Falice 2

Charles

Charles was only seventeen years old when he finally managed to liberate himself from the group home he was literally born into.

He heard about a tunnel some of the other boys used to sneak out from at night. It lead into Fox Forest. He slipped out from said tunnel under the facility and made a run into town. It was dark and cold considering it was the middle of the night.

But prior to his escape he snuck around the institution for his file. It was well hidden until he got lucky and found it in a locked cabinet.

His curiosity always brought his mind to the thought of his family. He wondered who he belonged to. Why he was at the Sisters. Why everything that happened to him happened. He wanted answers more than anything. It wasn't about the hard feelings anymore. It was about wanting to be a part of a real family. His family.

That's when he found her name. His mother. She was listed in his file as Alice Smith. With that little bit of information he left in search for her.

He spent that night at the only place he found open thanks to a kind soul. It was the heart of Riverdale after all.

Pop Tate was cleaning around the diner when he noticed the boy outside in the cold. He set his broom aside and walked to the door. "Hey!" He called out to the unknown young man. Charles looked at him nervously. He didn't mean to cause any trouble. It was the last thing he wanted. "You're shivering! How about you come inside?" Charles didn't hesitate to come to a decision. He had been walking in the cold for far too long.

Pop put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh dear, the frostbite wasn't too far from claiming you. Come on in, son. I'll get you something warm to drink."

"But I don't have any money," Charles quietly confessed.

"Don't you worry about that. It's on the house. Go take a seat for me."

Charles shyly walked over to the counter and took a seat. Pop went into the kitchen quickly. He came back with a hot chocolate and placed it in front of Charles. "Here drink this." Charles reached for it and took a sip. His body felt relieved with the warm tingly feeling coming from the drink. "Are you hungry?"

Charles slowly nodded. He was quite content with the drink though. "Do you want anything in particular? I'll make it for you." Pop placed a menu down in front of him. Charles stared at it. He had no idea what to ask from him. He didn't want to impose. The man was already doing so much by letting him in. "Take your time. It looks like you have quite the story to your name."

"I'm okay with anything."

"Okay, I'll surprise ya. Just sit tight." Pop went back into the kitchen to prepare him a meal. Charles sat in silence for a few minutes. He finished the hot chocolate faster than he intended. It kept him whole. "What's your name?" Pop asked as he brought him a plate of food.

"Charlie," Charles answered.

"Tell me, Charlie. What's got you out so late? Your parents must be worried about you."

Charles didn't say anything. He looked down at his food. "Where were you heading? Do you have anywhere to go." He sheepishly shook his head no. "Okay," Pop said. "I don't mind you sticking around. It would be nice to have company with my missus out of town visiting her folks." He offered him a kind smile. "I think you would much rather stay here than get lost out there somewhere."

Charles spoke up after a longer period of silence between them. Pop was finishing up cleaning while he ate. "Do you know a woman named Alice Smith?"

"Alice Smith." He repeated to himself as he thought out loud. "Ah, Mrs. Alice Cooper, you mean. Indeed I do. She's a regular here with her husband and their sweet, sweet little girls."