Real Fiction

0

The vibration of his cell phone carried Evan from the dream world into reality. In a stupor, he rolled out of his double air mattress to gaze at the tiny LCD on his phone with almost no intention of answering it. It was Erica. She must of misinterpreted this day as a good day, for the sun was shining and there was no inkling of rain, no threat of nuclear holocaust.

The aftermath of sleep left Evan confused and cynical; he spent the next ten minutes reciting nonsensical dream conversations and sorting illogical dream sequences in his mind but to no avail. He got no answers from his rehash of random dream scenes. Evan proceeded to his chair, powered on his computer, and untangled his headphones which sat on top of his broken TV. He pulled the last cigarette out of his camel light pack and sparked it up. Evan moved the mouse and clicked it twice. The sounds of melodic, math-core music entered his ears. Evan was fully awake now.

But it wasn't the smooth, loud music or the smooth, light cigarette that brought reality to his full attention. In fact, Evan lowered the volume on his computer and put out his cigarette. He stripped off his headphones and listened intently to the loud and consistent knocks on the front door. Loud knocks interspersed with dings of the doorbell implied someone desperately wanted in. Evan opened the door to his room only to see his friend Anton in full military garb yelling, and his half-dressed roommate, Yuri, trying to console him.

"This world is screwed, I'm telling you guys," Anton shouted with a look of consternation.

"I've never seen so many fighter jets and military vehicles in one day!" he yelled as he waved his hands in the air.

Evan didn't need to listen to Anton, the seasoned veteran, for he felt the intense pressure in the room building beyond his worst fears. Images of nuclear bombs and bomber jets flashed into his mind as he stared at his friends who frantically powered on the living room TV. Evan felt as if he traveled back in time to 9/11 when two commercial airplanes flew into the world trade center. But today was no day for terrorism or pretense for war, like pearl harbor.

1