“Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey,” Cedar’s doppelgänger chimed as she leaned over the sleeping Cedar. In the background, the television blared with the sound of angry restaurant patrons shouting for their waitress.

“Come on, girl, up and at ‘em! Let’s get those legs-a-movin’,” the doppelgänger exclaimed, bouncing on Cedar’s bed.

Despite the commotion, Cedar didn’t stir. Her faint snores remained steady, even as her body launched inches into the air and jostled from side to side with each bounce.

“Cedar…” the doppelgänger said, her voice tinged with worry. She stopped bouncing and leaned closer, checking for signs of life. “Cedar?” She nudged Cedar’s shoulder gently.

Suddenly, a knock at the door made her whip around. “Stay right there,” the doppelgänger instructed as she climbed off the bed to inspect the lock.

“Hmm… how can I fortify this?” she mused aloud. Then, with a snap of her fingers, she exclaimed, “Of course!”

With a wave of her hand, the door melted seamlessly into the surrounding wall, leaving behind a smooth, uninterrupted beige surface.

Turning back to Cedar, the doppelgänger muttered, “As for you, missy, I think I have just the thing.”

She disappeared into the bathroom and reemerged with a heavy water pitcher. At first, she dribbled a slow, steady stream onto Cedar’s forehead. Growing impatient, she eventually dumped the entire contents over Cedar’s face.

“CEE-DAR!” she shouted, slamming the empty pitcher onto the beige nightstand. “Why won’t you wake up?”

After a series of increasingly futile attempts to rouse her—including jumping on the bed, smacking her with pillows, slapping her face, and screaming in her ear—the doppelgänger adjusted her red velvet cape with an exasperated sigh.

On the television, an irate customer bellowed, “I ordered a grasshopper. This is not a grasshopper!” The doppelgänger snatched the remote from the floor and turned off the TV without hesitation.

“Grasshoppers are not food…” Cedar mumbled in her sleep. “They’re not food…” She opened one bleary eye, her expression confused. “Why am I wet?”

“You’re joking,” the doppelgänger deadpanned, glancing between the remote in her hand and Cedar.

Realizing the sight of her might send Cedar into a panic, the doppelgänger cautiously backed away.

“Who are you?” Cedar asked, her tone surprisingly calm.

“What do you mean, ‘Who am I’?” the doppelgänger shot back, spinning around theatrically to show herself off. Her smile, however, didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Do I know you? What’s happening?” Cedar asked, sitting up slowly. “Am I still in the memory program?”

“You know me, Cedar. Take a good look,” the doppelgänger insisted, flashing a dazzling smile.

Cedar squinted, her eyes narrowing as recognition dawned. Then, her eyebrows shot up. “I… you… you visited me! That night, before all this happened.”

The doppelgänger blinked, momentarily stunned. “I did what now?”

“It was real…” Cedar’s voice trailed off as her gaze drifted, lost in thought.

“You’re saying I visited you before you were—” the doppelgänger’s words were abruptly cut off by a loud crash and a string of colorful curses erupting from the bathroom.

Both women jumped at the noise.

The doppelgänger tilted her head back and sighed, “I’m the most powerful person in the universe, and still, nothing comes easy.”

“I’m in!” Nachi’s voice rang out from the bathroom, his entrance anything but graceful. He stumbled slightly as he stepped into the room, straightened his suit and tie, and gave a small, theatrical bow to the two Cedars. “Hello, ladies.”

“Didn’t I tell you to scamper off?” the doppelgänger asked, her irritation clear.

“That you did,” Nachi admitted with a cringe. “But we need to clear something up.” He adopted a more serious expression. “Are you the Cedar who robbed Hyperion Union?”

“You caught me,” the doppelgänger replied dryly. “Better send me into the memory chamber for rehabilitation—oh wait.” She gestured mockingly around the room. “I’m already here.”

Nachi hesitated, looking unsure of how to respond. After a beat, he stammered, “Well… good then. Glad we cleared that up. Now, would you be so kind as to let me out?” He glanced at the wall where the door used to be.

“Gladly,” the doppelgänger replied, clapping her hands. The door reappeared seamlessly, as if it had never vanished.

“This place gets weirder and weirder,” Nachi muttered, shaking his head as he made his way to the exit.

The doppelgänger turned her attention back to Cedar, who was still staring at her, seemingly dazed. She had rehearsed this moment for years, but now that it was here, seeing her younger self’s blank, uncertain expression unsettled her. Memories of her own stubbornness flashed through her mind, causing her to rethink her approach.

“You robbed the bank?” Cedar finally asked, her tone more confused than shocked.

“I did,” the doppelgänger replied with a nod. “It was the only way for us to meet.”

Cedar’s expression clouded with uncertainty, and the doppelgänger studied her carefully.

“You’re in shock, aren’t you?” she asked gently. “You must be.”

Before Cedar could respond, the door swung open again, this time revealing Everly, who strode in with an air of authority. “I have some questions for you,” she announced, her voice sharp. “It’s in your best interest to answer them. Trust me.”

