Shifted Reality Book One: Just AI

Something's Changing: Jonathan

I watched Lisa as she walked to her locker then headed to her class. For years, I've been wanting to ask Lisa out. She is the most beautiful girl in the world. Not only that, but she's smart, funny, and full of personality. I wouldn't change her for anything. She was the only girl who seemed real in this world. Lisa was the only girl in this world for me. One thing I loved was that I could just vent to her all day long. She knows nearly everything about me. Things like how my father was a heavy drinker and smoker. There are many scars on my skin left from cigarettes. My old man and I just don't get along. Maybe the reason is I know he killed my mother. It's my worst nightmare, or at least one of them.

I can remember it so clearly now, it's scary. It was a late August night. My mother had been working hard to cook a perfect dinner. After getting my chores done, I had gone upstairs to do my homework. Finally my father got home. He was drunk and pissed.
"HONEY STOP IT!" My mother screamed from downstairs.
I ran down the steps frantically. My father was slapping my mother. He held onto her hair as he punched her, kicked her, threw her around and beat her. Soon I could hear the cracking of bones. I was terrified. A seven year old shouldn't be watching this stuff. After a few moments, I snapped back into reality and ran towards my father. He put his hand up and punched me in the face then grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.
"Drunken bastard," I hissed, anger flaring behind my eyes.
My father slammed me down hard, my leg cracking as it hit the floor. I bit my tongue to hold back the cry of pain that wanted to escape me. My father threw me against the wall, then grabbed the knife my mother had been using to cook. His face turned into a dark, sinister smile. My mother was in tears, shaking with fear as my father kneeled down next to her.

"Don't dare let your child disobey me again!" my father yelled as he slit my mother's throat.
She made a strangled, choking gasp or shriek. My father dropped the knife and left us alone. I struggled to stand and in the end had to drag myself over to my mother's body. By the time I got to her, it was too late. She was just a lifeless corpse. My father murdered her in front of my eyes. He was taken to court, but the case ended in his favour. My father was sentenced to one month in jail, and gained full custody of me once he was back out of prison. That murderer, that demon, that killer, that blood thirsty alcoholic, he raised me. I promised myself that no one else would end up like my mother. I would protect the one I love until the day I die. Then one day mother, I will avenge you.

I shook my head and looked around me. Some point while reliving my mother's murder, I must have walked to my math class. The teacher was writing notes on the board. Randomly, for a few seconds, everything went pixelated, and looked like coding. I shook my head and glanced around the room in disbelief. Was I high or something? The teacher smiled at me slowly.
"Can anyone tell me about Pythagoras theory?" she asked, waving her ruler stick around as she spoke.
Suddenly her head began to judder and spasm. Students who had been walking in the room teleported back and forth where they were and where they were a few seconds ago. The whole situation felt like a crashing video game. What was even going on?

Finally, class ended. I walked out of the room and jogged swiftly through the now oddly pixelated halls. Something was wrong, I had to find Lisa. Out of nowhere, two guys were dragging Lisa down the hallway. I rushed towards them and went to pull them off of Lisa. Suddenly, their heads began juddering like my teacher's. Something was very wrong here. Lisa looked up from the floor and then her head fell back down. She was pale and exhausted looking. The boys went to grab her, as they did so, they tried to say something, but it turned into static. Struggling to cope with what was going on, I picked up Lisa and ran towards my house. Lisa was limp and unconscious in my arms. Her hand swayed slightly as I moved. She looked peaceful, but ill. Finally we reached my house, and luckily my father was not home.

I laid Lisa down on my bed and watched her for a while. Her chest rose and fell steadily with every breath. In sleep or unconsciousness, she looked younger. It was strange to see her so relaxed. There was no concern, worry, or tenseness about her. For once, she was just tranquil. Suddenly, a wave of tiredness rushed over me. I laid down next to Lisa and began to cuddle her unconscious body. She was cold, way colder than anyone should normally be. I pulled the blankets around us and held Lisa close. She shuddered while unconscious in my arms. I gently pressed my lips against her forehead.
"Sleep well, my love, see you soon," I whispered, hushed.
I kissed Lisa's forehead carefully, and pulled her closer to me. With my lips planted against her forehead, and arms around her, it felt right. In that position, I fell asleep, slipping into a dreamless nothingness.