Chapter 12: The Other Ryan
Nobody moved.
The man standing in the doorway looked exactly like me.
Not similar.
Not close.
Exactly.
Same height.
Same eyes.
Same scar near his eyebrow.
The only difference was the expression.
The stranger looked at me like he was seeing someone who had stolen his life.
My hands went numb.
“What is this?””
Nobody answered.
The man stepped inside.
“Hello, Ryan.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“You’re…”
He smiled sadly.
“I know.””
Megan grabbed my arm.
“No.””
The man looked at her.
“You always hated this part.””
She whispered:
“Ryan.””
I looked at her.
“What does he mean?””
She couldn’t answer.
The other man looked around the room.
“At least you kept Emma safe.””
My stomach dropped.
“You know Emma?””
He smiled.
“Of course I do.””
Emma stared at him.
Then she whispered:
“Daddy?””
The word shattered me.
I turned toward her.
“No.””
She looked confused.
“I’m sorry.””
The other Ryan looked hurt.
“She remembers.””
I looked at him.
“Who are you?””
He took a breath.
“The part of you they couldn’t erase.””
The room went silent.
Lucas stepped forward.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
The other Ryan laughed.
“Neither should any of us.””
He looked at Dr. Harris.
“You promised him.””
Dr. Harris looked broken.
“I tried.””
“No.””
The man shook his head.
“You lied.””
I looked between them.
“What are you talking about?””
The other Ryan stepped closer.
“You think you’re the original.””
I felt anger rising.
“I am.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
A pause.
“You’re the replacement.””
The words hit harder than anything before.
I looked at Megan.
She was crying.
Not confused.
Not surprised.
She knew.
“You knew.””
Her eyes closed.
“Ryan…”
“You knew there was another me?””
She nodded.
“I didn’t know how to explain.””
“Try.””
Her voice broke.
“After the accident, the procedure created two versions of you.””
The world tilted.
“One with the memories.””
She looked at the other Ryan.
“And one without.””
She looked at me.
“You.””
I stared at my own face.
The impossible man standing in front of me.
“So what am I?””
Nobody answered.
Then the other Ryan did.
“You are the life they built after they destroyed mine.””
My chest tightened.
“No.””
“Yes.””
He looked at Lily.
“And I’m the father she was supposed to have.””
Lily looked terrified.
I immediately stepped in front of her.
“Don’t.””
The other Ryan stopped.
“I’m not here to hurt her.””
“Then why are you here?””
His expression changed.
Pain.
Real pain.
“Because I want my life back.””
The words were quiet.
Almost human.
I didn’t know what to feel.
Anger.
Fear.
Confusion.
Everything.
Then Lucas spoke.
“There’s more.””
I looked at him.
“Of course there is.””
He looked ashamed.
“The procedure didn’t create two Ryans by accident.””
“What?””
Dr. Harris whispered:
“It was intentional.””
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
He looked at the other Ryan.
“Because they wanted to know if a person could exist without memories.””
The room went cold.
“They wanted to create a human reset.””
My voice shook.
“And they chose me.””
“Yes.””
I looked at my family.
At Megan.
At Lily.
At Emma.
At the man who looked exactly like me.
The other Ryan stepped closer.
“Now you understand.””
“No.””
He stopped.
I looked at him.
“I understand one thing.””
“What?””
I tightened my fists.
“You’re not taking my family.””
For the first time, his expression changed.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Something worse.
Sadness.
“Ryan…”
He whispered:
“You still don’t know which one of us is the real monster.””
Then the lights went out.
May you like
And from the darkness…
a gunshot echoed.
