[https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*Kn54csdD__ahw9vhc92M0g.png]

A car angrily honks at Arious as he swerves out of the way. After you spent the previous day dodging bullets, dodging cars on your skateboard isn’t a big deal. He skates past an electronic store, almost knocking over some workers. They swear at him, like they do whenever he passes.

He stops at an alley. A man practices Tai Chi and nods at Arious who does the same. As he walks, there is a symphony of dogs who bark. He can’t hear it because he’s listening to music on his iPhone. He stops at a metal gate, facing the rear of the connected buildings. There is a lingering odor associated with the restaurant, and depending on who you are, it might be pleasant. He finally manages to locate his key and opens the gate. Chickens caw from a cage and he reaches into his pocket and tosses something inside. The chickens scramble and peck at their new meal. Arious stands near a grated metal door. He takes a deep breath and then opens his book bag. He removes the scroll, opens and looks at it.

The Forgotten Hand style is mesmerizing. Although he can’t understand the text, visually it looks like poetry. While studying the document, he does see four characters that represent each Neverending Master. He has an idea and places the scroll back into his bag.

He enters a kitchen, where there are two men working. They nod and he does the same. He places his bag on a counter and grabs an apron, from an area there are several crates full of fresh vegetables as well as several large sacks of rice.

His father Yung, enters the kitchen. As his name suggests, he looks younger. He’s beginning to gray but has always maintained a slim build thanks to Tai Chi.

“What’s up Arious?” says Yung.

“Hey Yung,” says Arious.

“I need you to wash and cut the celery. After that, please unpack the forks and cups.”

Arious nods.

“I also need you work a double. Is that okay?”

Arious nods and Yung looks at him skeptically.

“I also can’t pay you this week and next week too. Okay?”

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Arious nods.

Yung stands in front of him.

“Arious, what happened to you?”

Arious glances at Yung and can’t make eye contact. He focuses on removing vegetables from the crates. Yung checks in on the other two workers. He tastes something and they nod in approval. The phone rings and as Yung walks out of the kitchen, and looks at Arious briefly.

The workers look at Arious and then one another. One of them hunches his shoulders and then they start to speak in their native tongue. Arious unpacks the vegetables, and normally, he would place them in neat piles, but today, the onions, cucumbers and celery, they’ve all been unpacked and placed in one unorganized pile.

Sue walks into the rear of the restaurant and jokes with one of the workers. She turns her attention towards Arious. She’s somewhere in her late thirties and could pass and often passes for a decade younger. She sees the pile and looks at her adopted son, knowing that someone he wrong.

“Arious. Arious”

Arious snaps out of his waking vision of scrolltext movement. She looks into his eyes. There is confusion, anger, fear, and doubt. Sue places and hand on his shoulder.

“Arious, please wash the dishes. You can separate the vegetables later.”

Arious nods.

“Arious, what is wrong?” asks Sue, rubbing his arm.

“Nothing really, I’m fine. I’m okay.”

Sue playfully gives him a condescending look. The two laugh and she continues in front. Arious makes his way to the sink where a pile of pots awaits him. He turns on a small television that sits above the sink. He keeps changing until he reaches a channel.

David: Buenas tardes Nueva York! I’m David Alverado.

Nora: And I’m Nora Ortiz!

Both: Welcome to the Subway City News!

David: New York City was ravaged by the crack epidemic in the eighties, now the city deals with the emergence of a drug known as Ying Yang.

Arious watches, and on the screen, he can see a police officer holding a small plastic package with a mixture of white and black crystals. The officer turns over the package and on the screen, there is a Ying Yang symbol.

David: The high potency drug, delivers and addictive high has proven to be fatal when taken in large quantities.

On the screen, there are people lying in the street and then later, placed in an ambulance.

David: Mayor Maynard has appointed a special task force to stop the epidemic before it spreads.

Nora: In other news, police in Chinatown have been baffled by another report of grave robbing. For a reported third time, a corpse has been removed from a grave. Locals in the community have suggested that the theft is related to witchcraft and sorcery, an ancient practice known as Soul Stealing.

David: Soul Stealing huh? I wish someone would give the Knicks a soul!

Both of the anchors laugh.

At that very instant, in another section of Chinatown, a television is turned off. Meng sighs heavily.

“How can this be? Why now?” Meng thinks to himself. But as he thought on the matter, he knew it was no coincidence.

Meng stands and looks towards his window. He pounds his hand and slips a curse.

“Why now?” he thinks to himself.