The doppelgänger sighed inwardly, recognizing that reasoning with Cedar in her current state was futile. Perhaps Everly’s interruption would help Cedar process the situation.

“Cedar’s in shock,” the doppelgänger explained, stepping aside slightly. “She’s trying to make sense of everything, so I’ll answer your questions. Maybe it’ll help her.”

“Who—or what—exactly are you?” Everly demanded, her eyes narrowing.

“Yeah!” Nachi chimed in, peeking over Everly’s shoulder.

The doppelgänger crossed her arms. “I’m not from this universe,” she explained calmly. “It’s a long story, but all you need to know is that I’m here to help.”

“Help me?” Everly asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Not just you,” the doppelgänger clarified. “All of you. Your world is in danger.”

Everly folded her arms. “Okay, sure. Let’s put a pin in that and circle back to it later. You said you robbed Hyperion Union. Is that correct?”

“That was all me,” the doppelgänger confirmed. “Your Cedar had nothing to do with it.”

“How?” Everly leaned in, her curiosity piqued. “How did you do it?”

“You must have seen the footage,” the doppelgänger replied, fluttering her lashes. “There were cameras everywhere.”

Nachi, his tone exaggerated as if addressing someone hard of hearing, asked, “Are you Cedar’s split personality?”

Everly immediately elbowed him in the ribs. “Let me handle the questions,” she snapped.

The doppelgänger rolled her eyes. “I’m not Cedar’s split personality,” she said firmly. “I’m a separate person with my own body. I robbed the bank so I could meet Cedar here, in the memory chamber, or virtual rehab—whatever you kids are calling it these days. It was the only way I could connect with her.”

Everly turned to Nachi, her expression dubious. “I’ve never encountered anything like this before,” she admitted. “Cedar’s subconscious must be creating this ridiculous story to make sense of what you told her.” She jabbed her finger into Nachi’s chest.

“How was I supposed to know?” Nachi protested, throwing his hands up defensively.

“There’s no other explanation,” Everly continued, ignoring him. “Whatever you said triggered a panic attack. That panic attack created… this.” She gestured toward the doppelgänger, her skepticism palpable. “Whoever—or whatever—you are, will you please make sure Cedar stays in this room for the remainder of the program?”

“She can’t leave the program,” the doppelgänger said firmly. “She has to stay until the end.”

“She can’t stay!” Everly shrieked.

“Here we go…” Nachi muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

“Do you have any idea what happens to people when they stay here?” Everly demanded, her tone sharp.

The doppelgänger met her gaze steadily. Of course, she knew. People who stayed in the program had to confront their deepest, darkest fears.

“She’ll have me,” the doppelgänger replied, patting Cedar’s knee reassuringly. “I’ll help her through it.”

“Why is it so important for her to stay?” Everly pressed, planting her hands on her hips.

“She must conquer her fears in order to ascend,” the doppelgänger explained patiently. “Otherwise, I can’t pass my abilities on to her.”

Everly hesitated, her gaze dropping to her feet. She began pacing further into the room, her expression darkening. “People die in here,” she said, her voice low. “You do understand that, yes? Cedar could face an eternity in hell if she stays. Is that really what you want for her? Do you even care about her?”

“Of course I care for her,” the doppelgänger shot back, rising from the bed. “She’s me, after all.”

Nachi, sensing the tension escalating, edged discreetly toward the door, ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. “Prove it,” he said suddenly, his voice cutting through the thickening atmosphere. “Prove to us that you are who you say you are.”

The doppelgänger considered his challenge, her expression contemplative. Several ideas came to mind. “I can prove I robbed Hyperion Union,” she said finally. “You know Cedar didn’t do it. It’s nowhere in her memory. But I can tell you exactly what I did—and how I did it.”

Nachi glanced at Everly, who nodded in cautious agreement.

“Okay then,” Everly said, her tone measured as she regained control of the situation. “Tell us exactly what was on the footage. Be as detailed as possible. Leave nothing out.”

The doppelgänger’s lips curved into a sly grin. “I can do better than that. I can show you.”

Nachi turned back to Everly, concern creasing his brow. Everly, however, kept her gaze fixed on the doppelgänger, resolute. “Then show us,” she said.

“Let’s not do anything hasty,” Nachi objected, pulling Everly aside for a private discussion. Though they kept their voices hushed, the doppelgänger could still overhear them.

“Are you doing this for your book?” Nachi asked, his tone exasperated. “Why bother with all this? The program is meant to rehabilitate, so why not just let it run its course?”

“This isn’t in any textbook,” Everly countered, her eyes alight with determination. “It’s never been documented. Not in any lecture, seminar, or online forum I’ve seen. We owe it to science to explore this.” She met Nachi’s gaze. “And do you really want this girl’s blood on your hands?”

“Fine,” Nachi sighed, defeated. “But if anything happens, it’s on you.”

Everly turned back to the doppelgänger, her expression firm. “We’re ready. Show us.”

The doppelgänger stepped forward and took Everly’s hand. Everly flinched at the contact but quickly composed herself. The doppelgänger extended her other hand toward Nachi, who hesitated.

