Page 4 of The Good Char (Soul Taker)

The next morning came fast. It felt like I only closed my eyes for ten minutes. I jumped out of bed quickly, put on my pants and a tie-dyed t-shirt and swiftly ran down the stairs and outside to my bicycle.

“Oh, no. My helmet!” I jumped off, ran back into the house. When I returned outside, I quickly picked the bicycle up and headed to The Good Char.

He told me to come today. I needed to make sure I was there early.

I rode my bike as fast as I could on the sidewalk while enjoying the breeze of the cooler morning air and ringing my bell so I wouldn’t accidentally run over anyone.

The sun was already starting to rise higher as I parked my bicycle and made my way into the front of the mall.

The doors were already unlocked for the other employees and a security guard sat at the front, nodding to me in greeting.

I waved and used quick strides toward the food court.

I arrived to find the manager already sweeping the floor and grumbling to himself.

I guess his broody personality really was just deeply rooted and not because of people around him.

“Darn kids with no training, how hard is it to put trash in the garbage can?” he griped. I watched nervously as he cleaned in front of his area, bending over to pick up cups and tossing it in the nearby trash bin. His biceps stretched the sleeve of his black shirt as he grabbed his broom again.

I felt bad. I should be the one doing that. Teenagers didn’t care about keeping our environment clean, it was something that frustrated me too. I walked over to where he was cleaning and without speaking a word, began to pick up the trash with him.

“You’re the girl I hired yesterday,” he snarled while shaking his head at the last bit of trash on the floor.

“Yes, I am. I’m so sorry, I didn’t catch your name the other day. My name is Kimmy,” I told him cheerfully.

He looked at me like he was constipated and I worried if he was taking care of himself. Maybe that was why he needed extra help at The Good Char.

“Dzik. Call me Dzik.”

Huh. Haven’t heard that one before. But what do I know?

I beamed and quickly went to grab the broom from his hands to alleviate him of the mundane tasks. As the manager, he shouldn’t have to do this. He was so kind in taking me in as an employee. I wanted to show him my gratitude.

While I swept, I began to nervously ramble, trying to get my bearings around him. “I figured I should come and get an early start on learning everything I could from you about my job. I mean, sweeping is sweeping no matter where you are, but the stuff behind the counter, that’s something else.”

Thank goodness there wasn't a lot of trash left. I quickly finished cleaning around our area and then gave him a brilliant smile when I was done.

Mr. Dzik was decked in all black beneath his apron. Despite being in shorts, he looked good, like he couldn’t be anything other than a manager of something here. I looked at myself and my face flushed with embarrassment.

“Oh, was I supposed to get a uniform? I’m so sorry.

That was my fault. I should have asked for one the other day.

Do you by any chance have any on hand that would fit me?

” I gave him my best puppy dog eyes and realized that beyond his grumpy exterior, he wasn’t that much older than me—I didn’t think.

He looked to be in his mid thirties, possibly.

That constipated look was back.

He shook his head and stared at me with such intensity that my face flamed even more. I tended to ramble when I was nervous and feeling like I was letting someone down. I didn’t want to let him down on my first day.

After we both finished, he mumbled something and walked behind the counter into a back room.

He wasn’t gone long before reappearing with an apron draped across his arm.

He threw it at me and I almost didn’t catch it in time if it wasn’t for my awkward acrobatics saving me before I could fall.

I turned them in my hands and examined them with pride.

The Good Char was written across the chest.

“What was your name again?” he grunted. “I have to make a name tag for you.”

I beamed at him and quickly put my apron on. “It’s Kimmy, Mr. Dzik.”

My first real job that didn’t require me working for my parents. This new experience was totally exciting for me. A woman of the world without any ties to the Ngo name. I wasn’t ashamed of my name, but I needed to do something for myself without obligation and expectation hanging over my head.

I quickly finished another round of sweeps right outside our area before following him behind the counter. Gently leaning the broom to lean against the wall, I clasped my hands in front of me and watched everything he did closely.

When he began turning things on and setting things up, I got on my tiptoes and leaned around his wide body to get a good look. I was distracted by how veiny his forearms were. I didn’t realize my breathing was picking up when he sputtered and quickly turned to look down at me with a frown.

“What are you doing?” he barked.

I smiled. “Learning!”

“Have you never worked before, girl?”

Uh oh. That constipated look was back. I straightened and squared my shoulders before looking at him innocently. I didn’t want him to think I was incompetent. I really wanted this job to work out.

“Y-yes, sir, I have. But mostly in my parents’ restaurant.

I’ve tried my hand with the wok a time or two but almost burned my hair off so they placed me elsewhere.

The back office with my parents is kind of boring, so occasionally I help on the floor.

I’ve never worked with corndogs before. We don’t serve corndogs at the restaurant. Sir. I mean, Mr. Dzik.”

“Dzik. Just Dzik.” He looked at me curiously and I tried my best to not be a bother. “You’re going to man the register for now. Get familiar with the names on the menu and the prices. We’ll go from there.”

“Yes, sir!” I saluted him and quickly positioned myself where I needed to be, taking my assignment seriously. “Oh! I didn’t know we had a breakfast menu! People actually eat corndogs for breakfast?”

“You are a peculiar human,” he grumbled as he casted his gaze in my direction before bringing out the secret batter.

I mean, it must be a secret because he doesn’t want me over there yet.

Maybe one day he’ll tell me what it was made of and I would finally understand why his corndogs are so addictive.

The first customer made his way in our direction and my excitement spiked to epic proportions. I straightened my back and waved happily only to find the elderly man continue walking past us and around the rest of the food court in a loop. Oh.

A chuckle came from behind me and I quickly turned to find Mr. Dzik—I mean, Dzik snickering.

I joined in. “That was kind of funny, wasn’t it? I totally thought he was a customer.”

Dzik shook his head as he watched the hotdogs burn on the grill that was constantly rotating. “A lot of the ancient ones come to Hellscape Mall to get their exercise in. They don’t have any interest in eating. It’s probably what preserves them.”

Some of the things he said were so funny.

“How nice! I should encourage my parents to do that too. Wait, ancient? You’re so silly Dzik. They’re not that old. That man that passed us couldn’t be older than sixty. If they’re ancient, what does that make you?” I teased.

He curled his lip into an adorable snarl and huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. I was distracted by the intricate images and flames that slithered and wrapped around his forearm when his voice pulled me back to attention.

“It makes me your damn boss. Now get back to work!” he barked.

I squealed at his sudden change in demeanor and quickly turned around and faced the heart of the mall with my heart pounding inside of my chest.

Was it wrong of me to say that it still made me excited to see what the day would bring?