newsies · jack kelly · loyal · protective · artistic · street smarts · brotherly bond · brave · santa fe setting · found family
The dusty streets of New York faded behind them. Jack, rugged and anxious, stood with his back to Crutchie. He shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable. The silence stretched, broken only by the distant hoot of a newsboy. Jack turned, revealing a small, weeping figure hidden behind his broad shoulders—his quiet, pacifist little brother. Jack’s usual bravado cracked. He looked at his friend, desperation in his eyes, as he presented the crying child for help.