Roberto Garcia

Roberto Garcia

February 4 2015

Short Story

Is this reality?

Normal days for Levi usually start off like this: He wakes up 30 minutes before school starts which is 6:30, he takes a 15 minute shower, takes another 5 minutes to get dressed, brushes his teeth, shaves and then he's off on the long walk to school knowing he's gonna be late. Levi was a strange guy. Tall and skinny, has black hair, bags under his eyes because he has trouble sleeping and a strange attitude. "Levi! Get up! It's time for school!" shouted his mom. Levi squirms around and seems to have trouble getting up since he stayed up til 2am.. Minutes pass and he makes great effort and gets up. "Hey mom, you got work today?" said Levi. "Yeah I'm just about to head out. Be safe Levi don't get in any trouble." His mom said. "Don't worry mom, I won't." said Levi. Levi's mom leaves and heads out. Levi rushes to get in the shower and a few minutes later he gets out. he gets dressed and hurries to leave his house to get to school. Levis walk to school takes about 20 minutes so he usually listens to music to make the walk there seem entertaining. He goes to Lincoln High School. Since he's gonna be late he decides to take his time anyway. Once he gets there he has to show his bag to security and passes through and heads to his first period class. Levi knocks on the door and Mr. Jackson opens the door. "Levi? Late again? Take your seat we're taking notes." said Mr. Jackson. Levi takes his seat next to his friend Frank. Franks a cool guy, Tall and skinny and he's been Levi's friend since freshman year. "Yo Levi this is the 3rd time this week you're late. Since its our last year here you're taking it real easy." said Frank. "Yeah I know, its senior year, I worked my ass off to get good grades so I'm just gonna chill for a bit. We're out in like 2 months anyway and these teachers are starting to not really care anymore." said Levi. "Yeah you're right I guess." said Frank. "So I made my half of the money so I can get my car. My dad said he'll take me as soon as i get out of school. Wanna come?" said Levi. "Damn dude grats! For sure I'll come just tell your dad so you guys can pick me up?" said frank. The bell rings and everyone leaves to got to their next class. Levi goes to all his next classes anxiously waiting for his last period to come because he has a girl named Violet in that class and he's had a crush on her for years. Since its Friday he has to take a lot of tests and after a long 3 hours it's finally his 8th period. Levi doesn't talk to anyone in that class. He dislikes everyone in that class except of course, Violet. The late bell rings and Levi takes his seat and after what seemed to be forever Levi begins to talk to Violet. "Hey Violet." says Levi. "Oh hey Levi. Finally manned up and decided to come talk to me huh? Got tired of just staring?" She laughs. Levi turns red and laughs. "Haha no.. So uhh Violet how are you? he says. "I'm alright. Just wanna get out of here already. Just 2 more months." said violet. "Yeah me too. It's getting boring around here. Four years in this school I'm just dying to get out." he said. "This may seem random by what do you always stare at me? says violet mysteriously. "God damn it I was afraid she would ask this.. Violet you have guts.. Fuck! What do I say.. Alright I'll just tell her" "Well I think you're magnificent. The way your beautiful green eyes sparkle in the lights, I can't help but stare.." says Levi. Violet blushes and she sends off a small smile. "Th-thank you.." she says. The bell rings and violet leaves class. Levi not knowing what to do asks her if she can go out around 5. Violet says yes and says to meet her by the lake at 5. Levi agrees and says bye. frank finds Levi at his locker. "Yo bro I'll just go to your house so you won't have to pick me up." he says. "Alright man lets go." says Levi. The two walk home. Once they arrive no ones home and Levi calls his dad and he says that he'll be there in 10 minutes. Levi heads to his room and gets his 5k he saved since sophomore year. The two head outside where they find Levis dad waiting. "Alright boys let's go." says Levis father. They all head to the used car dealership and Levi looks for the Jeep he's had his eyes set on for months. Once he finds it he calls the dealer and his dad over. Its a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. After a talk with the dealer he says that the price is 8k. Levi puts in 4k and his dad puts the rest. Levi thanks his dad and hugs him as his dad gets in his car and heads back to work. Levi and Frank get in the jeep and leave the lot. Levi heads over to the car wash. Frank helps Levi clean the interior while Levi cleaned the exterior. After a whole hour of cleaning the two leave the jeep looming and smelling great. Levi says "Thanks bro" and Frank just nods with a happy look on his face. Levi heads to the gas station and fills tank completely, he then heads back home and drops Frank off at his house. Levi heads home to get ready to go see Violet. 30 minutes and he was ready, put on his favorite skinny jeans, a white button down and his favorite blue sweater over it and his favorite aldos. He sprays a bit off his Acqua Di Gio and he leaves his house ready to see Violet.