“Oh, so we’re holding hands now?” he said, puffing out his cheeks in mock protest.

“Just take it,” the doppelgänger replied, her voice tinged with impatience.

With a dramatic sigh, Nachi clasped her hand.

“Now, close your eyes,” the doppelgänger instructed, glancing at each of them to ensure they complied. When they did, she closed her own.

Behind her closed lids, a bright interface appeared, overlaying her vision. In the upper left corner, the time and date flickered. A mini-map hovered in the upper right. Her most useful skills were listed at the bottom, ready for easy access. She willed the past events inlay to appear, and a series of thumbnails showcasing her recent memories materialized in rapid succession.

The doppelgänger scrolled through them with practiced ease until she found the memory she sought. “Got it.”

“Got what?” Nachi asked, his voice mixed with apprehension.

The doppelgänger paused, considering the best way to share the memory. She could simply press the share button, allowing Everly and Nachi to watch the robbery unfold like a movie projected onto the blank screens of their closed eyelids. Or, she could take it a step further—transporting them directly into the memory for a vivid, firsthand experience.

She smirked. “Hang on tight, we’re going for a ride.”

“Good grief,” Nachi muttered, tightening his grip on his two companions.

“No need to be afraid of what you’re about to see. You can’t interact with anything; it’s just a memory,” the doppelgänger reassured them.

“I don’t know why, but I trust you,” Nachi said with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

With a mental wink, the doppelgänger activated the share function.

“Whoa—I see something,” Nachi exclaimed as faint shapes began to materialize.

“It’s getting bigger, like we’re zooming in,” Everly observed. She instinctively took a step back, though their clasped hands prevented her from moving far.

The doppelgänger felt Everly’s tug but stayed focused as the memory box expanded, filling her entire field of vision. Her current surroundings dissolved into the vivid reconstruction of her past.

“Holy hochi mochi,” Nachi gasped, his voice tinged with awe.

“You can open your eyes now,” the doppelgänger said. “Once you do, you’ll be able to move around.”

Everly was the first to release her grip and open her eyes. She immediately raised her fists, ready to defend herself. “What is this? Where are we?” For the first time, a note of worry edged her voice.

“We’re in my memory—see?” The doppelgänger gestured toward a human-sized glob of goo slumped against a wall. “That’s me in there.”

Nachi stepped closer, his curiosity overpowering caution. He watched as a slick hand emerged from the glistening mass. “This is insane,” he murmured, his mouth hanging in astonishment. “It’s just like how it looked in the video.”

“Get away from there,” Everly barked, crouching behind the bank teller’s counter.

“No, it’s okay,” the doppelgänger assured her. “This is just a memory. We can’t interact with anything here.” To demonstrate, she passed her hand through a wall. “This technology is far more advanced than your memory chamber. We’re like ghosts here.”

Inside the goo, Cedar wriggled and pushed herself free of the capsule. Once out, she waved cheerfully at a security camera.

“Can she see us?” Nachi asked, his eyes darting between Cedar and the camera.

“Nope,” the doppelgänger replied.

“Holy hochi mochi,” Nachi exclaimed again, his wide eyes tracking Cedar as she moved.

“How are you doing this?” Everly asked, still crouched low behind the counter, her analytical gaze darting around the room.

“I’m not entirely sure—it’s not my area of expertise,” the doppelgänger admitted, putting her palm to her cheek in mock embarrassment. “Oh, this is so awkward… You see, I have a music app I like to use, and, well…”

Inside the memory, Cedar began to wriggle and dance in front of the security cameras.

“And, well…” the doppelgänger continued, “I can hear music, but you guys can’t. If you could, this would make a lot more sense.”

Cedar dipped and popped her body rhythmically, her movements exaggerated as she twirled her goo-covered arms.

“I swear, it’d make more sense,” the doppelgänger reiterated.

Nachi, catching on to Cedar’s invisible beat, began bobbing his head. “Oh yeah, this is exactly how I remember it from the video.”

Cedar spun her gooey locks around, splattering gobs of sludge onto the waxed floor tiles. Then she shimmied behind the bank teller’s counter, rummaging through a drawer until she found a pair of scissors. Deliberately, she snipped a tendril of her hair and placed it carefully on the counter in clear view of the camera.

“I remember that!” Nachi exclaimed, practically jumping. “That was for a DNA sample, right? To prove it was actually you?”

“Careful, now,” the doppelgänger teased. “Don’t let that big brain of yours go to your head.”

Cedar pranced toward a back room, her steps deliberate as she made her way to the hidden vault.

“You might want to pay attention to this,” the doppelgänger said, her tone light but purposeful. “Especially you, Nachi.”

Nachi eagerly followed the naked Cedar, skipping along with enthusiasm. Everly, less than thrilled, trailed behind at a measured pace, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings.

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“She’s actually going to do it. I can’t believe this,” Nachi said, stepping closer to get a better look at Cedar’s eyes.

“Shhh…” Everly hushed him, positioning herself on the other side of Cedar. They stood facing each other with Cedar between them, her unwavering gaze fixed on the vault.

