Page 22 of The Good Char
“Come on man, let’s just go and grab something from The Flaming Chopstick,” one of them whispered, keeping his eyes averted.
Pathetic.
Once they all scrambled away, I returned behind the counter and crossed my arms, glaring in their direction.
Time clicked by slowly and I debated whether to follow them after they left the mall.I would show them exactly what I could do with a piece of rubber… and the flames of hellfire.
"I want a weiner with avocado and bacon on top."
Snapping my eyes to the customer in front of me, I curled my lip without offering a response.Flexing my forearms to hold myself back from murder, my muscles rippled beneath my flesh suit, the skin on my back beginning to tear beneath my clothes.
I wouldn’t hear the end of it if the other guys heard about random corndog murder scenes that led to my temporary prison being shut down.I could only imagine what other punishments the master would have in store for me.The Good Char was already sending me over the edge.I’d sooner jump into a vat of fire before being placed somewhere like that foul store on the other side of Hellscape Mall that looked as though a pink monster exploded and painted the interior with its entrails.
The teenager scoffed, refusing to leave my presence."Come on, man!Don't you know anything about gourmet hotdogs?Avocado and bacon are the way to go!"
My eye twitched right before my hand shot out with a crunch right into his face.His body flopped like the dead as he landed face first into the floor, eliciting gasps of horror around us.
“Someone call an ambulance!”
“What are they fighting over?”
“Weiners…”
I leaned over the counter and snarled at his unconscious form."You should thank me.You won’t be able to see your boils anymore, just a fist print.Anything else with that knuckle sandwich?"I grinned.
Chapter14
KIMMY
My new apartment was sparse,but it was the best I could do while divvying up the money I currently had appropriately.I needed to play it smart if I was to be successful.
If my parents found out I snuck out to buy an apartment and failed, I wouldn’t be able to live it down.It would be worse than when they found out about me working at The Good Char.
“What now, Kimmy?You got a roof over your head and a chair that came with the apartment.How are you going to sleep?”A few tenants scurried across the room's floor.Ewww, okay, bug spray was a must.When one ran up the wall, I watched him like a hawk and screamed as it took flight.
I bit my bottom lip and sucked in my pride.There was no way around it.I was going to have to stay at my parents house.These flying creatures gave me the heebie jeebies.That settled it, I needed a few more days to figure something out.Maybe I could look up used furniture in the paper, just for the time being.
I cringed at the thought of a used mattress.Who knew what kind of cooties it had?
“Ugh!”
I threw my hand in the air before hanging my head.Maybe I was going to have to stay with my parents for another month, save up some more money while working for Mr.Dzik.
I wanted to cry.My dreams deflated as I slowly backed away and locked the door to my apartment.Sniffing, I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and startled when I saw a man down the hall stare at me.He gave me a soft smile and I gave one back before leaving the building in embarrassment at having been caught in my feelings in front of a stranger.
I needed to make sure I saved face despite how much of a mess I was feeling on the inside.I didn’t need anymore gossip to reach my parents’ ears.
Swinging my leg over my bicycle seat, I pedaled back to my parents’ house and let the air dry the tears on my cheeks.
Walking my bicycle to the side of the house, I internally gave myself a pep talk before I walked through the front door.
My parents sat at the kitchen table, my mother sipping her tea quietly as my dad flipped through the newspaper.No words were exchanged as I nimbly walked up the stairs with as little sound as possible and prepared for a shower.
I needed to relax my muscles and wash away the evidence of the day.In fact, I lost my appetite on the way here with thoughts of how much cooking tools would cost for my new apartment.
Maybe Mr.Dzik will allow me to take some of the leftover corndogs home after the shop closes.I never knew what he did with them and assumed he just threw them away because he always made a new batch when I arrived.
Massaging my scalp, I yelped in surprise when my restroom door slammed open.
