Chapter 7 - The Other AlexanderThe footsteps approached slowly.
Alexander raised the metal bar.
Elena stepped backward.
Mia hid behind him.
A silhouette emerged from the red emergency lighting.
Alexander froze.
It was him.
Another Alexander.
Same face.
Same height.
Same watch.
Same scar beneath the left eyebrow.
The double smiled.
“You're late.”
Alexander couldn't speak.
The other man looked at Elena.
“Did you tell him?”
She shook her head.
“Not everything.”
The double laughed.
“You never do.”
Alexander raised the bar.
“Who are you?”
The other Alexander smiled.
“The question is who are you?”
Mia whispered:
“Number Two.”
Alexander turned.
“How do you know him?”
“He came to my school.”
“When?”
“Every time they moved me.”
The double looked at Mia.
“You remember.”
She backed away.
“You told me to forget.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because remembering hurts.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“You are not me.”
The double tilted his head.
“Prove it.”
Alexander hesitated.
The man pulled a wallet from his pocket.
Inside was Alexander’s driver's license.
His bank cards.
His passport.
Everything.
Real documents.
The double tossed the wallet to Alexander.
“There are two lives.”
Alexander looked at the papers.
One set carried his name.
The other man had the same identity.
“How?”
“Your father built a system called Echo.”
The double pointed at Elena.
“She helped him create it.”
Alexander looked at his wife.
“Elena?”
She nodded slowly.
“Echo could make a person remember a life they never lived.”
Alexander stared.
“And you?”
The double smiled.
“I was made from your memories.”
The room seemed to spin.
“You are a clone?”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I am you.”
Alexander clenched his jaw.
“That is impossible.”
The double leaned in.
“You remember your childhood dog dying when you were twelve?”
Alexander nodded.
“It never existed.”
Alexander stopped breathing.
“You remember breaking your arm riding a bicycle?”
“Yes.”
“You never owned a bicycle.”
Alexander’s hand trembled.
The double whispered:
“Your memories are fabricated.”
Mia suddenly stepped forward.
“That’s not true.”
Both men looked at her.
She pointed at Alexander.
“He remembers me.”
The double smiled.
“Does he?”
Alexander looked at Mia.
A memory surfaced.
A red ribbon.
A playground.
A little girl's laugh.
His heart tightened.
“I know you.”
Mia whispered:
“You promised.”
“What?”
“You promised you'd come back.”
The double laughed softly.
“He never met you.”
Mia shook her head.
“You're lying.”
A gunshot exploded.
The double fell.
Blood spread across his chest.
Alexander turned.
Elena held a pistol.
She looked horrified.
“I didn't mean to—”
The double smiled while lying on the floor.
“That's what you said when you killed the first one.”
Alexander stared at Elena.
“You killed another?”
Before she could answer, the double grabbed Alexander’s wrist.
His grip was unbelievably strong.
Then he whispered:
“Ask her why she has no reflection.”
Alexander looked at the polished metal door.
His own reflection stared back.
Mia’s reflection stood beside him.
Elena’s reflection was there too.
Except…
It was smiling.
While Elena herself was crying.
Alexander stepped backward.
May you like
The reflected Elena raised one finger to her lips.
Then the emergency lights went black.
