Altered Son

James Lynch wanted something greater from his life. He didn’t want his small stature and age to define him. So, with his degree in genetics engineering, he decided to create a clone of his deceased son, Andrew. James spent months in his home lab, creating an exact copy of his son. While he was creating the clone, he began to think about the possibility of using his talents to help create altered humans or clones of people who lost loved ones to help better the world.

After months of hard work, it was time for James to see if his clone son will live. Going to a locked chamber, where he placed a human exoskeleton that was filled with serums of his son’s DNA and covered with a human-like secondary skin. Weeks went by and James began to worry that his creation failed. However, one day, he looked through the slot window and saw a very familiar face, looking down at the ground. James quickly opened the door and saw his 25-year-old son, Andrew, naked and sitting in the fetal position, looking lost and confused. “Dad? What’s going on? Why am I here?” Andrew asked his father.

James was too shocked and speechless. The only thing he could do was fall to his knees and hug his son. The son who spent his time in his dad’s lab, hearing all of his stories of the various breakthroughs that he accomplished. The son wanted to learn and know all about what makes a human. The son he didn’t lose in a tragic car accident caused by a drunk driver.

“It’s alright. You’re safe; you’re home. Come on, let’s get you clothes and something to eat.” James said, unable to control his tears as they fell. After this successful scientific moment, James reached out to his former colleagues and announced what he did to them and the world. Soon, agencies, news outlets, and governments from all over the world were at James’s doorstep wanting an interview of him and his ‘perfect’ clone son. During this time, Andrew was a little weirded out about the whole situation. People wanted to see what he could do. They were amazed at how he could lift 50 times his body weight. How his reaction time is now at the same level as a cheetah chasing its prey; if not, even faster than a cheetah. And how no injury, large or small, remained on his body. But to Andrew, he was still a normal human being.

James never told his son what he truly was, for fear of losing him. But, he knew that there will come a time when he would have to tell his son the truth. James, however, didn’t think that it would lead to this.

It’s been a decade since James Lynch has seen his son, Andrew. Or at least the clone of his son, Andrew. The last time James and Andrew saw each other, they were fighting over the revelation that Andrew is a clone; a ‘genetic freak’ as Andrew called himself. Andrew was furious that his father hid this secret from him. He always realized that something was wrong with him, but never to this extent.

One day, Andrew was going through his father’s lab to look for a tool to work on a microbiological experiment when he came across a drive. Thinking it to be blank, Andrew took the drive and continued with his experiment. Hours later, Andrew was preparing to upload his files to the ‘blank drive’ when he discovered that it was full of files. He decided to read the files and learned about his father’s work in genetic engineering. Andrew was amazed at his father’s accomplishments, but the amazement soon changed into disbelief. Under a folder titled ‘Andrew’s Return’, Andrew read about all the work his father undertook to bring him back. Realizing that he wasn’t fully human and sad that he was created in a lab, Andrew confronted his father.

James tried to calm Andrew down when he was confronted by his son. “Andrew, I understand that you’re angry, but try to see it from my perspective. I already lost your mother; I didn’t want to lose you, too”. James reached out to touch his son’s shoulder, but Andrew immediately shrugged it off. Looking at his father, unable to think of anything, Andrew had so many questions as to why his father did this, but he was only able to come up with one question. “Why did you make me, but not Mom? Was your real purpose to make money off of clones like me?” James stared at Andrew and responded, “Your mother has been gone for years. There wouldn’t be anything to make from that as she was cremated. As for the purpose, I am an old man, Andrew. I didn’t want to roam this house alone. Leaving and coming home to be greeted by no one, celebrating holidays and birthdays alone. Loneliness was something I didn’t want to continue living with. You are my boy, my joy in life, the last thing I have to remember of Vanessa, your mother, and I knew and felt that there were people out there suffering the way I was. I wanted to free them from the pain, sorrow, and loneliness”. James, slowly, got down on his knees in front of his son. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before. I’ve wanted to, but I was afraid that I would lose you a second time”. James couldn’t face his son as he choked on his words, tears freely falling on his face and onto the ground.

Andrew looked at his father on the ground and felt terrible about his reaction, but he needed one more question answered. “Why were you going to send me away to the military?” Immediately, James shot up and looked at Andrew with bloodshot eyes, “I never wanted you to become a soldier, a doll for their means to satisfy their ends. I wanted you to live a normal life”. Andrew couldn’t help, but slightly chuckle at the last part, “A normal life? What part of my life is normal?!?! I’m not like everyone else. What am I supposed to do with my so-called life?” Andrew asked.

