The Room

Smoke filled the entire room as some of it made its way escaping through the slightly opened Windows and aeration vent. Smooth reggae music by the late Bob Marley smoothly played in the stereo system with the room barely lit.

Griffin had not been there for some weeks now as it had also been a while since he spoke to Stephano.

He choked as he tried to see through the clouds of smoke inside the room waving his hand over his face to clear his view... It was very irritating as he did not smoke weed himself... he could barely see anything but shadows of the equipment in the room as limited lighting passed through the tightly shut curtains .

"someone left this place neat I can say"

He thought sarcastically making short steps forward leaving the door wide open to let out the smoke "Oh whats that awful smell?" He frowned reaching for the bulb switch but just as he was making his way to reach it he tripped on a bottle of soda and fell right at Stephano's raised knee who screamed in pain awakened from his slumber as Griffin had actually fallen on his chest with elbow... He felt stupid as he should have been sure to find his mate high and asleep on the floor as he usually did....

"Damn nigga you wanna kill me or something

!.."

Stephano screamed in anguish gasping for air.

"Uurgh!. Oooooh my goodness f*** It hurts so bad man! Did you have to fill the whole room with smoke,, Honestly you even have everything scattered bro you are really loosing me on all these man!"

Griffin writhed in pain as he held on to his abdomen leaning on the glass table to support himself as he struggle to get up from the floor... but the pain was unbearable as he kept falling back on to Stephano... who pushed Griffin off of himself as he rolled down on his belly, facing the floor and held his chest with his fist banging the floor with his left hand...

"Enhe! lests just say we are now even man! both of us are hurt...anyway what have you been eating cause guy ...u fell on me like a suck of potatoes... you almost gave me cardiac arrests..."

Stephano tried to crack a joke as he painfully chuckled "Jah love anyway its always about Jah you know..." he added.

''Mmmh! now someone won't get a shower cause it's all about Jah ...guy you couldn't even clean up... seems this reggae shit has completely gotten to your head... please open up those curtains and windows coz I can hardly breath... you hurt me to the point I can't stand let alone stand the pain"

"Eish! Bro am sorry but you talking 'bout Jah as if He's an ordinary guy... Jah ain't no ordinary lad for you... then again He doesn't look at the outward man but the inside man...He knows I can't live no other way yet your are talking as if you do not know me... your words are hurting...shower or no shower bro Haile Selassie is still I and I"

Griffin was too pissed to talk back in addition he was also exhausted from the drive from his father's place to their shared apartment...he got up still holding on to his abdomen, his brows farrowed and eyes dark red , dragged his bag pack throwing it onto his bed which was actually full with dirty clothes and food paper wraps ...He laid on the heap and accidentally landed on a glass bottle that was mingled in the wobbling clothes... he felt pressed from behind and it made him feel uncomfortable and even more agitated asq he pulled out the bottle and threw it at the wall causing it to break into pieces...

Stephano just looked at him knowing clearly that he his friend wasn't in his right state of mind. He seemed stressed and just wanted to sleep n Stephano adding to his problems was just on another level of annoying...

It had been a long semester and the holiday itself wasn't as pleasing for Griffin... Stephano understood this and did not want to piss him even further so he got up and started to clean the room roughly throwing things around and stashing his dirty clothes under the bed...typical of him... Griffin on the other hand was a neat person though not to the extremes, he enjoyed a clean space... he didn't expect Stephano to have the room spotless but still didn't want it looking like a dump.

Stephano cleared out the ash trey threw some clothes in the drycleaning machine and took out the trash, swept the pieces of broken glass from the floor and finally opened up the curtains to light the room as Griffin had asked. He kept stealing glances from Griffin who lay motionless on His lower bunk bed with his legs suspended at the edge of the bed and his arms crossed behind his head with his eyes tightly shut... It was clear he was deeply lost in thought as he still had his shoes on and had not removed his leather jacket... it was actually very hot inside but I'd didn't seem to bother him... by this time both of their pain had subsided... but the more time passed the more Stephano got concerned as he didn't spot any movement from Griffin...

" Could he possibly be dead?"

The thought slowly filled his stomach with water as chills ran down his spine worried to death.. his face grew pale without colour .

"What if i killed the man or maybe hit him in the family jewels finishing his generation completely... Oh no!!

