Dere's lots of things I could tells ya. Jack Kelly tells me ta start wit me favorite things. Da Walkin' Mouth says ta start at the beginning cause dat's where all good stories start.

Dis story starts on a ship. A great big ship dat sailed from Ireland to America. Eliza-dat's her name, Eliza-was sittin' at da bow wit her fadder. He was teachin' her how ta throw knives and such. Oh, dey weren't throwin' knives off da ship. But dey had found some stones and he was usin' dem to teach her. Da rest is, as dey say, history…

"Now, it takes lots of focus. Can you do that, Liza?" Mr. Jameson was sitting at the bow of the ship teaching his daughter Eliza how to throw stones at distant targets. Of course, there were no real targets. But he was teaching her the basics, hoping that someday she could throw at real targets. Having been in the circus for much of his life, Davin Jameson was hoping to pass his love of performing onto his only child, his daughter Eliza.

Eliza nodded her auburn head and tuned out the rest of the ship. She focused on the distant horizon and gave her wrist a flick. The stone she held flew far into the distance and would have hit a target straight on had there been one. "How was that, Papa?"

He nodded. "Wonderful. Let's try again."

"Can I try?"

Father and daughter turned to see a young, dirty-blond haired boy standing behind them. He held a slingshot in one hand and a biscuit in the other. His grey-blue eyes seemed to plead with the pair. Eliza turned her green cat-like eyes on her papa and begged him. "Oh, please Papa? Please can we teach him too?"

"I won't be no trouble. I only would like ta learn how ta shoot straight." The boy took a bite of biscuit and kept talking. "I promise I ain't gonna be in nobody's way."

"Please, Papa? I want a friend my age. Please?"

"Well…" Davin considered for a long moment before agreeing. "Is it okay with your mother? I will not teach you a thing without permission."

"Mama don't care. She just say ta keep outta trouble."

"Good. You can sit next to me." Eliza scooted over and the boy sat down. "My name is Eliza Jane. What's yours?"

"Kieran."

"Only one name?" Eliza looked at him in surprise. "Didn't your ma and pa give you any other names?"

"Well, me family name is Conlon. I don't suppose me folks gave me any other."

"Why not?"

"Me ma was real busy with all us kids."

"What about your pa?"

"Oh, he left us when I was born. Walked right outta da house and we never saw him no more."

"You can share my pa if you want." Eliza looked so proud of herself for suggesting it that Kieran felt it would be rude to say no.

"Okay. That sounds good."

Davin Jameson smiled at his daughter and picked up another rock. "Okay, Kieran. This is what you do."

"Oíche mhaith, leanbh daor," Mr. Jameson whispered to his daughter as he kissed her good night. It was their first night in New York and they had found temporary lodging at an inn near the harbor. He walked over and tucked in Kieran, whose mother had somehow managed to lose him in the crowd. Or that's what Kieran said. It was too crowded to find out otherwise. "Oíche mhaith, Kieran. Codladh go maith, páistí."

"Oíche mhaith," Kieran whispered back. As soon as they were alone, Kieran turned to Eliza and began whispering to her. "Today was an awful big 'venture."

"Yes. Papa says life is a road. A long, hard road, but it's a wonderful journey."

Kieran thought about that for a moment. "My ma is afraid of journeys. But I ain't. Know why?"

Eliza giggled slightly and shook her head. "No. Why?"

"Acause I'm standing at the beginning of a journey with you. That makes me feel brave inside."

"At the beginning with you." Eliza giggled again. "I like that. I don't wanna be anywhere else."

Translations:

oíche mhaith-good night

leanbh daor-dear child

codladh go maith, páistí-sleep well, children