THE WRONG GIRL
1358 Words
The child's voice had been so close that she could almost feel the breath against her ear.
You rescued the wrong girl.
She turned sharply.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
"Adrian?"
"I'm here."
His voice came from somewhere to her left.
Marcus was breathing heavily.
"Nobody move."
Elena heard Adrian take a step.
"Stay where you are."
The lights came back.
The room was empty.
But the photograph of Clara was gone.
Elena looked at the floor.
It wasn't there.
"Where is it?"
Adrian looked around.
"What?"
"The photograph."
Marcus pointed toward the chair.
"It's gone."
Elena's skin prickled.
Then she noticed something else.
The door was open.
It hadn't been open before.
Adrian moved toward it.
"Wait."
He stopped.
Elena walked beside him.
"What did the voice mean?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I don't know what it meant."
"You said you rescued me."
"Yes."
"But now it says you rescued the wrong girl."
"I know."
"Who did you rescue?"
Adrian looked down the corridor.
"I don't remember her name."
Elena stared at him.
"You don't remember?"
"I remember her face."
"Was she me?"
"No."
"Then who?"
He looked at her.
"A girl who looked like you."
Elena's stomach tightened.
"She looked like me?"
"Almost exactly."
Marcus stepped closer.
"How old?"
"Six."
Elena felt cold.
"Six?"
"Yes."
"Where did she come from?"
"I don't know."
"Where did she go?"
Adrian's eyes moved toward the darkness.
"That's the problem."
They walked slowly into the corridor.
The walls were different now.
The photographs had disappeared.
In their place were doors.
Each door had a name written on it.
CLARA
MARCUS
ELENA
ADRIAN
Elena stopped.
"My name."
Adrian immediately grabbed her hand.
"Don't open it."
"Why?"
"Because we don't know what it contains."
"You said these rooms show memories."
"Yes."
"Then I need to see mine."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because your memories aren't safe."
"Neither am I."
He looked at her.
"Exactly."
Elena stared at the door.
Her name was written in black letters.
Underneath it was a date.
AUGUST 14, 2010.
She recognized the date.
Her sixth birthday.
She touched the door.
Adrian caught her wrist.
"Elena."
She looked at him.
"You said you found me when I was six."
"Yes."
"On this date?"
He didn't answer.
"Adrian."
"Yes."
Her voice softened.
"Then let me see what happened."
He released her wrist.
Elena opened the door.
The room beyond was small.
A table.
Two chairs.
A cake.
Six candles.
Her chest tightened.
She knew this room.
It wasn't her home.
It was somewhere inside Vespera.
A little girl sat at the table.
Elena.
Six years old.
She was wearing a yellow dress.
Her legs swung beneath the chair.
A woman stood behind her.
Clara.
Elena recognized her from the photograph.
Clara smiled and placed a plate in front of the child.
"Happy birthday."
The little girl smiled.
"Where's Mommy?"
"She'll come soon."
"Where's Daddy?"
Clara hesitated.
"He's working."
The child frowned.
"He promised."
"I know."
Clara looked toward the door.
Something was wrong.
Elena stepped closer.
The memory didn't react to her.
She was only watching.
The door opened.
Her father entered.
He looked angry.
Clara stood.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Where is Adrian?"
"Upstairs."
"Bring him."
"Why?"
Her father looked at the little girl.
"Because we're out of time."
Clara moved between them.
"She doesn't belong in the game."
"She already does."
"No."
"She opened the door."
Clara's face changed.
"What?"
"She opened it."
The little Elena looked confused.
"What door?"
Her father knelt beside her.
"Do you remember the red one?"
The child nodded.
"You told me not to open it."
"Yes."
"But I did."
Elena felt her heart tighten.
Her father looked at Clara.
"She's already connected."
Clara shook her head.
"She's six."
"That's why it has to happen now."
"You're insane."
Her father stood.
"Bring Adrian."
Clara didn't move.
Her father grabbed her arm.
The memory flickered.
The scene changed.
Adrian entered.
Younger.
Blood on his forehead.
He looked at the child.