“Don’t tell me to hush, woman. She can’t hear us,” Nachi muttered.

Everly growled in frustration before giving Nachi a sharp thwack on the back of his head.

“Here it comes,” the doppelgänger warned from behind.

A low hissing sound emanated from the vault as Cedar’s eyes glowed a brilliant white, her pupils vanishing entirely.

“How come I can’t see the beam?” Nachi asked, rubbing the sore spot where Everly had struck him.

“This is real life, not a movie. The lasers are infrared,” the doppelgänger replied smoothly.

“Silent but deadly,” Nachi said, both impressed and mesmerized as the heavy steel began to melt.

The doppelgänger watched the two skeptics, their disbelief giving way to wonder. If this didn’t convince them, nothing would.

Cedar cut an opening in the vault door—a little shorter than her height but much wider than her shoulders. Without hesitation, she stepped comfortably through the sizzling gap and disappeared into the dark chamber beyond.

“Are you seeing this, Everly?” Nachi asked, his voice filled with amazement. “How do you even begin to explain this?”

“I… I can’t,” Everly admitted. She backed away from the vault, her expression coated with unease, before turning to the doppelgänger. “I have… so many questions.”

“I’m sure you do,” the doppelgänger replied with a slight smirk. “I just turned your world upside down.” She leaned casually against the wall, her arms folded, watching as Nachi eagerly followed Cedar into the vault.

“You say you’re not from this universe?” Everly asked, still trying to process what she’d witnessed.

“I am—and I’m not,” the doppelgänger said thoughtfully. “I’m from Earth. This Earth. Everything’s identical—every grain of sand, every blade of grass. But I come from a different universe, a much older version of this one.”

“Can you show me more?” Everly asked, her skepticism giving way to curiosity. “A memory of Cedar… years from now, when she’s old?”

The doppelgänger tilted her head, considering. “I can show you anything you need. More proof? Is that what you’re after?”

Everly nodded firmly.

“Well then, let’s strap in and get goin’,” the doppelgänger said with a broad grin. “Come on, Nachi, you’re coming too.”

Everly hesitated briefly before stepping closer and taking the doppelgänger’s hand. Clearing her throat, she called out, “Get your ass in gear, Nacho man.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Nachi replied, joining the circle with a mock pout. “I’ll miss you, you powerful, amazing woman, you.”

“I’m right here,” the doppelgänger said dryly.

“Oh, right…”

“Alright, y’all, close your eyes,” the doppelgänger drawled. “We’re going on another ride.”

She accessed her past events calendar once again, navigating the interface as the memory thumbnails materialized before her. Scrolling with precision, she located a specific memory from Cedar’s later years. It wasn’t the most dramatic moment, but it captured the essence of who Cedar had become.

“Got it,” she said, selecting the thumbnail and sharing it with her companions.

“It’s happening. I see something,” Nachi remarked.

Everly held her breath, tightening her grip on the doppelgänger’s hand as the thumbnail seemed to draw closer, enveloping them entirely. The sensation blurred the lines of movement—it was impossible to tell whether they were being drawn in or the memory was expanding around them. Within moments, they were fully immersed.

“Open your eyes,” the doppelgänger instructed.

Sparks danced in the wind above a smoldering fire. An older woman sat hunched over, prodding the embers with a stick. The peaceful scene was framed by a secluded, heavily wooded campsite. A nearby brook gurgled softly, its warbling melody thickening the air with a damp, dewy coolness.

The trio stood silently, taking in their surroundings. The older woman moved slowly, rising to retrieve her belongings from a side compartment on a three-wheeled motorcycle. The vehicle was perched on a bed of peat near a small, weathered tent. She returned to the fire carrying a refrigerated bag and began preparing dinner with compact, well-worn utensils.

On her lap, she laid a small cutting board, her hands steady as she sliced mushrooms, onions, and peppers to grill. A sirloin steak followed, the marbled meat glistening as she placed it alongside the vegetables.

“She’s a badass,” Nachi murmured, his tone reverent.

“That’s Cedar?” Everly asked, her voice softer now as she studied the older woman’s movements.

The doppelgänger nodded. “None other.”

“Looks tasty,” Nachi remarked, eyeing the sizzling steak.

“How old are you here? What year is this?” Everly asked.

The doppelgänger watched as the steak juices dripped onto the embers of the makeshift grill, releasing a smoky aroma. She seldom indulged in real meat back then, but when she allowed herself the luxury, it always felt like a well-earned privilege.

“I was seventy-five,” the doppelgänger replied, glancing at the date in the corner of her interface. “This is September 15th, 2296.”

“Whoa…” Nachi took in the surroundings. “So this is the future.”

“This would’ve been Cedar’s future—Cedar from this universe—had it not been hijacked,” the doppelgänger explained. “If we were to fast-forward your universe’s timeline, it’s complete mayhem.”

Everly stepped closer to the older Cedar, studying her face intently. “She looks like you, but… I’d like to see some new technology. Something we’ve never seen before. More proof.”

