Chapter 9: The Brother I Forgot
I stared at the photograph.
The man beside me.
The man I didn’t remember.
The man who had been hidden in my own house.
My brother.
The word felt wrong.
Impossible.
I had grown up as an only child.
At least, that was what I believed.
“How could I have a brother?””
Nobody answered immediately.
Then Daniel spoke.
“Because your memories were edited long before the accident.””
I turned toward him.
“What?””
He looked exhausted.
Like he had been carrying this secret for years.
“You didn’t lose one part of your life, Ryan.””
He pointed to the photograph.
“You lost the beginning.””
My hands trembled.
I looked at Megan.
“Did you know?””
She nodded slowly.
“Not everything.””
“But something.””
“Yes.””
The betrayal hurt.
Again.
“How long?””
She cried.
“Since before we met.””
I stepped back.
“Before we met?””
She nodded.
“I knew about your brother.””
“What was his name?””
Nobody wanted to say it.
That terrified me.
Finally, Dr. Harris spoke.
“Lucas Carter.””
The name echoed.
Lucas.
And then—
A memory.
A boy running through a backyard.
A scraped knee.
A voice laughing.
“Come on, Ryan. Mom said we can’t be late.””
I grabbed my head.
The pain returned.
But this time…
I didn’t fight it.
Because I wanted the truth.
I saw flashes.
Two boys.
A broken toy.
A secret promise.
A locked room.
Then darkness.
I opened my eyes.
Everyone was watching me.
“I remember him.””
Megan gasped.
“What?””
“My brother.””
My voice shook.
“He existed.””
Dr. Harris nodded.
“Yes.””
“Where is he?””
Silence.
That silence answered before anyone did.
I looked at Daniel.
“Where is he?””
Daniel looked at the floor.
“He died.””
The room became still.
“How?””
Nobody answered.
Then Ethan spoke.
“He didn’t.””
Everyone turned toward him.
Ethan looked at Dr. Harris.
“You never told him.””
Dr. Harris’s expression changed.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“Ethan.””
“No.””
Ethan stepped forward.
“Ryan deserves the truth.””
My heart pounded.
“What truth?””
Ethan looked at me.
“Lucas didn’t die.””
The room spun.
“What?””
“He survived.””
“Then where is he?””
Ethan hesitated.
“He was the first successful memory subject.””
I felt cold.
“The first?””
Ethan nodded.
“Before you.””
My eyes moved toward Dr. Harris.
“You experimented on my brother?””
Dr. Harris looked away.
“I tried to save him.””
“You erased him.””
“No.””
His voice became sharp.
“I gave him a chance.””
“A chance to become what?””
Nobody answered.
Then the front door opened.
Slowly.
Everyone turned.
A man stood outside.
Older.
Taller.
With tired eyes.
But I knew him.
Not from memory.
From the photograph.
From the flashes.
From the part of my mind that had been buried.
Lucas.
My brother.
He looked at me.
And smiled sadly.
“Hello, Ryan.””
I couldn’t speak.
He stepped inside.
“You finally remembered.””
I felt anger.
Confusion.
Pain.
“You were alive.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you come back?””
His expression changed.
“Because I couldn’t.””
“Why?””
He looked at Dr. Harris.
“Because he made sure I couldn’t.””
Everyone turned.
Dr. Harris went pale.
Lucas continued.
“He didn’t erase your memories to protect you.””
My stomach tightened.
“Then why?””
Lucas looked directly at me.
“Because you were getting too close to discovering what we really were.””
The room went silent.
“What we were?””
Lucas stepped closer.
His eyes filled with sadness.
“Ryan…”
He whispered:
“We weren’t victims.””
May you like
A pause.
“We were the experiment.””
