Chapter I
Have you ever gotten the feeling that you’re being followed? I know it sounds like a very cliché thing to say, but for some time now I always had someone in my shadow.
After a while, I got used to it and didn’t pay much attention to it. I mean, weeks have passed and I was still alive... that was a good sign, right?
That was my initial thought, until one night when I was returning home on a late hour and a brick big as my head fell right in front of me. It was so close to impact that my nose felt the air pressure the object created.
Panicked, I jumped back and looked up to try and figure out if the building I was passing by was damaged or someone was on its roof. Unfortunately, it was the latter; I spotted someone retreating as soon as I eyed a person’s silhouette.
“Not good. It’s close to my apartment complex.” I muttered. “Will it be OK to go home now? What if I’m going to be followed?”
Again, I felt that gaze upon me and immediately threw my eyes upwards once more and there it was... the mysterious person was back and watched me. It was just standing there now, which begged the question why did it run earlier.
Maintaining my sight on the assaulter, I smiled. “Perfect, just stay there like a moron.” Pleased with the current situation, I picked up my phone and tried to dial the police, but someone else had other plans.
A woman grabbed my hand and with her free arm knocked up my phone, falling to the ground and breaking.
“What the hell? Who are you? I hope you’re prepared to pay for that!” I yelled.
“No time to explain. Follow me quickly and I will give you all the answers you seek, but we must get away from here before more of them come!”
She sounded desperate almost.
“Them? Who’s coming?” I inquired.
“Just go! Get into my car and let’s leave, quickly!” This time she screamed and sounded angry.
Right then, two bricks hit the ground near us, with one of them managing to graze my jacket.
“Not much of a choice, then.” I said, while following her on a running pace.
At the end of the street we hopped in her car, which was painted in a scarlet color, but I didn’t recognize the brand. It was weird, since I was familiar with all brands and types of cars - old and new.
The tires screeched, as she accelerated away from my neighborhood. Wanting to make sure we left behind whoever was on top of the building made me freeze in my seat as I watched the rear window.
Besides the person on top of the building, I saw one more which attempted to run after us while throwing random debris towards the car, but to no avail.
“OK, what the hell was that? And who are you?” I asked the woman.
She sighted and looked towards me.
“Do I know you? You seem familiar...” I asked again.
Smiling, she looked back at the road.
“It’s complicated, but you will soon find out. For now, let’s just say that I’m not here to hurt you, despite how the situation looks.”
Tapping my fingers on the door handle, I grew more curious by the passing second. I took my time examining her and see if I could find out why she seemed familiar. Brown medium sized hair, brown eyes, pink lips and a feisty attitude based on the punch I received while checking her looks.
“Fair enough, I think I deserved that.” I tried to apologize, but ended up just admitting my mistake.
After about half an hour, she parked the car in an underground garage of a secluded house outside the city.
“Is this your place?” I asked.
“Sort of. No one was home, so I borrowed it.”
She then made a pause and frowned at me. Was it because of the way I looked at her, judgingly?
“What? It was necessary. You will see why.”
We entered the house. It was dusty, everything covered in sheets and the power seemed to be cut off. The only source of light was the street lamp nearby.
“No power? Do you have a candle or something?”
“Nope. We’re risking too much if we light up this place. Follow me in the bedroom; it has blindfolds and we can use a flashlight in there.”
The wooden floor snapped under our feet, as we walked towards the room she just mentioned. Its door creaked when she opened it and made her way inside.
Immediately after, the woman pulled a small suitcase from under the bed and opened it. Inside there was the flashlight she mentioned and some clothes.
After turning on the flashlight, she put it on the nearby dresser’s shelf. “Alright. I hope you’re ready for what I’m about to tell you.”
“Hit me. I was nearly killed twice this night... nothing can surprise me anymore. Do you know who those guys were? And how did you...”
Before I finished my question, she put her palm on my mouth. “Do you ever stop talking? Let me explain and shut the hell up!” she sounded frustrated, then continued. “Tell me, what do you know of parallel universes?”
Scratching my head upon hearing this strange question, I answered accordingly.
“Uhm, not much? It’s just a theory from what I’ve heard... but what does that have to do with what happened tonight?”
“Listen to me, there’s no easy way to tell you this, but I’m you. Or better said: another version of you.”
My head started to spin. Who was she fooling?
“Ok, miss. First, I don’t even know your name. Second, you basically kidnap me at the time I was attacked. And third, you’re now taking me for a fool?”
Backing up for a bit, the woman made a small pause and held her hand in front of me, pointing three fingers.
“One, my name is Tanya. Second, I saved you, not kidnapped you... big difference. Third? If you’re a fool, then I’m more of a fool for getting involved in that to-be murder.”
I raised my hand towards her. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Travis. While you do make a good point with the saving me part, I still don’t get the situation with the universes and stuff. C’mon, would you believe it?”
Tanya let out a long sigh, clearly thinking on how to explain things.
“To be honest, I don’t know for sure how things ended like this. I was driving my car from work and suddenly my radio started by its own and heard a voice with heavy static that warned me something went wrong. At first, I wasn’t paying attention, until my name was mentioned. To quote the voice it said “You are one of the right variables, Tanya. You must help your other self, least you both perish by your own indirect hands. I will send you to him... you are the one and the same from different planes, but he needs your help. Two others which are you as well are coming to end you both.”“.
I couldn’t believe what I heard. Four of us from different universes? But why were they after me?
Tanya continued. “After that transmission, a flash of light passed in front of my eyes and found myself near this house on an unfamiliar road, but somehow I knew where to find you.” Then, she got up and grabbed a water bottle nearby the bed. “One second, I need to drink some water after all this talking.”
Pondering on what my so-called counterpart said, I came up with an explanation. “Must be similar to how twins feel when one of them is in danger or goes through something serious. If we indeed are the same, but from other planes of existence, technically we are twins.”
Smiling, Tanya threw the bottle on the bed. “Not bad, “me”. I didn’t think about it that way. Anyway, regarding your question... they are our mirrors, so to speak. A she and a he and they want us dead. Judging by their attack, they found each other earlier and had time to set up a plan.”
Rubbing my chin, I concluded. “Yes, they were coordinated. If only they would stay a bit and talk this out, we might come to understand each-other.”
“Who knows? We should rest until we think of what to do next.”
“Yeah, I’ll prepare the bed and the floor. Although you are me, it still feels weird sleeping with a woman I barely know.”
Tanya let out a soft laugh, almost mocking what I just said. “OK, shy guy. I’ll go to the bathroom for a quick refresh. Be right back.”
“Sure, go on ahead. I’m too tired to do anything but sleep.”
After seeing my counterpart leaving the bedroom, I arranged the bed quickly and took a small blanket and pillow for myself. Soon after, I lay down on the floor where my make-shift bed was and fell asleep.