“Wait until I finish eating,” the doppelgänger said, watching the older Cedar plate her food. “I post a video from my laptop. It’s new tech.”

“I’m down to wait,” Nachi said, settling by the fire. “What’s it like in the future, anyway?”

“It’s complicated,” the doppelgänger replied.

“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to give me?” Nachi pressed.

“You’re not meant to know. Everything happens for a reason. That’s all you need to know.”

“Hmm.” Nachi frowned thoughtfully.

“But why does everything happen for a reason?” Everly asked, joining Nachi by the fire.

“Events unfold in a specific way to ensure your universe’s permanence,” the doppelgänger explained. “Our conversation might create minor disturbances, but the universe has self-regulating mechanisms to keep things on course.”

“There’s an auto-correct?” Nachi asked, perking up. “I hope it’s better than the one on my phone. Why would my phone think I don’t give a duck? Who carries ducks?”

“If you are who you say you are,” Everly cut in, her tone sharper, “you must’ve experienced death. Correct?”

“Damn, Evie, you dark,” Nachi muttered, shaking his head.

The doppelgänger’s expression faltered, stunned by the directness of the question.

“What made you ask that?” the doppelgänger asked carefully.

“You said you’re from another universe identical to this one,” Everly began, her voice cool and analytical. “But this universe doesn’t have the technology for multiuniversal travel. So how could it be identical? How could you have memories of Cedar when she’s older without already having lived her life?”

The doppelgänger hesitated, at a rare loss for words. “How did you…”

“You could be a multiuniversal traveler with time travel capabilities,” Everly continued. “Or Cedar’s ghost from a parallel universe come to haunt us. Or…” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “A manifestation of Cedar’s subconscious. My guess? You’re a manifestation—a split in her personality. All other explanations are illogical.”

Nachi’s gaze flicked between Everly and the doppelgänger, wide-eyed and fascinated. “So… are you dead, future girl?”

The doppelgänger sighed, recognizing that Everly had cut straight to the core of the truth. Somehow, with limited information, she’d pieced together the doppelgänger’s true nature.

“I’m a ghost, I guess you could say,” the doppelgänger admitted.

Nachi’s eyes bulged. “I knew it!”

“No, you didn’t,” Everly shot back, unimpressed.

“Is there a God?” Nachi asked suddenly, his tone uncharacteristically serious.

Everly rolled her eyes.

“There is, and there isn’t,” the doppelgänger replied, her voice steady. “It’s complicated.”

“That’s cryptic,” Everly said, stepping closer to the fire and placing one foot into the flames. “How can something exist and not exist at the same time?”

“It’s not easy to explain,” the doppelgänger admitted. “If there is a God, we don’t know where they are.”

Nachi chimed in, “If there’s a God, they’ve gotta be a damn psychopath, right? I wouldn’t want to cross paths with someone like that. The dude put a hit out on infant sons, drowned millions of people… I wouldn’t want a guy like that in charge.”

“God wouldn’t be male or female,” the doppelgänger countered. “Considering some species don’t even have sexes, why assign a gender to God?”

Nachi, following Everly’s example, placed a foot in the flames. “So, you’re telling me there’s a non-binary God that may or may not exist?” he asked, inching his lower legs further into the fire, his tone half-serious.

“If God exists,” the doppelgänger replied, “they wouldn’t be limited to just one body—they’d be every body. Every person, place, or thing.”

She paused, letting the idea sink in. “The thing is, our concept of God evolves with our awareness. Early civilizations worshipped animals—bears, birds—before transitioning to deities.”

She leaned back slightly, her expression contemplative. “But consider this: if most people believe the universe originated from a singularity, why not worship the singularity? They’ve worshipped everything else—the sun, the moon, the stars…”

Nachi, intrigued, ran a hand through the flames, watching as they licked harmlessly at his fingers. “I guess it’s because the singularity doesn’t have a face. It’s an event, not a person.” He turned to Everly. “What about you, Evie? Do you believe in God?”

“Please don’t call me Evie. And no, I don’t believe in God. Of course not.” Everly shook her head as she withdrew her foot from the flames, leaving Nachi to dominate the fire pit. “Even if we considered the singularity as God, the question remains: who created the God that created the singularity? It’s circular logic. It never ends.”

The doppelgänger turned to her with a slight smile. “You know, believing there’s no God can be just as illogical as believing there is one.”

“How so?” Everly asked, her voice sharp. “I don’t believe in God. I have no faith. Having no faith is more logical than having it.”

“You’re dark, Evie,” Nachi murmured, shaking his head.

“My name is Everly,” she snapped. “And how is my lack of faith illogical?”

“You have no proof of God’s non-existence,” the doppelgänger countered.

“And you have no proof of their existence,” Everly shot back.

Nachi, now cross-legged in the flames, adopted a meditative pose. Everly sat nearby, chin resting in her hand as she observed the fire licking around Nachi’s limbs.

“Isn’t that the essence of science?” the doppelgänger pressed. “Finding answers always leads to more questions. Do you believe in reaching an ultimate truth someday?”

