Jonah

Impasse. The air in the room was unmoving and stiflingly hot. Jonah stared directly ahead, where the mildew had discoloured the cream wallpaper, turning it to an unattractive shade he’d refer to as baby-shit brown, if he ever said words like shit out loud. Now would have been the perfect time to start cussing, except he couldn’t speak. His entire body had locked up, so he sat, straight-backed, on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall.1

“Jonah? Are you listening to me?”2

The hotel room was shitty. Cheap. Weren’t things like this supposed to happen in cheap, shitty hotel rooms? My, he was certainly getting used to the word ‘shit’. His eyes darted across as he wondered what other wicked things he may get used to.3

“Why don’t you take your clothes off, Jonah? We’ll get comfortable.” 4

Jonah was certain that, were he to remove his shoes, the carpet would be scratchy and rough, like the stiff bristles on a scrubbing brush. Or the bristles on a beard.5

“I can’t,” Jonah said.6

“Sure you can.”7

Calvin was everything Jonah was not. This type of hotel wasn’t new to him. He lounged and sprawled, loose-limbed and relaxed on the bed. Calvin’s eyes roamed, devoured, ghosted but never darted. The fluorescent lighting wasn’t flattering, though, and the lines around Calvin’s eyes, the slight discolouration of his teeth, and the flecks of grey in his beard were keenly visible. Odd, Jonah had always thought his boss had kept his age well. The lights left Calvin’s skin the colour of wax.8

“I’m sorry, Calvin. I can’t.”9

The wax hardened. Calvin’s smile remained but his voice had lost its cooing, gentle quality.10

“Yes,” he said, “you can. You will.”11

Impasse. Jonah’s throat constricted. He rubbed his palms against the gaudy orange coverlet. The air was so thick he thought he may drown. He wished he would drown. Drowning is a shitty way to die.12

Calvin swam through the air, bringing his face up close. His breath stank.13

“You need this promotion.” A statement of fact.14

Jonah closed his eyes. Tears would only make an unbearable situation worse. He only had his pride. Calvin’s breath touched his hear, Calvin’s hand brushed his leg, Jonah’s heart pounded in his own ears. Jonah stilled.15

“No,” he said.16

Eight steps from the bed to the door. Jonah didn’t look back, didn’t hear the threats, the outrage. He kept moving.17

Jonah opened the door. It was cooler outside. And the air moved.18