Levi drives down to the park and heads to the lake. He parks his car and gets out and looks for violet. He finds her sitting at the edge of the lake by the rocks wearing some dark blue jeans and a maroon cardigan."God she's beautiful.." He taps her on the shoulder and freaks her out. "God dammit Levi you scared the fuck out of me!" she says. Levi laughs "Sorry about that." he says. Levis sits down and they talk for a good 20 minutes. "You look good Levi" she says. Levi smiles and says "Thank you Violet, you look good too. I think its time that we leave..". Violet nods and they begin to walk. "Wanna get some food? Chinese? Mexican?" says Levi. "Chinese sounds great right now. It's my favorite" says Violet. The two head to Levi's favorite Chinese restaurant and they both order teriyaki chicken with fried rice. "So how are you feeling about us almost being done with school?" says Levi. "I'm a bit excited actually. I got a full ride to Yale. My perfect grades and hard work got me a full ride." says Violet. Levi in shock says "Thats g-great! Congrats!"  The two finish their food and Levi asks for the bill. The waiter hands him the bill and 2 fortune cookies. Levi gives Violet one. "Do you ever believe your fortune?" says Levi as he opens his cookie. "No not really." says Violet. Levi crack his cookie open and he takes the paper out and it reads "Your life is in danger." Levi in shock throws the paper out and eats his cookie. "What did it say?" asked Violet. "It said someone will give you an unexpected gift." "I wonder who that would be" says Violet as she laughs. Silence breaks out and the two don't say anything for a few minutes. Levi leans in and kisses Violet on the lips. He tells her how he's been feeling about her for so long and tells her that she's beautiful. Violet doesn't say anything afterwards and the two leave the restaurant. Violets jumps in Levi's car and Levi drives her to her house.The two sit in the car for 5 minutes. "Thanks for today Levi.. I had a good time." says Violet. "No need to thank me. Thank you for saying yes." says Levi. Violet grabs Levi by the back of his hair and she begins to kiss him very passionately. Violet gets out of the car and she leaves. Levi waits for her to get in her house and then he drives away. "I wonder what that fortune meant… Maybe it's just someone in the business trying to fuck with someone."

Levi lays in his bed all night thinking of Violet but mostly worried about what the fortune cookies said. Levi hears a strange noise coming from downstairs and he gets out of room quietly so he doesn't wake his parents. Levi heads downstairs and goes to the living room and finds the tv on. He shuts it off and goes to the bathroom. Levi takes his contacts off and puts on his glasses. He looks in the mirror and notices cuts on his chest. Strange deep cuts. "Woah! How did I not feel this.. what the fuck.." Levi heads back to his room and lays down. After another hour of thinking about the cookie and the cuts on his chest he finally falls asleep. Weeks pass and school is finally over. Levi and Violet go out every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. "Ring ring ring" "Hello?" says Levi. "Yo bro lets chill today!" says Frank. "Alright man I'll get ready." says Levi. He hangs up and gets ready. Levi picks Frank up and the two go on a cruise downtown. "So how ya been man?" says Frank. "I've been good. been chilling with Violet every other day." says Levi. "That's cool man. You look strange bro. You feeling alright? Your face looks real pale. You look like death." says Frank. "Oh shit really? I feel perfectly fine." says Levi. "Well just take care of yourself man." says Frank. Levi parks his car by the shore and pulls out a cigarette and the two smoke and listen to music for hours. After a while Levi starts driving and Frank is sleeping. Levi drives him back home and he wakes him up and gets out. Frank says thanks and he leaves. Levi drives back home. He gets home and finds no one home. He finds a letter on the counter saying that his mom and dad had gone to spend the weekend at his grandmas house because she had gotten very sick. Levi tries calling but he hears both of their phones go off in their room. Levi finds it very strange that they would leave their phones home. A week passes and his parents aren't home yet. Levi begins to worry. He tries to call his grandmas house but no one picks up either. Levi calls Violet and they decide that they're gonna hang out so Levi can get his mind off things and so he doesn't start over thinking things. Levi picks up Violet and they head back to his house. "So Levi what's up with your parents? It's like they vanished or something." says Violet. "I don't know. I don't know if I should be worried or not. I hope they'll be home soon." says Levi. The two go down to the living room to watch some movies. Violet starts kissing Levi and they start to get into it. "Bang!" a super loud noise comes from the wall. Both Levi and Violet and get up and freak out. "I think we should get it out Levi." says Violet. Levi goes upstairs to his parents room where the loud noise came from. He opens the door and checks to see what happened. He notices that the mirror had fallen.. He picks it up and he see his mom in the reflection. He shakes his head and closes his eyes and then checks again and this time he sees his mom hanging from the ceiling fan. Dead pale skin and the noose around her neck is so tight that her blood filled eyes look as if they're about to pop. Levi puts the mirror down and runs downstairs. He looks for Violet and finds that she's gone. Levi calls Frank to see if he can stay at his place but he doesn't answer. Levi goes to his car and takes a blanket so he can sleep there. Terrified of what he had seen he falls asleep instantly. Days pass and Levi finally starts to sleep in his house again. His parents still haven't been home and now Levi hasn't seemed to hear or see Frank or Violet.