“I do,” Everly admitted. “But truth doesn’t end with finding God. It’s in equations and science. Science stops the moment people bring God into the mix.”

The doppelgänger tilted her head. “Do you believe in the soul?”

“I believe in my brain,” Everly said flatly, brushing the question aside.

“Yet your consciousness is literally inside Cedar’s subconscious,” the doppelgänger pointed out. “It was pulled out of you and placed into hers. How do you explain that if you don’t have a soul?”

“Everything can be explained with science,” Everly replied, her tone uninterested.

“No, Everly…” Nachi interjected, waving his hands theatrically through the flames. “Science doesn’t have a clue why we can do this. They only know that we can.”

Everly sighed, clearly exasperated. “Do you really want me to get into this? Consciousness is an emergent property of the brain’s electrical and magnetic fields coinciding. There’s a measurable energy flow—Poynting’s vector, if you must know—and by applying Maxwell’s equations, we can direct it. There’s no mystery or voodoo; it’s basic physics. Like juicing up an old car battery.”

“Ugh, you’re hopeless,” Nachi muttered, rolling his eyes.

The doppelgänger leaned in, her tone measured. “But where exactly is consciousness? All matter is made of electricity, and magnetic fields are everywhere. By your logic, consciousness arises whenever electrical and magnetic fields align. Wouldn’t that suggest all matter is conscious?”

“I’m sure there’s a biochemical component too,” Everly replied with a dismissive wave. “We’re still working on it. In my opinion, we stop evolving when we stop researching.”

The doppelgänger smiled faintly. “I completely agree. Never stop researching.”

Everly nodded curtly, as if granting approval.

The doppelgänger raised a finger, ready to elaborate. “But…”

“There’s always a but,” Everly remarked, crossing her arms.

“But…” the doppelgänger continued, “your physical brain back home is doing all the thinking while you’re here with us now. Information is being passed along some kind of conductor. My question is—” she leaned forward slightly, her tone sharpening—“what exactly is being transmitted? It’s definitely a flow of energy—packets of information—but what makes it conscious energy?”

All eyes turned to Everly, waiting for her response. Before she could answer, the doppelgänger added, “Considering your expertise with car batteries, you must know that electricity doesn’t actually travel through wires—it’s the fields surrounding the wires that carry the charge.”

Everly nodded slowly. “Of course. That’s the principle behind wireless charging.”

“Exactly,” the doppelgänger said. “So, correct me if I’m wrong, but would it be possible for consciousness to work in a similar manner—like wireless charging?”

Everly frowned, clearly intrigued but skeptical. “I don’t see how,” she admitted. “I have no idea what you’re even suggesting.”

“Do you agree,” the doppelgänger pressed, “that the more complex a life form is, the more intelligent it becomes?”

“Sure,” Everly said, humoring her.

“Lower life forms don’t have a central processing unit like we do,” the doppelgänger explained. “Our brains process energy into recognizable patterns of thought, giving us the power to control our environment for survival. We’re granted freedom—choices—but are we truly in control?”

“You lost me, dude,” Nachi groaned, throwing up his hands.

“What’s your point?” Everly asked, narrowing her eyes.

“My point is that all energy, regardless of its form, is conscious,” the doppelgänger said. “It’s the supreme governing force of the multiverse. If we learn to tune into it, it will give us more choices—more freedom. Otherwise, we’re no better than farts sailing on the wind.”

“You sound like a panpsychist,” Everly said, raising an eyebrow.

“And what’s wrong with that?” the doppelgänger asked, unfazed.

“I’m a science geek,” Everly replied flatly. “I can’t flip-flop to the other side. It’s not in my nature. If something can’t be tested, I don’t waste time on it. Science ends where speculation begins. Consciousness can’t be tested.”

“Absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence, my dear skeptic scalawag,” the doppelgänger teased with a playful smirk.

Everly rolled her eyes.

Lowering her voice as if sharing a secret, the doppelgänger leaned closer. “What if I told you that you don’t have to flip-flop? Consciousness and science are one and the same. You’re right to say everything can be explained through science—including consciousness. It’s just a matter of how far down the rabbit hole you’re willing to go.”

Everly’s lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. “I do enjoy a good mystery.”

“What’s at the bottom of this hole?” Nachi asked, subtly bouncing on his bottom like a curious child.

“I’m not sure you’re ready to know,” the doppelgänger said with a hint of warning.

“Try me,” Nachi challenged, grinning.

“You won’t like the answer. It’s a tough pill to swallow.”

“Oh, come on, are you going to tell us or not?” Nachi puffed his cheeks, feigning impatience.

“Just tell us,” Everly said, cutting in. “If it’s more God stuff, it’ll go in one ear and out the other anyway.”

The doppelgänger exhaled and straightened. “Alright. You know how physics has set laws and fundamental properties?”

Both Nachi and Everly nodded.

“The same goes for consciousness. It’s both fundamental and governed by its own principles.”

“That’s it?” Nachi asked, leaning back. “What’s so scary about that?”