His feared as he thought to himself lifting his hands and held them raised behind his head helplessly. he made short steps backward and leaned on the wall... he the moved close to Griffin and pocked his lap to gauge if he would get any response or maybe he had gone to be with Jah that's if he even believe jah in the first place... however griffin did not move an inch he did not even bud an eye lid ... Stephano was petrified for a moment before he leaned close to Griffin's face and placed his face close to his nose to see if he was still breathing but surprisingly he was also not breathing ....Stephano's limbs grew weak with fear....the thought that he had killed his brother freaked him out more than anything in the world let alone be near a dead corpse... He instinctively jumped back shocked hitting his head on the upper bed then hissed in pain and finally yelled...

"Nigga this ain't a joke you cannot just die on me no!...anyway its my fault they tell me to quit smoking weed but look now...!!" He continued. helplessly regretful as he rubbed the spot which had been hit. He couldn't bring himself to touch what he now thought was Griffin's dead body so all this while he stood at the door calling out his name...

"Oya!! Wake up man. I promise next time the room will be clean I am sorry don't make a grown man like me cry, you are really freaking me out what do u expect me to tell the police?? "

Just then an abrupt though came to his head .. maybe he wasn't really dead and needed resuscitation... 'The Kiss Of Life...'

" I never thought I would come to this... kiss a guy... but a Man's got to do what a man's got to do!"

He went to his bed bent over him he then sat and put him on his laps pressing Griffin's nose with his thumb and index finger opened his mouth with the other hand but just as he was about to do something he had not completely talked himself into doing and fearing he wouldn't be able to face himself if he didn't do it Griffin suddenly woke up gasping for air as he pushed Stephano over and the exclaimed

"Hey bro am not dead! damn! you are grouse...and even if I needed help breathing I would need let you kiss me even in hell...damn no!"

He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and dropped back on the bed letting off a long deep sigh, he pushed Stephano with his left leg accidentally hitting him on the same spot he had earlier done with his elbow....a desperate attempt to save rescue his lips from the trauma of molestation....

Stephano was more than ecstatic... he got all emotional and ran to hug him covering his faces with kisses,assuming the sharp pain he felt on his upper left ribcage...

"did you have to give me such a scare to add you hit the same spot man!" he frowned Griffin pulled himself away from his embrace apologizing as he stated that Stephano should have his chest checked for any broken bone... but Stephano claimed he didn't need to cause he was okay.

Griffin removed the jacket after complaining of how hot it was... he made fun of Stephano's weed addiction and how he'd been fooled Griffin had died...he discourat him from using it, rudely joking and making fun of him...he then took off his boots and pulled out his socks throwing them near the dry cleaner ...

In an attempt to get back at Him Stephano asked

" Oya Bro are your balls still intact or do they need some boosting I can give you very soothing massages..." and laughed maniacally

as embarrassed griffin blushing asked

"what type of question is this do you expect a man like me to fall aimlessly without minding the needs of my future wife?" giving a naughty smirk

"You never know you might need help in siring children and if we don't act now it might be too late ...but don't worry I will gladly help you with mine"

"Well your are my bro I wouldn't mind"

"Anyway bro why weren't you breathing ?"

Griffin got up and bent forward a little still sifted on the bed supporting himself with his elbow held over his laps and his head sunk between his raised shoulders.

With a rather dim expression on his face he stared at Stephano who lay on the floor carpet.

"Bro honestly I am f** tired I feel as if I am drowning...this feeling suffocates the life out of me... so sometimes I just find myself laying motionless and nothing comes to mind not even the thought of breathing I literary have no controls of my vital organs especially my brain.. I feel like am in another persons body ...a walking dead.." he pinched the middle of his brows trying to understand what he had just said cause nothing made sence to him still.

"Wait I thought you and Pauline had gone to Ukunda to see your mom?"

This came as a surprise to Stephano... he didn't expect to see Griffin all messed up especially since he had been awaiting to see his beloved mother for so long... He had also not seen him this devastated since the time his parents had divorced some seven years ago.

" Actually we didn't meet her we didn't even go... I feel so bad couse I can sense that something isn't right... what kills me the most is to think that my dad could be hiding something from Audry and i ... otherwise he didn't allow us go with him to meet mum he said he would go alone giving us no valid reason as to why he bailed on us again.. I can't even remember the last time I set my eyes on my mum maybe two years ago but still that is too long what if she's in danger then again every time I bring her up my dad just brushes me off he simply ignores us.." Griffin banged the table standing up then sat down again trying to calm down..

" Pauline is my Ex- girlfriend brother not my sis... now do you see the defects of bhang for heavens sake....!" he giggled as he poked Stephano with his left leg trying to lighten up...