James got up off the floor and looked Andrew in the eyes, “Continue to live your life as it was before”. Looking at his father, shaking his head, Andrew responded “I can’t. Nothing is the same anymore. I’ve heard of rogue clones causing problems and the police are no match for them. No other clone wants to handle this problem. As the original and first clone, I feel that it’s my responsibility to handle any rogue clones that are trying to harm people. That’s why I plan on going to the military to work with them”.

James was shocked to hear this news. “I forbid you from doing such things”. Andrew responds, “You can’t forbid me from doing this. It slowly became my job when you started to make more clones of people. Loneliness is a neutral emotion; something good can come from it or something bad; it’s our choice. We, or them, as humans should know that. But, seeking out the easy path seems to be the most preferred way no matter what the outcome”. Silence covers the room as father and son stare each other down.

James walks away, but before leaving the room, he slightly turns his head, “Are you sure you want to risk your life and give up on your second chance at a better and happier life to fight clones like you?” Andrew took a moment to think about his decision and turned to his father, “Yes, you indirectly created the problem, now I have to fix it directly. Please realize that I will always love you, Dad, but your pursuit of defying death is a pursuit covered in destruction”. Taking the answer, the father leaves the room and his son to his thoughts.

The next morning, Andrew left for the military and said goodbye to his father, “Goodbye, dad. Please remember that I won’t blame you for anything or for what I might experience shortly. And, I’m using my second chance to get a better life, for myself and others”. The only thing James could say was “Good luck, son” and left the pouch to watch his son leave from the window.

Ten years later, now 35 years old and with no hint of aging, Andrew came to his father’s door. Andrew hasn’t spoken to his father since he left. After years of training in the military and fighting rogue clones, Andrew hoped to clear things with his father. Knocking on the door, he waited for his father to answer. The rattling of the doorknob and the old cracked door shows his father, James, now in his late 50s or early 60s, stunned to see his son standing on the other side of the door. “Hi Dad, it’s been a while,” said Andrew.

“It has,” replied James. “Come inside. Tell me how have you been these past 10 years?” Walking into the living room, Andrew sat down and told his father about his experience in the military and the rogues he fought, and the new places he visited. The calming moment, soon, changed to one of silence when Andrew brought up a mission he recently completed. “Dad, I learned that the clones are dying out. They are slowly ceasing their ability to live and function; they’re shutting down like robots. I was told that I, too, will be losing the ability to function. Is that true?” Jacob looked at his father and saw his stunned expression. “No, it’s not possible. There must’ve been a malfunction in their creations, but not yours. You will not die, Andrew. You won’t” James told Andrew as he refused to believe that his son was dying. “You know it hurts me every day when I don’t reach out to you. I must’ve worried you about me. I wanted to talk to you and learn more about the project that created me, but you looked mad like you never wanted to see me again after I left. I thought you were like that whenever I thought about calling. Pretty stupid, huh, I feel like I’m 10, again, scared that you’ll be mad at me for breaking the computer.” Andrew lightly laughed at the memory, joined by his father.

“I was only mad, just a little. But, I thought that you had some resentment of me because of my hand in everything. I believed that you didn’t want any association with me, the mad scientist who unknowingly created rogue clones.” James said, looking at his son. “I did for a little while. But I knew that your head and heart were in the right place” Andrew responded. “Hey Dad, when I die, please don’t go all out at my funeral. I like it simple.” He told his father with a sad and blank expression on his face.

“No, I told you: you won’t die. I won’t let it.” James was getting mad with how relaxed his son was talking about his demise. “You’ll live. I swear you’ll live.”

“I’m sorry for everything, Dad. But, I want you to know that if I do die, you’ll be happy and finish living your life. Find a hobby, travel the world, and meet someone. Don’t focus solely on me.” Andrew told his father with a content smile on his face. “I know that it’s been rocky for the past 10 years, but I want to fix it all before I die. And as I said before, I used my second chance to better my life and others. I’m almost done with that; all I have left is to have you back in my life”. James sobs into his son’s shoulder, praying that everything will be alright.

Andrew was home with his father, permanently, and lived an additional 5 years. James was happy his son didn’t die that day they had their moment. But, soon, Andrew’s day came. With his father by his side, Andrew slowly started to die. His physical condition started to break down, and before he was completely broken down, Andrew said “I love you, Dad and I want to thank you for my second chance at life. It was more meaningful than any life I would’ve had”. With his final words, Andrew died; he was the last living clone on Earth and James ended his cloning program out of respect for his son.

Now in his late 60s, James was alone, again, but he didn’t feel lonely like he used to. He felt content with life. He had loved and had lost, but was able to regain what he loved and lost, only to lose it again and regain it. James, now, was aware of life’s secrets. It is a never-ending cycle of love, loss, gain, loss, happiness, and loneliness. Deciding to break that cycle, James went out into the world to enjoy it while he still can. Not for his benefit, but to honor what Andrew wanted out of him after his death.