"We've Got Personality!"-A Crutchie Morris Love Story

Crutchie's P.O.V

“Lizzy! Please! Stay with me,” I begged as I held her hand. Her face was twisted into pain, her left hand covering her side has it bled through her shirt. She looked at me.

“Wes sure beat da hell outta dem, didn’t we, Charlie?” she gasped. I couldn’t help but smile. I felt the tears running down my face.

“Yeah, Liz. Wes did.” She smiled at me.

“Ise called a doc. Theys on their way,” one of the Brooklynites, York, said. I kept my eyes fixed on Lizzy.

Mush came over and he crumbled his jacket to put under her head.

Davey came down by me. He took the bandages off his hands and tried to use them to help stop the bleeding.

“You’ll be okay, Liz. You’ll be okay,” he said, his voice shaky. She tried to grin at him, but inhaled sharply as a new wave of pain hit her. My heart was breaking.

I could not lose her.

I can not lose her.

I will not lose her.

I leaned down and kissed her sweat covered forehead. She put her bloody hand on my cheek.

“Ise love ya, Charlie,” she said, her voice becoming quiet. I tried not to start sobbing. I grabbed her hand on my cheek.

“Ise…...Ise love ya, too, Lizzy,” I said. Tommy-Boy and Buttons had Jack over by us. The helped him down by Lizzy.

“Oh, Liz,” he said. Lizzy let go of my hand, now covered in blood, and she grabbed Jack’s.

“I’m…...I’m sorry, Jack. I let ya down,” she gasped.

“Naw, Liz,” he sniffed, “youse never let me down.” He bent down and kissed her forehead.

“I’m proud that I’m ya brotha,” he said, tears cleaning the grime off of his cheeks.

“And Ise happy Ise ya sista,” she said, her voice being so weak and quiet. I heard the police and medics outside. They came into the building.

“Charlie?” she said, looking at me.

“Yeah?”

“Ya know somethin’?” she asked.

“What?”

“Ya don’t need da limp ta sell papes,” she said, her voice sounding distant, “ya got personality,” she breathed, smiling. Lizzy then passed out. She was very still. I broke down.

“No, Lizzy, please!” I cried. I picked her up, and held her close to me.

“Lizzy…...no…….no,” I sobbed. Davey rubbed my back. I heard him sobbing, too. A doctor came over to all of us.

“Nurse! I need help over here!” she called. A few nurses came over to us. Two got Jack onto a stretcher. Jack was crying hard. The doctor knelt down by me. The newsies cleared away, each getting checked on for their wounds. I pulled Lizzy away from the doctor.

“Shhh, it’s alright. My name is Dr. Brown,” she said, “I’m here to help. Can you please let me look at the girl?” she asked. Reluctantly, I let her take Lizzy.

I was still sobbing. Davey came back over to me. I felt him wrap his arms around me from behind. I grabbed his arms and just bawled. I heard him shushing in my ear, trying to help me calm down.

“She’s alive, but she needs immediate attention,” Dr. Brown said, “Nurse! We need to get her to the ER, stat!” she ordered. A nurse came over and picked Lizzy up and put her on a stretcher.

“Please,” I begged the doctor, “let me go with her.” She looked at me, then nodded. Dr. Brown and Davey helped me on my feet and into the back of the ambulance. I held Lizzy’s hand the entire ride.

“Please, if there is anyone who cares enough ta listen ta me,” I prayed, “Let Lizzy live. Please.”