"hehhehe bro take it easy on me we were talking about your dad hiding stuff from you not my relationship with weed ...don't you think that maybe he is trying to protect you from something or a reality that he knows will most probably hurt you than help you?" He then got up to get himself some coffee ...but not just any simple coffee....

" do you want some?" he asked

"no thanks I know what you out in that energy drink of yours I don't want to go nuts" Griffin declined .

Stephano brewed His coffee with his special ingredient a blessing From Jah as he called it... The Holy Weed..

" don't you think its high time you quite this Holy drink you are always brewing or whatever you call it??

"Griffin have I ever come between you and your nasty habits have I ever asked you to stop drinking or from wearing those depressing colours looking like a wizard at least even witches have red hoodies for a change but you....I believe I have not meddled in your life for the longest time and you very well know how I get whenever I don't get my dose maybe if you had told me earlier... but now am hooked and even if I wanted to I cannot do anything without it...then again its a holy herb and as long as I have not affected anyone am good... even Jah himself told the Israelites to take bitter herbs on their way to Zion am also on a highway to Zion hehehe then again it has some medicinal purposes at least I don't get sick nor depressed like you..." he giggled then gave him a grin pushing his long dreadlocks behind his neck to his back to clear his view as he measured half a teaspoon of weed into the already boiling coffee...

Griffin could understand how they even got along as they were complete opposites yet they completed each other very well...

" You and these philosophies of yours you really advocate for this Holy herb as you call it but bhang is bhang and av not seen let alone heard it being mentioned in the Bible"

Stephano paused then looked at Griffin and burst Into laughter so hard that he'll almost knocked over the pot of coffee on the stove as he went down on his knees laughing hard but still his chest hurting... he made comments Griffin's refined English ascent and his many talents but he didn't see any Bible and him matching he told him bluntly that whatever he had just said didn't suit him... He had never known Griffin to be religious let alone read any religious book not even the Quran not even the bible from the Church of Satan or even the Sanskrits... he knew that they did not match... not even a little and maybe that's why he found it amusing that Griffin even tried to quote the good book ... It's clear that both of them had their own views concerning religious matters each trying to justify whatever they did that suited their taste...

Griffin was a Goth but also not that much into it... he was attracted to their mode of dressing and some other things like their music and stuff but he didn't like their obsession with skulls, death and coffins for this, he assumed Stephano's comments as Stephano went back to brewing his beverage whose aroma was very strong in the room... whether he liked it or not he's also become a passive smoker. Griffin didn't like the smell as his head had already started aching so he got up and went out as he was still thinking of his problems.

Minutes later Stephano served himself and also got Griffin some hot milk to dial down the intoxicating fumes of the weed later on following him outside with his thermos a cup and a whole mag of milk for the lad.

He found him sifted on the swing right outside their cube made of two sisal ropes tied to a branch and hooked to a tire. The mango tree had grown quite large over the years giving then a very refreshing shade from the heat of the day which also facilitated the growth of wide undergrowth... beautiful short grass that was really appealing to anyone who passed by...tempting anyone to take a nap especially at such time during the day..

He then handed the mag to Griffin and got himself comfortable on his favourite spot under the tree on a brunch that spread out intertwined with other branches forming a feature that looked like a hummock...

"Look bro I get how you feel and more than anyone else I understand you.. but then again we all go through shit and I to got a lot of it in my backyard but still don't loose yourself over some things you completely have no control over ... okay fine your dad is keeping you from your mom but don't you think the saying that goes no news is good news is actually true... look at me for example I stopped going back home I basically live here even when school is done and things stopped getting hard ,I don't have to face the drama at home anymore...you always being on my neck with my drug issue ...haven't you realised that its the only thing that keeps me sanely operating... I'm always telling you to join in the party but u don't want to now see your life.." he laughed lightly proudly taking a sip from his thermos.

"well I get you and thanks for being there for me hehehe as for the drug issue I don't think I need it but thank you wise one I guess I understand you better now..." Griffin smiled at Stephano who was still puffed up with pride having made such a valid point.

"So Griffin what have you learned from the master?? He smiled broadly

.

" the issue with our dads ... its always our dads... even though we don't always agree on various issues I think our daddy issues are what have made us great friends and very well suited for each other... two lost souls trying to lead each other,"

Griffin raised his brows twice winking at his bro as the both understood what he meant... he smiled a bit but later on both ended up laughing their ribs to death....