Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. :)

Jack Kelly looked down to where the broken body lay. He closed his eyes to hold back the tears, but they streamed down his face defiantly. Words echoed in his ears. Memories of the boy who lay dead at his feet. I don't know how you did it, my friend, Jack thought. You went on living like everything was perfect. I never realized how difficult your life must have been. After all those years that I knew you... His thoughts trailed off. I'm sorry I failed you.

He opened his eyes and knelt down beside the boy. The face that looked up at him seemed peaceful. Free from that anguish and sorrow that had riddled his short life. Jack began to pick up the body but stopped suddenly and set him gently back on the ground. The grief hit him and Jack collapsed as the friendly voice came back to him.

"I don't want nobody carrying me. Not ever. Do you hear?"

The voice was so clear that Jack looked around for his friend. But all that was left of Crutchy was the shell of a man and a broken crutch. Though the tears were still flooding down his face, Jack forced himself to sit back up. He reached over the body and grabbed the lifeless piece of wood that had carried his friend for so many years. It was whole only hours ago. Whole and alive, as the boy it served once was. Had it only been a day? Jack's mind was reeling. Only one day, and yet it had ruined his life and ended another.

Only twenty-four hours had passed since Jack had woken up in the chilled morning air at the Newsboy Lodging House and started what seemed to be an average day.