So this is based on how most of the Newsies could have realistically been drafted into World War I. I will leave you with this.
Crutchie, now going by Charles, went to get the mail, stopping when he sees a letter stamped by the United States Army. With shaking hands, he opened the envelope, slowly pulling out the paper inside. He read the list of names. Elmer Kasperzak. Anthony Higgins. Sean Conlon. Patrick Cortez. His friends, his brothers, were dead. They were children, forced to grow up too fast and face the harsh realities of their world.
In the following days, the people who made it out alive started coming back home, all silent and emotionless, their old personalities wiped away by the horrors of the war.
The first to walk through the door was Albert. He was taller and more muscular after his service. His face cold and unforgiving. He didn't even acknowledge Crutchie for the first day. He just sat in an armchair, staring at the wall and waiting for the rest of the boys.
After he came home, Jojo came through the door, wiping the faint remnants of tears off his face and hugging Crutchie. "I would've written more. I'm sorry I didn't." he had whispered, scared to say anything any louder. Crutchie sympathized with the man, assuring him that it was okay and that he was home. Somewhere where nobody could hurt him.
Third to come home was Mush. The sparkle in his eyes had dulled. He was just relieved that at least some of his friends were safe.
One by one, newsies entered the lodge, each one a little bit more broken. Crutchie couldn't do anything but sit with them and pray that the other newsies would come through the door. His most hopeful wishing being that those who were considered dead would walk through the door and join the family in their mourning. The mourning of their friends, their innocence, their childhoods.
The last person to walk through the door was Davey. He couldn't be strong anymore and the second he got into the lodge, he fell to his knees and cried. Crutchie helped him to the sofa and sat with him, rubbing his back. When he was certain that all of his brothers were going to be alright, at least for the night, he walked up to the fire escape, falling asleep wrapped in Jack's old button down.
The next morning, he woke up as he had every day since the war was over. He walked out and got a letter. The same people who had sent him the letters about all of the deaths in his brotherhood. With shaking hands, he opened the letter.
"Mr. Morris,
We regret to inform you that Private First Class, Jack Kelly was killed in the line of service."
Crutchie couldn't read anymore. He dropped the paper and started to cry, the last bit of his childhood stripped away.