....He was all smiles and sweetness in the car on the way home and our eyes met just once in the mirror. That to come was written in them.I prepared myself.
As I got out of the car he said "You, in the bedroom".
After a while, long enough to make me sweat, he came.
He said, "Whats that stupid rubber thing youve got on your body, that top?"
He sneered.
"What is this supposed to be?", pulling at the shoulder.
I said nothing.
"Who do you think you are? That man from that stupid film?"
I said nothing. He stared at me.
He drifted over to my bookshelf, touching my babies with his disgusting, irreverent hands.
He pulled my unread copy of the holy book out of its place of honour,fingering it.
"Wheres the other?"he asked.
He always knew everything.
"In my pocket".
He snapped his fingers at me, motioning.
"Why do you need two copies of this stupid novel anyway?"
I just shrugged.
Then his etes drifted down my pants legs, scanning, always scanning.
"Whats that on your ankle?"
"A knife".
"A knife!", for a moment I thought he might laugh but instead he snapped back into mode. "What an idiot" he muttered.
There was silence for a moment then he asked me about a rumour hed heard that I owned a gun.
I thought a moment then looked right into his eyes.
"I dont own a gun", I lied.
The eyes scanned, scanned, a flicker,then a question.
"Who does then?"
"Lawrence" Another lie. My heart was pounding, then the eyes drifted away. Amazing. He did NOT know everything.
Suddenly he turned curt. "Get that top off".
I peeled it.
"By God boy its time you grew up".
I eyeballed him and he breathed his hot breathe into my face,suddenly screaming "We have a responsibility to our brothers!".
Spittle peppering my face.
Then we went outside for yet another of our boys own burnathons.
The top gave off a fine stench as it burnt.Black smoke pouring up from the funeral pire.
I wanted him DEAD....