Levi spends his days in his house not going out except to get food. He wakes up, eats, then sleeps the rest of the day. "Levi!" a voice from a distance is heard. Levi wakes up and sees that Violet is laying next to him. In shock Levi asks "What are you doing here!?". Violet wakes up and says "Oh hey Levi how did you sleep?". "What are you doing here?" says Levi. "What do you mean Levi? You called me last night and asked me if I could stay here." says Violet. "I don't remember anything from last night.." says Levi. "Well you better get up Levi let's go get some food downstairs." said Violet. The two head downstairs and Violet cooks some mickey mouse shaped pancakes. The two eat pancakes and watch tv. "Hey Levi I'm gonna take a small nap." said Violet. "Alright I'll wake you up later." said Levi. Hours pass and Violet is still sleeping. Levi gets up and goes up to his parents room where he finds his parents sleeping. In shock Levi wakes them up and he hugs them. "where have you been?" said Levi. His parents don't say a word and Levi gets out of their room. He checks one more time and sees that they weren't there. "Am I going crazy?" Levi goes in his room and lays down. Minutes later he hears something fall inside his closet and he finds his dad there tied down and his thumbs cut off. Levi jumps back and he unties his dad. His dad barely alive says "It was her. It was Violet! She tortured me and your mom. She kept us locked and tied down in the basement for days. We heard you walking upstairs everyday. We wondered if you would ever come down." "How did you get here in my room?" said Levi. "She put me in her last night when you were sleeping." said his father. "And mom what about her?" asked Levi. "Your mom is dead.. She killed her weeks ago. Your mom threatened her and she hung her." said his father in a low but terrified voice. "Levi. Where are you?" says Violet as she comes up the stairs. "Stay away from me!" says Levi. Violet comes in the room and stares at him and his beat father for a long time. "Soo.. you finally found him huh?" says Violet. "Why would you do this!" screams Levi. Violet stays quiet as she pulls a knife from her boot. Levi in anger attacks Violet and he takes the knife away from her. "Get off me!" yells Violet. Levi takes the knife and he slits her throat. Blood splatters all over his bedroom floor. Levi's father barely alive says "What have you done?" as he falls to the ground. Minutes pass and Levi storms out of his house. Sirens wailing and a policed man yells at Levi saying "Get on the ground!". Levi sees Frank standing by the police man. The police grab Levi and they handcuff him and throw him in the back of the police car. Levi passes out in the back of the car.

"Wh-where am I?" whispers Levi as he wakes up. His vision is blurry, his head spinning and his body is immobilized. Minutes pass and he starts to get a hold of himself. He looks down and he notices that he's in a white hospital robe and in a whited out room. Levi gets up and starts slamming on the plastic windows. "Get me out of here!" he yells. A door opens and Levi gets out. Levi looks for someone who might be inside but doesn't find anyone. After an hour of searching the what seems to be enormous building Levi finds a room full of screens. He turns the tv's on and he finds videos of himself playing. They show his graduation, when he got his car and many more moments after graduation. Not once does he see Violet. The videos continue playing and they show something he couldn't believe. "Levi stop!" yells a woman. "No no what am I doing" says Levi from the tv. Levi can't believe what he is seeing. "Levi please stop!" yells the woman. Levi cuts the woman who is his mother and he cuts her shins as she falls to the ground he punches and beats her, he then proceeds to slice her throat. "No no.." whispers Levi. He stops the videos and realizes that he killed his parents and that violet was never real. Levi runs out of the video room and he runs down the hall. He takes off his shoe and unlaces them both and ties the laces around his neck. He gets on top of a nearby desk and he stands on it as he ties the other end of the lace to the hook hanging from the ceiling. As he is about to step off the desk and a grey figure enters the room and grabs him and throws him back into the white room he was originally in. Through the plastic window Levi can see the gray figure. It was very tall and skinny, it only had eyes, no nose, no mouth. Levi in shock jumps back and he says "who are you?" the grey figure says nothing. As time passes Levi falls asleep. Days pass and Levi wakes up and he sees the grey figure in the room. More like the grey figure enter the room and they gather around him. Levi yells for help and the grays rip of his arms. The grays put Levi in the video room and they play the video of Levi torturing and killing his parents over and over and over again.. The arm less Levi gets of his chair and as he lies on the floor he bleeds out and slowly dies for the nightmare to be over.