“The scary thing,” the doppelgänger said evenly, “is that it’s all very sophisticated science. Conscious energy is a field that pervades everything. It functions like software, while all matter acts as hardware—or quantum processors, like us. Our physiology allows us to decode this energy, internalize it, and make it our own.”

“That still doesn’t sound very scary,” Nachi pointed out.

Everly’s eyes narrowed as realization dawned. “It implies the universe is deterministic. Is that what you’re getting at? That everything is run on a program?”

“Nothing gets by you, does it?” the doppelgänger replied with a wink.

“There’s no way we’re a program,” Everly argued. “No computer could run software infinitely on a scale as vast as the universe. That’s already been debunked.”

“The program doesn’t run indefinitely,” the doppelgänger clarified. “The universe stops being deterministic when…” She hesitated, as if reluctant to tread into dangerous territory.

“When what?” Nachi prompted, leaning forward.

“It stops being deterministic once all its constituent parts return to the singularity,” she finished.

“What constituent parts?” Everly asked.

“Us,” the doppelgänger said with a small shrug. “All its people, things—everything it took to create this universe. Whatever’s left, once all its parts return to the singularity, will have true free will. No longer predetermined. Most importantly, you’ll be safe from deletion. Safe from hijackers.”

“Good lord…” Everly murmured, pressing her palm to her forehead.

“That’s deep,” Nachi muttered, his voice quieter than usual.

Meanwhile, Cedar rose from her seat, quietly gathering her dinnerware. She wiped her utensils with a self-sterilizing cloth, placing each item neatly into its corresponding compartment. With a verbal command, she unlocked her motorcycle’s trunk and pulled out a cylindrical case from the deep storage basin.

“We’ll continue this discussion later,” the doppelgänger suggested. “You’re about to witness the latest Inselburg.”

“It looks like a scroll,” Nachi observed. “Is it a scroll?”

“You’ll see,” the doppelgänger replied cryptically.

Cedar unzipped the long cylindrical tube, and it unfurled with an audible beep. Nachi and Everly huddled closer, their curiosity piqued. The “laptop,” little more than a transparent film layered over a durable, plastic-like material, appeared rudimentary—almost underwhelming.

“Wow, I’m overwhelmed,” Nachi said flatly.

“That’s just the base. Be patient.”

Cedar tossed the laptop onto the ground like it was a discarded piece of trash and then sat on her folding chair, several yards away.

“Yobbo, turn on,” she commanded, exhaling sharply.

The film brightened, emitting faint, willowy red beams that swept the surrounding area, scanning for objects in its periphery. Once the calculations were complete, a shape began to rise, erupting from the surface.

“Whoa,” Nachi exclaimed. “Is that a tiny mountain?”

“The tip of one,” the doppelgänger corrected.

The mountain continued to grow, aspiring higher than the nearby treetops. A bird fluttered out from the branches and took flight, as if fleeing impending doom. The mountain stopped at an impressive fifty feet, glowing brightly against the dimming light of the evening. Snow clung to its peak, just below a shimmering, iridescent rainbow.

Nachi and Everly stared, wide-eyed, marveling at the lone alp’s grandeur. Drawn by its immensity, they both reached out instinctively.

“Impossible…” Everly breathed. “It looks completely solid. How? How is this possible?”

“It’s something to do with refracting light through oxygen molecules,” the doppelgänger explained. “Are you impressed yet?”

“Getting there,” Everly admitted grudgingly.

From a nearby campsite, an annoyed voice broke the moment. “Hey, turn that shit off!”

“Yeah, turn it off!” another camper shouted.

Cedar cleared her throat. “Yobbo, turn off mountain.”

The mountain dissolved into a flurry of glowing particles, swept away as though by an invisible wind.

“Hello, Cedar,” a deep voice intoned from behind Everly.

Startled, Everly spun around to face the source of the voice.

A man stood before them, impeccably dressed in a finely pressed suit and tie. His glossy shoes stood out starkly against the rugged terrain.

“What would you like to accomplish today?” the man asked, his rich, burgundy tone soothing to the ears.

“I’d like to record a vlog,” Cedar replied.

“Very well. Just say the word ‘record,’ and it will begin.” A smiling emoji appeared, hovering just above the man’s broad left shoulder. “This emoji will act as your camera lens.”

Without much thought, Cedar gave the command. “Record.”

A small red dot appeared over the smiling emoji, signaling the recording had started.

“I had a dream last night,” Cedar began, her long silver hair cascading over her worn leather jacket. “I dreamt I was being attacked by a snake.”

“Story time!” Nachi exclaimed, springing from the fire pit to sit at Cedar’s feet, gazing up like an eager child.

“He was violent. Vicious,” Cedar continued. “I tried grabbing him by the head, thinking it was the only way to stop him from biting. But the harder I grabbed, the harder he bit. I physically felt the sting of his fangs.”

She paused, her voice steady but reflective. “I knew that if I didn’t capture him right then and there, I’d have to live in fear—always anticipating his next move. And I’d already been bitten. If he was poisonous, then I had nothing to lose. The poison was already in me. To stop now would mean all those previous bites had been for nothing. Running, healing, only to be bitten again later—it would just repeat. Attack. Pain. Heal. Attack. Pain. Heal.”

