Quit

• Ayasha Shaikh, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2021

Neon lights flooded the expanse lightening up the grinning faces of hypnotic partygoers. Bringing a cigar to his lips Alex flicked on the lighter. The fiery sensation hit his lungs as he took a long, deep drag, craning his head back before puffing out a steady stream of white smoke. He felt the nicotine rush through his veins as a hazy, pleasant fog settled on his mind. “Yo Connor smoke up man,” his mate Zeke insisted. “Nah man..don’t ya think that’s enough,” stammered Connor. “I think that you’ll be 86ed from the gang if ya don’t quit acting like a wimp” scoffed Zeke. Alex watched as Connor hesitated before picking a cigar, flinching as Zeke thumped him on the back with praise.

***

Alex woke with a start as he heard loud wheezing coughs. “Mamaa you’re having a coughing fit again,” he frowned. “Alex git me a cig,” his mother snapped. Flinching, Alex reached for a cigar and watched the tension leave her as she exhaled the drag. His stomach tightened as he noticed the wrinkles spotting her pretty face, the bald patches on her scalp left by her thinning hair and the missing teeth from her once elegant smile. Mamaa was a heavy smoker. Sighing, he quietly left her room.

***

Alex tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk, growing agitated by the second. Somewhere in the background the teacher rambled on about something. He rubbed his face as a pulsing headache pounded through his skull. As the bell rang, he shot to his feet and shoved his way through the corridors to the bathroom.He hesitated as the image of his mother resurfaced in his mind. But the suffocating need spread throughout his body, burning his insides. With trembling hands he lit the cigar and sagged against the wall, his chest heaving as the ache dulled.

***

On the way home, Alex saw a man passing by suddenly lose balance and fall to the floor, his entire body twitching and shaking. He rushed to his side and dialed 911, fear clawing up his throat.

***

“Young man...3 kids,” one doctor’s voice filtered into Alex’s mind. Tears cascaded down his face, as he relieved the memory of the man’s life seeping out of him with one last rattling cough. “Yes doctor...suffered a stroke...long time smoker.” another doctor whispered. “Young man, kindly leave the room, the patient's family is here to see him one last time,” the nurse gently told Alex. Without a word, he heaved himself up and left the room.

***

The familiar blare of loud pop was a distant sound in Alex’s mind. The burning desire swelled in his chest. His was an unruly soul, bursting with insatiable need. “Nah, I’ll pass,” Alex said as the gang all turned to stare at him. Alex met Connor’s eyes with a small smile as Zeke laughed. “Yah sure,” he teased, passing him the cigar. Alex looked into his eyes, and with a confident smile he announced “I quit.”