The Unwritten

Episode 7 — The First Arin

The laughter continued in the darkness.

A child's laughter.

Arin's laughter.

He stood completely still.

"Kian?"

No answer.

"Elias?"

Nothing.

The monitors remained black.

Then a tiny light appeared at the center of the room.

A red recording indicator.

One of the screens turned on.

It showed a little boy sitting at a desk.

Arin recognized him immediately.

Himself.

But younger.

Much younger.

Perhaps six years old.

The boy was drawing something on a sheet of paper.

A circle divided into four sections.

The same symbol.

Arin stepped closer.

"What is this?"

Kian's voice came from behind him.

"That's where it started."

The little boy on the screen suddenly looked toward the camera.

He smiled.

Then said:

"My name isn't Arin."

Arin froze.

The recording continued.

A woman's voice could be heard off-screen.

"What is your name, then?"

The child answered:

"Arian."

The screen went black.

Arin turned toward Kian.

"That's impossible."

"I know."

"That was me."

"Yes."

"But I don't remember this."

"You're not supposed to."

Arin looked at Elias.

"You knew."

Elias didn't deny it.

"You've known all this time."

"I knew fragments."

"Then tell me the truth."

Elias took a slow breath.

"The person you call Arin isn't the original."

Arin felt a chill run through him.

"Then who am I?"

Elias looked toward the screen.

"A replacement."

The room suddenly shook.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Kian grabbed the edge of the table.

"What was that?"

Elias looked at the monitors.

"They've found the room."

"Who?"

"The Archivists."

Arin frowned.

"Who are the Archivists?"

"People who maintain the Ledger."

"People?"

"At least, they used to be."

A metallic sound came from the corridor.

Clang.

Then another.

Kian looked toward the door.

"We need to leave."

Arin didn't move.

"Not until you explain."

"Arin—"

"Who was the original me?"

Kian looked at Elias.

Neither answered.

Arin's voice became sharper.

"Who?"

Finally, Elias said:

"His name was Arian."

Arin stared at him.

"So the photograph was right."

"Partially."

"What does that mean?"

"Arian was a child who existed before you."

Arin's heart raced.

"And I'm what?"

"A reconstruction."

Silence.

Arin shook his head.

"No."

"You have his memories."

"No."

"You have his face."

"Stop."

"You have his—"

"I SAID STOP!"

The room fell silent.

Arin's breathing became uneven.

Kian stepped toward him.

"Arin..."

"Don't."

Kian stopped.

Arin looked at his own hands.

"Then what about my family?"

Elias said nothing.

"My parents?"

Silence.

"My childhood?"

Nothing.

"Was any of it real?"

Elias finally answered.

"Yes."

Arin looked up.

"Everything you've experienced is real."

"Then how can I be a replacement?"

"Because being created doesn't make your life meaningless."

Arin stared at him.

That wasn't the answer he wanted.

But somehow, it was the one he needed.

Kian stepped closer.

"You are still you."

Arin looked at him.

"How do you know?"

Kian smiled sadly.

"Because Arian never asked questions like you do."

A loud impact shook the door.

BOOM.

The metal bent inward.

Elias immediately moved toward a panel on the wall.

"We have maybe thirty seconds."

Kian grabbed Arin's arm.

"Come on."

Arin looked at the monitors one last time.

Every screen had turned on.

Every screen showed the same image.

A school classroom.

His classroom.

And in the center of it—

an empty chair.

Kian's chair.

Arin's stomach dropped.

"They're going to erase him again."

Kian shook his head.

"No."

He looked toward the door.

"They're going to erase you."

They ran.

A hidden door opened behind the monitors, revealing a narrow passage.

Elias went first.

Kian followed.

Arin hesitated for half a second before entering.

The door slammed shut behind them.

The passage was almost completely dark.

They ran without speaking.

Behind them came another explosion.

Then silence.

Arin finally asked:

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the station."

"Why?"

"Because that's where the Ledger is."

Arin stopped.

Kian nearly collided with him.

"You said the Ledger isn't a book."

"It isn't."

"Then what is it?"

Kian looked at him.

"A memory."

Arin frowned.

"Whose?"

Kian hesitated.

"Yours."

Before Arin could ask anything else, the passage opened.

They emerged onto the abandoned platform.

The clock above them showed:

4:16.

But outside, the sky was completely dark.

Arin looked at the clock.

"That hasn't changed."

Kian shook his head.

"It doesn't measure time."

"Then what does it measure?"

"Erasure."

Arin looked at him.

"What happens at 4:20?"

Kian's face went pale.

"Don't ask."

"Why?"

"Because that's when the first cycle ends."

Arin stared at the clock.

Four minutes.

They had four minutes.

A sound came from the tunnel.

Footsteps.

Kian turned toward the darkness.

"They're here."

Elias appeared behind them.

His expression was grim.

"Not them."

Arin looked at him.

"Then who?"

Elias pointed toward the opposite platform.

Someone was standing there.

A girl.

Red umbrella.

Mira.

Arin's heart jumped.

"Mira!"

He moved toward her.

She raised one hand.

"Stop."

Arin stopped.

Mira looked at Kian.

Then Elias.

Then finally at Arin.

"You remembered."

Arin nodded.

"Who am I?"

Mira's eyes filled with sadness.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Even if the answer changes everything?"

"Yes."

Mira lowered the umbrella.

"You aren't Arian."

Arin exhaled.

"Then who am I?"

Mira looked at the clock.

4:17.

"You're what Arian left behind."

Arin frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Mira stepped closer.

"When they erased Arian, they couldn't erase everything."

"What couldn't they erase?"

She looked directly into his eyes.

"His choice."

The station became silent.

Mira continued.

"Arian chose to divide himself."

Arin's face went pale.

"Into what?"

"Four parts."

Kian whispered:

"Memory."

Elias continued:

"Identity."

Mira said:

"Will."

Then Arin understood.

"And the fourth?"

Mira looked toward the darkness.

"That's the part they're afraid of."

The clock moved.

4:18.

Something began scratching beneath the platform.

Mira stepped backward.

"There's only one thing left to remember."

"What?"

She looked at him.

"Why Arian chose to become you."

The scratching stopped.

A voice rose from beneath the tracks.

A child's voice.

Arin's voice.

"Because I knew they would come for me."

Arin stared at the ground.

The voice continued.

"And I needed someone they couldn't find."

The platform cracked.

A black line spread across the floor.

Kian grabbed Arin.

"Run!"

But Arin didn't move.

Because beneath the c***k, he could see something.

A room.

A desk.

A chair.

And a little boy sitting alone.

The boy looked up.

Straight at Arin.

Then smiled.

"You finally remembered me."

The clock reached:

4:19.

And every light in the station turned red.