Blink walked into the building. He didn’t care what would happen to him. He was tired of being a Newsie and finally he was going to do something about it. As he approached the front desk, he paused and looked at his reflection in the glass. He thought he looked nice enough for a job interview. His hair was combed, he was clean, and he had borrowed a nice suit from one of his non-Newsie friends.
He wondered what Jack would think. Probably nothing, Blink thought to himself. The only people that cared about each other were the couples. Although he had a ‘girlfriend’ he didn’t really want to be that serious with anyone. Perhaps Mush and Race would miss him, but who knows. Then returned to reality, and the reason why he was at these offices.
Blink took a deep breath and walked up to the desk. “Hello,” he said quietly. “My name is Austin Jeffries. I have a-”
The woman at the desk stopped him, “You have an appointment with Mr. Aricson, correct?”
He nodded, feeling small and insignificant.
“Please,” she said kindly, “have a seat. Mr. Aricson will be right with you.”
He smiled gratefully and sat down in one of the big plush chairs in the lobby. He looked around and wondered if he would ever be able to own something like this. He hoped he would, but something deep inside of him said otherwise. Suddenly he was wrenched back to reality when he heard his name.
“Mr. Jeffries?” said a deep voice.
Blink looked up startled, “Yes?”
“I am Mr. Aricson.” The man offered his hand.
Blink stood up, “It is a pleasure to meet you sir, I am Austin Jeffries.” then he took Mr. Aricson’s hand and shook it.
They let go and Mr. Aricson turned, “Please, Austin, follow me.”
Austin followed. He looked around as they walked. The place was huge and beautiful. Gold and glass were everywhere. Never had Austin seen so much wealth, he was slightly overwhemled.
Mr. Aricson turned to Austin and said, “Here we go. Please sit, we will conduct the interview in my office. Let me get some coffee. Please sit,” he repeated.
Austin complied and chose the seat closest to the desk as Mr. Aricson left the room. He soon returned to the office, carrying a cup of coffee.
"What kind of job experience do you have?" he asked Austin, as he shut the door and put his cup of coffee on the desk.
Austin said, quietly, "I sold newpapers on the street and I worked part-time in a grocery store."
Mr. Aricson nodded, "Schooling?'
Austin smiled. School was something he was proud of. "I went to school until I was 12. Then I became a Newsboy. But after a year of that, I missed school, so I went to night school. I graduated a few, weeks ago."
Mr. Aricson smiled. "Good. What makes you think that you should come work for me?'
Austin had prepared for this question. "I am smart and skilled. I know how to talk to people, and I need this job.
Mr Aricson nodded again, this time thoughtfully. "Ok. Now I need to know some personal things about you."
Austin nodded.
"Do you have any family?'
He shook his head, trying not to look sad. He wondered if the Newsies were part of his family anymore. He decided they weren't.
"Where are you living?'
"The Newsboys Lodging House."
Mr. Arcison nodded once again, "With Mr. Kloppman?" Austin nodded, trying not to look surprised."Great man. Now, about the job. Do you know what you are getting yourself into?"
Austin shook his head.
"Ok, we usually don't take boys who aren't part of the 'family,' but we're in need of some young men. Your job will be to track one of the people we give you. And then, if so ordered, you will take care of hirn. Quietly and carefully, so as not to get caught."
Austin stifled a gasp, but nodded.
“All right, your man is Mr. Salvador. Alec Salvador. He is an architech. The reason we want him followed stems from the fact that he was supposed to build houses for our ‘family’ that were safe, but several of them colapased and killed some family memebers. Now he has to pay for what he has done.”
Austin nodded. Mr. Aricson then dismissed him. “Go to this address,” he handed Austin a piece of paper, “and start following him. Come back in a week and we’ll tell you what to do next.”
Austin nodded again and then left. He nodded to the lady at the desk as he walked outside. Once he was a few blocks away from the building, he leaned against a wall. He felt weak all over. What was he going to do? He needed money real bad. Without it he wuold die. But... at this rate, he thought, I’ll would die anyway. So he just decided to go through with it.
Austin followed Mr. Alex Salvador everywhere. Therefore he knew where Mr. Salvador was twenty-four hours a day. Now it was time for him to go back to visit Mr. Aricson. He entered the building, but this time he did not have to wait. Mr. Aricson was there. He walked up to him, and said, “Austin, take care of Mr. Salvador.” Before leaving, he handed Austin a gun.
Austin looked stunned, but he managed to turn and leave. He decided to do it sooner rather than later. He walked to Mr. Salvador’s apartment. He sat there until dark, when Mr. Salvador would leave to meet some friends. Austin had a gun, given to him by Mr. Aricson, and a knife. He would use the gun first, if that didn’t work, the knife would come in handy. Suddenly Mr. Salvador left his apartment.
Austin began to trail him, following close behind. Then he pulled out his gun, walked up close to Mr. Salvador, and shot him. He caught a look in the man’s eyes as he fell to the pavement. Never had he seen so much pain in one man, in his life. Austin shuddered, dropped the gun, and ran to the Lodging House, sobbing. He managed to pull himself together before entering. He walked up to his bed, and fell into a deep sleep filled with nightmares. Then next morning he was roused by Kloppman, who was shaking him and looking worried.
“Blink, Blink! Wake up, there are some cops here to see you.” he said, very worried.
Blink walked downstairs. He looked around as he walked, all the Newsies were watching him. He looked down at the floor, sheepishly.
“Austin Jeffries?” One of the cops asked.
“Yes.” Austin replied.
“You are under arrest for the murder of Mr. Alec Salvador. Please come with us,” said the other cop.
The Newsies around him began yelling, “He didn’t do it! ‘e’s innocent! Don’t take ‘im away! Don’t worry Blink, ‘s a setup!” They yelled other things as well.
Austin turned to them, and said, “Guys, I did it.”
That was the last the rest of the Newsies heard of Blink, and the last time they saw him. He was sentenced to jail for 20 years. Within 20 years, most of the Newsies were either dead or gone from New York City, so no one was there when Austin was released.
Austin was dropped off at the curb in front of the Lodging House, or what used to be the Lodging House. It was no longer there. He had no idea where anyone was. He was alone. He sat on a bench, and cried. What am I going to do, he thought.
He wondered around for days. Finally, one day, he went and bought a gun. He found where he had killed Mr. Salvador. He waited until it was night.
Austin, once a newsie, now an ex-con, put the gun into his mouth and pointed it to the back of his head. He began to cry, the tears falling down his face.
He whispered, “Goodbye.”
The he pulled the trigger. He fell slowly, or it felt slow to him. Then he blacked out, never to wake up again. And that was how the police found him.
Two Days Later
There was a small funeral, people who had known Austin ‘Blink’ Jeffries attended. There were only three people there. Their names were Mush, Race, and Jack.
A small service was held in a local church and later Austin was buried.
There was an old man at the service. Mush went up to the man and asked why he was there. He responded with, “Austin was part of the family.”
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