Chapter One: Noodles

An alarm went off in the back of the Chinese restaurant. Charlie slowly lifted his head from his cot that was slightly too small for his long, tall body. He rubbed his eyes and looked around his room, which was actually a pantry scattered with fortune cookies, noodles, and cans with Chinese writing on it Charlie couldn't understand. All the possessions Charlie owned in the world were in this room: a book bag full of spray paint cans and various tools he could break into cars with, a old duffel bag full of clothes, and a faded Chock-full-O-Nuts coffee can. He also now had a cot Ms. Wong had bought him from a thrift store, and some sheets that smelled faintly of General Tso's chicken. Ms. Wong seemed nice enough, he worked for a meager wage and had free lodging which was better than the last six months of Charlie's life when he was living on a freight train.

Charlie climbs out of bed, and steps out the back door to roll a joint, he needs the pot to make the pain go away. Everyday starts with a good smoke. It was still dark outside, he didn't need to worry about getting caught in the act. In good light, anyone could see the hardcore tattoos covering his arms like sleeves, and his jet black hair which tends to be shaggy. His frame is skinny, but his appearance is tough and strong, like he has been through a lot in his life; even though he is only 19. He lights up, and gets lost within his mind, he thinks about how his mother could have grown up in a shit hole town like this and what chores Ms. Wong will make him do today. Suddenly a vision for his master piece flashes in his head, quickly, Charlie pulls out a notepad a scribbles down his idea. The joint has started to burn his fingers, and he stomps it out on the ground near the dumpster. "Well good fucking morning," he says to himself as he walks back inside. He wonders why he is even here in this shit hole town when he could be back in his Brooklyn appartment with his girl. He misses her more and more, and he hopes she misses him back. Then he remembers his important mission and shakes off his doubts.

Ms. Wong arrives soon after and says, "Charlie, you make a noodles, okay?" Charlie nods his head and starts rolling out the noodle dough. Soon it is lunch time, and the restaurant gets crowded. Charlie is frying chicken and egg rolls now and boiling rice. Suddenly, he hears a laugh that reminds him of his childhood. Unknowingly, he runs out of the kitchen up to the counter only to come face to face with some young woman, not the one he misses. He slinks back into the kitchen and asks Ms. Wong for a break. Then he walks outside, and quitely sobs for five minutes straight. He hears someone coming and quickly wipes away the salty tears. "You alright sonny?" a strange, old man asks. Charlie looks him dead in the eye and says, "Fuck off grandpa." Then he turns to walk back inside the resturaunt. The old man then says, "I know you miss her, but keep focused on your mission Charlie, you have to for her sake. Everyone must remember her." Charlie spins around quickly, but the old man has seemingly vanished. Shaking off the strange string of events involving the mysterious old man, Charlie says to himself, "Shit. That pot has got to be laced with some sketchy shit."