By Reese Bunch, Staff Writer
Honestly, I don’t know where else to turn. I’ve been locked in my room for about three days now. I think I have to kill him, or kill me… or kill myself? I don’t even know how to phrase it. All I know is that I’m not the only one of me; there is another one out there. I’m just not sure if I’m the “real” me or if he is. I tried talking to my mom about it and she just said I need to go to the hospital and get help.
Fuck that, they don’t know how to help me. I don’t think “I have a clone, and he must be dealt with” is in the DSM-5. So I’ll handle this shit myself. I may be the clone, but I plan to be the one who survives this. I can feel it in my bones, he is planning the same. Before I get to my plan, let me give some back story.
This all started a little over a week ago, when my car battery died. I got a jump from a neighbor and headed to the auto parts store down the road. I pulled in the parking lot and made my way inside. I think I felt him before I saw him; I could feel something was off as soon as I walked inside. I didn’t know what the feeling was, I just chalked it up to stress and honestly just being tired.
I spoke with the man at the counter and got myself a new battery. He told me he needed to handle a few other customers first, and that he or a co-worker would be out soon to install it. I went back out to my car, thankful it was still running in the cold winter weather. Sitting in that driver’s seat was the last moment I felt normal. I wish I had known that would be the last time.
I looked up and saw the door open. Before I could take a breath, I shifted into drive. I still don’t remember hitting the gas, but I floored it as soon as I saw him. It was me carrying that battery out, I’m sure of it. I’ve looked myself in the mirror enough to know what I look like.
I wish I had just run myself over and saved myself a lot of time. Luckily for the other me, and unluckily for me – the real me – he jumped out of the damn way. Before I rammed through the front windows, I was able to slam on the brakes and flee the parking lot as soon as I could. Surprisingly, no one has found me for my own attempted murder but, make no mistake, I fully intend to kill that son of a bitch.
Two days ago, I went back; luckily, he wasn’t there. I made an excuse to go into the back for the bathroom and was able to find the employee schedule. I snapped a picture, pinched one off, and left. My fucking name was on the schedule. I was scheduled to work the next five days, giving me some time to plan. My mind has been set since I first saw him. For me to fully live, one of us must die.
I guess y’all deserve to know why I think I’m the clone. Honestly, I don’t know for certain if I am, or if he is. I don’t have any real memories, not any real long-term ones at least. I honestly don’t even know if the woman I talked to was my real mom. I don’t remember ever actually seeing her. I don’t know if I have any siblings – hell, I don’t know where I was born. It’s like I was just planted here, with a work-from-home job in some shit-hole apartment. I bet that bastard has such a great loving family. I can’t wait till I have what I have stolen from me.
Like I said before, I have no real proof I’m a clone. I don’t remember waking up in a lab or anything. I figure if someone out there can secretly clone people and plant them with full lives, they can alter some pesky memories. Hell, maybe I was crafted right here in this building. Regardless of how I came to be, I’m here now. I plan on keeping it that way. That’s why I have to get ahead of myself and kill myself first.
I’ve got a plan, and it’s going to work. I’m going to walk into that store and shoot myself right in the face. The best part is, you can’t get in trouble for killing yourself. So I should be able to walk right out and take the life that is rightfully mine. I’m making my move tomorrow – maybe the cops will finally find me and stop me, or maybe I’ll pull this off. Either way, I’m ending this; I have to. I’ve not been able to sleep, eat, or think since I saw myself. This has to come to an end one way or another. The least y’all could do is wish one of me luck. I’ll update y’all as soon as I can.