Then at Clara.
"Where is the door?"
Her father pointed.
Adrian stared at him.
"You said she wasn't involved."
"I was wrong."
"You lied."
"I did what I had to do."
Adrian looked at little Elena.
She smiled at him.
"Do I know you?"
He crouched in front of her.
"Not yet."
The child tilted her head.
"You're sad."
Adrian smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to have to leave you."
The little girl reached for his hand.
"Don't."
Adrian looked at her.
Something in his face broke.
He stood.
"Take me instead."
Her father shook his head.
"The game chose her."
"I don't care."
"It doesn't work like that."
"Then I'll make it work."
Adrian walked toward the red door.
Clara grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
He looked at her.
"What?"
"You don't know what's behind it."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Adrian opened the door.
A burst of darkness filled the room.
The memory distorted.
Elena stepped backward.
The child disappeared.
Clara disappeared.
Her father disappeared.
Only Adrian remained.
He stood in the doorway.
Then another little girl stepped out.
She looked exactly like Elena.
Elena froze.
The girl looked at Adrian.
"Is it over?"
Adrian stared at her.
"No."
The memory stopped.
Elena's breathing became uneven.
She turned toward Adrian.
"You saw her."
He nodded.
"Who was she?"
"I don't know."
"But she looked like me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Where did she come from?"
"I don't know."
"Then what happened to the real me?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Elena looked at the memory.
The little girl was gone.
The room was empty.
A message appeared on the wall.
MEMORY CORRUPTED.
Then another.
SUBJECT ELENA: LOCATION UNKNOWN.
Elena's eyes widened.
"Location unknown?"
Adrian looked at the message.
"That's what I saw that night."
"Then where was I?"
"I thought you were the girl who came through the door."
She stared at him.
"You thought?"
"Yes."
"What happened to her?"
"She disappeared."
"When?"
"Minutes after we left."
Elena's heart pounded.
"And me?"
"I found you upstairs."
Her face went pale.
"How?"
"You were unconscious."
"With who?"
"Clara."
Elena looked at the empty room.
"Then Clara knew."
"Yes."
"What did she tell you?"
"She said you weren't supposed to remember."
"Why?"
"Because the other girl was still somewhere in the building."
Elena looked at him.
"The other girl."
Adrian nodded.
"The one who came through the red door."
A sound came from behind them.
They turned.
Marcus stood in the doorway.
His face was pale.
"You need to see this."
He held up a tablet.
Elena walked toward him.
"What?"
"I found something."
He showed her the screen.
It was a personnel file.
The photograph was blurred.
The name was partially erased.
But the date was clear.
AUGUST 14, 2010.
Underneath it:
SUBJECT 002
Elena stared.
"What's Subject 001?"
Marcus scrolled.
The file was empty.
"Nothing."
"Then what's 002?"
Marcus hesitated.
"That's you."
Elena looked at Adrian.
"Then who's 001?"
Before anyone could answer, the tablet screen changed.
A new file opened by itself.
A photograph appeared.
A girl.
Six years old.
Same eyes.
Same hair.
Same face.
But underneath her photograph was a name.
CLARA VALE.
Elena's breath caught.
"That's impossible."
Marcus stared.
"Clara was an adult."
Adrian looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
"No."
"What?"
He leaned closer.
"That's not Clara."
Elena looked at him.
"Then who is she?"
Adrian's voice dropped.
"I don't know."
The photograph suddenly changed.
The girl was older.
Then older.
Then older.
Until she looked exactly like Elena now.
Elena stepped backward.
The final image showed the girl standing outside Vespera three days ago.
Beside her was the first boss.
And the caption beneath the photograph read:
SUBJECT 001 HAS RETURNED.
Elena stared at the screen.
"That's me."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
"Then who is it?"
He didn't answer.
The speaker above them crackled.
A man's voice filled the room.
"You've been asking the wrong question."
Elena looked up.
"What question should I ask?"
The voice answered:
"Not who she is."
A pause.
"But which one of you is real?"
The lights went out.
And when they returned, there were two Elenas standing in the room.
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