Cedar coughed softly, clearing her throat. “Walking away felt like the coward’s choice, not the strong one. Choosing fear meant living with it. So, I decided to capture him. No matter how much it hurt, I chose courage over fear.”

“You kill it, bitch,” Nachi blurted, grinning.

“Shut it, Nachi,” Everly hissed, shooting him a glare. “Let her finish.”

“And I did catch him. I grabbed him by the head and watched his jaw unhinge, revealing watery fangs that shot venom like water guns. I’m not sure if fangs actually do that, but in my dream, they did. And then I woke up.” She nodded to no one in particular.

“It turns out I was bitten by something in my sleep,” Cedar added, rubbing her aged hand and examining it closely. “Some damn bug or spider, I don’t know what it was. I spent half the night searching my tent for it.”

She sighed, then continued. “Anyway… after I woke up, I thought about the dream’s meaning. In the dream, I felt compelled to catch the snake. But when I woke up and looked for whatever bit me, it dawned on me—there will always be another snake. If I really want to grab fear by the head, I have to grab the fear itself, not the thing causing it. There is no snake. There is no fear. Do you understand?” Cedar glanced at the smiling emoji, her voice turning wry. “I mean, metaphorically, of course. If there’s an actual snake, you kill the bastard.”

Nachi laughed. “She’s awesome.”

Old Cedar gave a small, weary smile. “What I’m trying to say is… I wouldn’t have had that dream if I wasn’t scared of something. I’m just not sure what’s left to be afraid of these days. I feel like I’ve already lived through the worst of it. The dream’s telling me I need to let go of something, but I can’t quite figure out what.”

Her voice trailed off as she gazed into the dying embers of the fire, her thoughts distant.

“I’m in the Old Smokies tonight,” Cedar said, her voice steady as she leaned back in her chair. “Not sure where I’ll end up tomorrow. I’m still in good health, so I won’t need one of those retirement cruise ships anytime soon. The weather’s cool at these high altitudes, but getting here feels like driving through an oven. Still, as long as I have water and juice for old Betsy here, I’ll be fine.” She patted the side of her motorcycle, her expression softening. “Goodnight, everybody. Thanks for listening.” Cedar waved at the hovering emoji, signaling it to stop recording.

Everly watched as Cedar packed her laptop, rolling the transparent film neatly before zipping it into its case. “How do we get back to Cedar? Present-day Cedar, I mean,” she asked, her tone more demanding than curious.

The doppelgänger stepped closer to Everly, lightly touching her shoulder. “We can return once you no longer need proof of who I say I am.”

Everly flinched, pulling away from the touch.

“Ohh…kay,” the doppelgänger said, retracting her hand and smoothing her hair instead. “Your world really is in danger. Cedar’s the only one who can help.”

“Why can’t you help? Why do you need her?” Everly pressed, her suspicion clear.

“I already used up most of my time during the robbery,” the doppelgänger explained. “I can’t press my luck. I’m not supposed to be here—not in physical form, anyway. Astral is fine, but physical? If the auto-correction system detects me, I’ll be toast.”

Nachi, who had been quietly absorbing the exchange, finally chimed in. “What’s going to happen to us? Why are we in danger?”

The doppelgänger’s expression darkened. “A man from another universe—identical to this one—will reign terror on all of you. He’s seeking revenge.”

“Revenge for what?” Nachi asked, his brows furrowing.

“Show us,” Everly interjected, taking control of the conversation. “Can you do that?”

The doppelgänger hesitated, shaking her head. “I can’t. I didn’t actually visit your future. I only viewed it from my hub.”

She paused, deliberating. Sharing her hub was a risky move, but it might be the only way to convince them. The hub was a powerful tool, granting her access to view the past, present, and future—not just of her universe, but countless others. Most were identical to this one, except for those currently under threat of hijacking.

“Your hub?” Everly repeated, her brow arching skeptically. “I still don’t believe any of this. You’re most likely a manifestation of Cedar’s subconscious. This could be the first documented case of split-personality disorder inside a virtual rehabilitation program.”

“Fine,” the doppelgänger conceded, exhaling. “I’ll show you my hub. All the proof you need can be found there.”

“What’s the hub, bub?” Nachi asked with a playful grin.

The doppelgänger smirked. “Prepare to be amazed.” She extended her hands toward them.

Everly was the first to take one. “You ready, Nachi?”

Nachi grasped the doppelgänger’s other hand, completing the circle. “Sure. Let’s get weird.”

All three closed their eyes without needing further instruction.

“This next stop will surprise you,” the doppelgänger warned, her voice laced with anticipation. She peeked briefly to ensure they were prepared.

“I can’t possibly be more confused than I already am,” Everly stated, her tone dry but resolute.

With a grin, the doppelgänger activated the hub. The air shimmered, and a new image began to materialize before them.

“Here it comes…” Nachi uttered, bracing himself as light and motion converged into a vibrant new reality.