When I opened my eyes, the blinding light from my parted curtain pushed me to immediately shut it. I could feel this slight headache knocking at the back of my head. I sighed. This is an experience I can never get used to. I stretched a little and yawned. It was almost 11:00 am and I still hugged my bed like a little child would its mother's breasts.

I just couldn't stand up. I felt like my whole body had gone through some hectic exercise while I slept. This has been going on for some time.

"Dude, what if you can't move your legs?" I heard the voice for the first time.

"No na, I go fit move my legs." I replied moving my legs.

"I know na. I just say make I carry you play small. Na small, small you go carry mad. E no go tay you go pull cloth enter road." The voice whispered again. I knew that voice. It is my voice. I have spoken with it a thousand times. It is soft and cajoling with a tinge of humour added to it. If you don't listen well, you might the think the voice is cracking a joke when it is as serious as hell.

"God forbid make I mad. No be me be the first person wey begin smoke weed na." I responded.

The voice went quiet for a while as if trying to think up something to say. I closed my eyes again. I won't be going to no office today, at least, not at the moment. I felt I should continue sleeping. As sleep stole me away gently again, the voice came back on.

"You fit remember which primary school you attend?"

"Yes na... Lypson Quality Nursery and Primary School." I answered. I knew I spoke loudly but that was to check if I could hear my own voice.

"Ehen... So you never forget anything?" The voice asked.

"Never! I no ever fit. My brain dey well."

"But you know say you supposed reduce your intake shey? Na small small your brain dey carry shrink o." It more or less advised me.

"I go try. But you need to understand. This country no be as e be before. Things don change. Everywhere don scatter. Everybody dey mad for here." I felt pity for myself.

"So because the country scatter, you wan scatter your brain so that you go mad enter street abi?"

"No na... I just dey smoke ne to keep my mind together. If I stop to dey smoke, na that time I go mad. It is an irony that what's suppose to make us go insane is what's keeping us sane in this country." I opened my eyes again. There was someone at the door.

"Try stop this weed abeg." That was the last thing the voice said before going quiet. I don't know if it would come back.

I looked at the door. My burglary shook. Someone was trying to get in. I closed my eyes slightly.

"Joey... Won't you go to work today?" She asked.

I opened my eyes to see my neighbour smiling. I shook my head slightly. I don't know if she saw my bloodshot eyes.

"Anyways, I came to tell you that I passed my exams. I scored 246 points." She said and started dancing.

I laughed within me. I was still feeling the effect of the marijuana smoke that had lulled me to sleep. She is happy she would be getting admitted this year. Well, I was happy for her too. Getting in is easy, staying in is the main job. I know a number of people that couldn't stay in. They are still missing to this day.

"Congratulations..."

The words came out of my mouth as I stood up and moved towards my bathroom. I stopped abruptly and pointed at my marijuana stash.

"Please take that with you when you are leaving. Dispose it. I quit smoking today!" I said with a lot of conviction in my voice.

"You sure?" The voice asked.

"Are you sure?" She asked moving towards the stash.

"No, I'm joking. I will make up my mind tomorrow." I replied.

This is truly a battle that needs to be won. I must stand and fight. I must clean myself of the toxins.

I said all of the above to myself as I urinated. I came back to my stash, picked my rolling paper and rolled me a blunt.

"I will stop someday." I consoled myself.

The end

Cool One I Feel Like Quitting Now

nice story