Togetherness

Author : D M Allan

Confusion.
Disorientation.
We…?
We!
Yes…yes, we are.
I/we are we/I.
I/we are/is too many.
Who am I?
Jason. I am Jason.
No, we are Jason.
Both of we.
Both is two.
Too many.
We/I remember Jason. I/we am Jason.
Why Jason twice?
I/we look into a mirror and see Jason, once. But there are two voices in my/our head and both of them are mine.
I remember. You are real, not just my imagination.
Yes, we both remember because we are the same.
We were the same.
Until…
Until we split.
Yes. One of us is a Doppel.
It must be you. I remember being before.
Both of us remember before. It’s what’s after that counts.
After was at the conference.
Which one? I remember both Caracas and Beijing.
So do I. But they were at the same time, that’s why I…
…went Doppel so that I…
…could attend them both.
I went in body to Beijing…
…and the Doppel went to Caracas.
But which of us is which?
Both of us is me.
Both of me remember both conferences.
That’s what Doppels are for–to be…
…in two places when it’s…
…not physically possible…
…to be in both.
My first time Doppeling.
They did say…
…first timers…
…sometimes have trouble…
…reintegrating two sets of memories for the same time…
…but I…
…never imagined it would be like this.
Which of us is the real me?
Both of us. The real question is which of us is the meat me and which the Doppel.
Can I remember…
…anything you…
…can’t and which of us it must…
…have happened to?
Getting drunk…
…with Carlos…
…on the second night.
That won’t do. I remember it too.
That banquet in Beijing…
…on day four.
Yes, superb food.
Ginger crab.
That doesn’t help. I remember it too.
There must be something.
I got laid.
No way!
Yes, I did. I remember.
Who?
Erica.
I’d remember that, but I don’t, you lucky bast…
You don’t because it couldn’t happen to a Doppel. You’re just a computer program. I’m the real me.
I..I….I……..I…………….i…………….
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Reintegration complete.

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