Copper gives a gun to Dennis who is looking through the window. Shot directed by Rosie Murray. - Anthony minott

by Wednesday Reed, STAR Writer

Copper hands Dennis something to hide. But, little does Dennis know the trouble it is about to bring.

The sound of an insistent voice pulled Dennis out of sleep, urging him unwillingly into consciousness. A moon hung bright and heavy, illuminating most of the room and its clutter.

"Yo, Dennis!" the voice came again.

"Who dat?" Dennis responded, letting go of the hope that he was imagining the interruption.

"Look here no man!" the semi-whisper came again.

"Who dat?" Dennis called, refusing to go to the window until the speaker identified himself.

"Wha'ppen bredren. Yuh haunted or something? Come to di window man."

Cooper begs favour

Reluctantly, Dennis went over to the window and yanked at it. It tended to stick on the way up and slam on the way down, so he was careful. With one hand ensuring the window remained open, he poked his head out the window and spotted Copper, who would have had trouble hiding in full darkness. "Copper, wha' yuh want?" Dennis asked, annoyed.

"Mi need a favour bredren."

"Yeah," he said suspiciously. He knew Copper must be feeling desperate to come to him. They tolerated each other, but there was no liking on either side. "Wha kina favour?"

"Mi just inherit a ting and mi want you fi keep it fi mi till tings cool off."

"You come into inheritance? Who dead?" Dennis said laughing. As far as he knew, Copper had no family.

"Never mind dat man. Mi just need you fi hol' on pon dis fi mi."

"Alright. Pass it no, mek mi see."

Copper reached into the knapsack slung across his torso and pulled out a crumpled paper bag which he handed to Dennis. Taking the package, Dennis released the window and reached into the bag. The content was cold and heavy in his hand. He pulled out and it glistened in the moonlight.

"Copper, a wha di blurtneet dis you bring come a mi yard, bredren?" He said, forgetting to keep his voice at a whisper.

"Shhh! Just keep it fi mi no man. How you a gwaan so?"

"Copper, mi no inna di gun ting."

"Bredren, mi tink you did say you a t'ug. Just keep it fi mi likkle bit man. Tings a gwaan hot pon my ends. Mi naa ask you fi do nutten wid it. Just hold it fi mi till mi come fa."

The anxiety in Copper's voice fuelled Dennis' worry.

"Copper, wha' gwaan? A hope you naa get mi mix up inna nothing, y'know."

"Nothing naw gwaan man. Mi just need fi get rid a it fi a likkle while."

"Yo, Copper, dis naw work fi mi star! Yuh deh pon yuh own!"

Dennis had forgotten to keep the window propped up and it chose that moment to hurtle closed." "Dennis?" came his mother's voice from just outside the door. "What was that?"

"It's just the window, Mommy. I did forget to kotch it up."

"Well, is the middle of the night, it should be closed anyway."

"Yes 'ommy." He listened for her to leave then reopened the window, but Copper was nowhere in sight.

Next: Rose discovers Mark's affair.