Page 16 of The Good Char (Soul Taker)

KIMMY

The next day started the same. My boss had already set everything up upon opening before I got there.

All I had to do was sit behind the register obediently, waiting for customers to line up.

We didn’t say much to each other this time around.

I was embarrassed at my behavior yesterday and couldn’t find the courage to start a conversation.

You practically told him your whole life already. It was a good thing the burn wasn’t bad, even though he treated you like your flesh was peeling. It was beyond adorable.

I giggled to myself and schooled my features when he walked by, avoiding looking at him.

It was the weekend and the early mornings brought in more patrons today. People began to gather in the food court sporadically, the voices of children whining and some babies crying floated through the air. It was going to be a long day, I could already tell.

Usually, I was excited to start the day but something was off. Perhaps it was the residual feelings from my parents who still gave me disappointed looks when they were home and the strange reaction I had to Mr. Dzik that threw me off today.

I leaned over the counter and gave everyone around us a welcoming smile the way I always did. A few of the shoppers caught sight of me, smiled back and made their way over. The first order was four corndogs and two pink lemonades.

I yelled over to Mr. Dzik who was concentrating on stirring the batter again. “Four dogs to the front, please!”

The sheer amount of customers lining up didn’t allot for me to write down the orders quickly enough on my little writing tablet. I began to make the cups of ice and added the lemonade, handing it to them to give Mr. Dzik time to complete the orders.

It was hectic but we were able to get all of the orders out in a timely fashion when Nicole showed up. I smiled at her while trying to keep everything professional. I didn’t want Mr. Dzik to think I was messing around with friends while I was working.

“How are you holding up, Kimmy? I know you and Cindy were really close.”

I did a double take and really looked at her, bewildered at her tone of voice. It looked like she had been crying. Her makeup was smeared and her clothes were wrinkled—nothing like the beauty queen I was used to seeing when she hung out with us.

“What are you talking about?” More people were beginning to line up behind her and she stepped aside.

“Excuse me, can I have a corndog please?” someone asked.

“Get the orders,” my boss butted in, his first words to me all day. I continued taking orders and passing it along to Mr. Dzik, handing people their meals quickly without spilling their drinks on their trays.

“You mean to tell me you don’t know?” Nicole said again as I filled another order. “No one told you?”

“Can I have a lemonade?” another person asked.

“Told me what?” I questioned as I took in another order. This was beginning to feel a little strange.

“It just doesn’t feel real,” she choked out and began to sob, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing more mascara down to her snotty nose.

This has to be something serious. She would never be caught dead looking this bad. When I finally got a reprieve from the customers, I took in a deep breath and fully turned to her. “What is going on? Tell me.”

“Can you get the crying girl from the counter? She is detouring customers,” Mr. Dzik growled. “Hey girl, this is a place of business! If you need therapy, call a therapist!”

I frowned and slapped his arm with the back of my hand. I was trying to listen to what she had to say! Mr. Dzik growled and shoved me toward her as he picked up where I left off with orders.

Her voice cracked while she continued to force out words through her sobs, hiccuping now and again.

“Cindy went missing a while ago. She never came home,” she finally got out, and my heart stopped.

“She was in the truck with some guys and the truck has disappeared. The last person who saw them said they had all been drinking.”

As she began to break down, my heart stuttered. My chest ached like a physical wound—a hole ripped from my chest. My eyes burned and suddenly my face was as wet as hers.

People who were close enough to hear us began to console her when my world started spinning. My mind replayed the last words we spoke to each other and now… I would never get to see her again.

I broke.

Everything became a haze.

I wasn’t sure what happened but I came back to myself, sitting on a fold out chair at the back of The Good Char, my hat still on my head. My face was covered in tears and snot covered the back of my hands as I wiped my nose again, sniffling silently in my little corner.

Mr. Dzik was spraying disinfectant on the counter and mumbling to himself.

I was at a loss at what occurred between hearing the news and me sitting here.

Nicole’s voice floated back to my head like it was on constant rewind and replay on my boombox.

The memory slammed into me like a slap in the face.

Cindy was missing.

I bursted out with a new fresh set of hot tears.

“Are you crying again ?” Mr. Dzik growled. “You already scared off customers, dripped snot on several corndogs for the past thirty minutes instead of working.”

“I'm sorry,” I sobbed louder. “It's-it’s just, Cindy is gone. I may never see her again! And the last thing we did was fight!” I was feeling all kinds of emotions when I began to scream.

“Hey, calm down.” Mr. Dzik brought his hands up, palms out in a placating manner with a grimace on his face. “You’re stirring up the pigeons. I don’t want them to fly in here and crap on my stuff. Are you listening to me? Breathe.”

How was that even possible? We were inside a food court. He was so silly and knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. I stifled a laugh through my tears and he tilted his head.

Mr. Dzik was such a funny man. I got up from my seat, walked over and spontaneously wrapped my arms around him before breaking down again. I couldn’t help it. He always stood by me like a strong pillar. I needed that strength now more than ever.

He awkwardly patted my shoulder but I couldn't hold it back anymore. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry. I didn’t know what I wanted.

Yes, I do. I want Cindy back.

“If you’re done leaking from your face, I need you to close shop,” he said in a softer tone, his fingers still patting my back.

I gave him another squeeze and exhaled. He smelled nice. The hug made me feel better even though my heart still hurt.

“Okay,” I replied softly, sniffling.

Mr. Dzik handed me a towel and pretended to look toward the food court. I smiled brightly at his thoughtfulness and blew snot into it. It was embarrassing that he had to see that, but it was better than not being able to breathe.

“Thank you, Mr. Dzik.”

“Dzik,” he said, clearing his throat gruffly. “Get back to work.”

I threw away the towel and washed my hands to the sound of Mr. Dzik spraying disinfectant once more.

We silently closed shop together and even with keeping my hands busy, my mind was still overwhelmed.

I slowly walked to my bicycle and before I could reach for my helmet, someone took it from my hands from behind.

I turned to see Mr. Dzik in full concentration as his large fingers fiddled with the latch… right before he strapped it on my head.

We didn’t say a word as my eyes began to mist again, staring at his strong, stubbled set jawline. When the helmet was secure, he lifted me up as if I weighed as much as a feather and placed me on my bicycle before turning and walking back to Hellscape Mall.