Chapter 9 - The OriginalThe woman inside the chamber sat upright.
Sarah stumbled backward.
The sleeping woman looked directly at her.
She was older.
Perhaps by only a few years.
But there was no denying it.
Same face.
Same body.
Same eyes.
Sarah whispered:
“Who are you?”
The woman touched the glass.
Her lips moved.
Sarah couldn't hear her.
Her father stepped toward the control panel.
“She shouldn't be awake.”
Sarah turned.
“You know her?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Her father swallowed.
“The first Sarah.”
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer, the chamber lights turned red.
An alarm began.
The woman inside screamed.
Sarah rushed to the glass.
“Open it!”
Her father grabbed her.
“No.”
“She's dying!”
“We don't know what she is.”
Sarah stared at him.
“What did you people do?”
Her father looked away.
The alarm grew louder.
Then Richard's voice came through the speakers.
“You've reached the truth.”
Sarah turned toward the ceiling.
“Show yourself.”
A monitor came alive.
Richard appeared on screen.
Behind him stood Emily.
Sarah stared.
“Where is my sister?”
Richard smiled.
“She is exactly where she wants to be.”
Emily stepped forward.
“Sarah, listen to me.”
“Why did you lie?”
“Because I needed you to come here.”
Sarah's eyes narrowed.
“You wanted me trapped.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Emily looked at the chamber.
“Because the original Sarah is awake.”
Sarah looked through the glass.
“What is she?”
Emily hesitated.
Then answered:
“She's the key to everything.”
Sarah's father suddenly slammed his fist against the console.
“Stop this.”
Richard looked at him.
“You're still trying to be a hero?”
His father shouted:
“You promised you'd let them go.”
Richard smiled.
“I lied.”
Sarah's father stared at him.
Richard continued.
“You should know better than anyone.”
The timer reached:
05:00.
Emily looked at Sarah.
“Come upstairs.”
Sarah shook her head.
“Why?”
“Because your father is about to tell you the truth.”
Sarah looked at her father.
He lowered his eyes.
“Dad?”
His voice cracked.
“Sarah…”
He took a breath.
“You are not my biological daughter.”
Silence.
Sarah stared.
Richard's image smiled.
Her mother covered her mouth.
Sarah felt the world tilt.
“Then whose daughter am I?”
Her father looked toward the sleeping woman.
“Her's.”
Sarah turned.
The woman behind the glass looked back.
Richard spoke:
“Welcome home, Sarah.”
The timer hit:
04:00.
Then every door in the underground facility unlocked.
May you like
Footsteps began approaching from every tunnel.
Hundreds of them.
