The voices stopped.
\nSilence.
\nAbsolute silence.
\nThen every face in the chamber looked at me.
\nMy face.
\nGwen’s face.
\nLily’s face.
\nAlex’s face.
\nHenry’s face.
\nEven my grandfather’s face.
\nHundreds of them.
\nMaybe thousands.
\nStanding motionless beneath the white light.
\nI couldn’t tell which ones were real.
\nMy grandfather smiled.
\n\u201cChoose.\u201d
\nI raised my weapon.
\n\u201cWhere is Gwen?\u201d
\nEvery copy answered at once.
\n\u201cHere.\u201d
\nMy stomach dropped.
\n\u201cWhere is Lily?\u201d
\n\u201cHere.\u201d
\n\u201cAlex?\u201d
\n\u201cHere.\u201d
\n\u201cHenry?\u201d
\n\u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stepped backward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn’t possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
My grandfather laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s the first mistake people make when they enter the archive.\u201d<\/p>\n
He walked toward me.<\/p>\n
Or at least one of the copies did.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep asking what is real.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed toward the copies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe better question is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
He leaned closer.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026what does real even mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
I fired.<\/p>\n
The bullet struck his chest.<\/p>\n
He fell.<\/p>\n
Blood spread across his shirt.<\/p>\n
For half a second, I thought it was over.<\/p>\n
Then he smiled.<\/p>\n
The wound disappeared.<\/p>\n
The bullet dropped onto the floor.<\/p>\n
My blood turned cold.<\/p>\n
He stood again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot real.\u201d<\/p>\n
I fired at another copy.<\/p>\n
It fell.<\/p>\n
Then disappeared.<\/p>\n
Another copy stepped into its place.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Hundreds became thousands.<\/p>\n
The chamber seemed to stretch endlessly.<\/p>\n
Every direction was filled with people who looked like us.<\/p>\n
I heard Gwen’s voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelp me!\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned.<\/p>\n
She stood behind the crowd.<\/p>\n
I ran toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cGwen!\u201d<\/p>\n
She reached for me.<\/p>\n
I grabbed her hand.<\/p>\n
But the instant I touched her\u2014<\/p>\n
she smiled.<\/p>\n
Wrong.<\/p>\n
Her eyes changed.<\/p>\n
I released her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re not Gwen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The copy laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
It transformed.<\/p>\n
Samuel.<\/p>\n
Then Alex.<\/p>\n
Then Henry.<\/p>\n
Then my grandfather.<\/p>\n
Finally\u2014<\/p>\n
me.<\/p>\n
I stared at myself.<\/p>\n
The copy smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Gwen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’ll never find her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause she’s everywhere too.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked around.<\/p>\n
Every copy stared at me.<\/p>\n
Then one woman stepped forward.<\/p>\n
Gwen.<\/p>\n
This time, I knew something was different.<\/p>\n
She wasn’t smiling.<\/p>\n
She was crying.<\/p>\n
She whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease don’t trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stopped.<\/p>\n
She pointed toward her own chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not the original.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen where is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me to find you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real Gwen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked behind me.<\/p>\n
\u201cInside.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned.<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
The copy whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cInside your memory.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
And suddenly\u2014<\/p>\n
I was somewhere else.<\/p>\n
A bedroom.<\/p>\n
My childhood bedroom.<\/p>\n
I was eight years old.<\/p>\n
Gwen was there.<\/p>\n
Impossible.<\/p>\n
She was a child too.<\/p>\n
She was sitting beside me.<\/p>\n
I looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re here.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve always been here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour memory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you’re not supposed to be in it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you put me here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you knew the archive would eventually find you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She touched my forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou needed someone it couldn’t copy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you loved me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou created a memory of me before we ever met.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shook my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled sadly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wanted someone the archive couldn’t predict.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked around.<\/p>\n
The room began changing.<\/p>\n
My childhood bedroom became the church.<\/p>\n
Then the laboratory.<\/p>\n
Then the cemetery.<\/p>\n
Then the underground archive.<\/p>\n
Every place I had ever been.<\/p>\n
All of them overlapping.<\/p>\n
Gwen stood in the center.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe archive doesn’t copy people.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt copies memories.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the copies\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre memories.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot people?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why can they move?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the archive is learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearning what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The walls began filling with faces.<\/p>\n
Millions.<\/p>\n
Every human being who had ever been recorded.<\/p>\n
Every memory.<\/p>\n
Every emotion.<\/p>\n
Every decision.<\/p>\n
Every death.<\/p>\n
Every secret.<\/p>\n
The archive had been collecting humanity for generations.<\/p>\n
I whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt isn’t an archive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gwen nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cA mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed upward.<\/p>\n
I looked.<\/p>\n
The ceiling disappeared.<\/p>\n
Beyond it was darkness.<\/p>\n
Then\u2014<\/p>\n
two enormous eyes opened.<\/p>\n
I couldn’t breathe.<\/p>\n
Something was watching us.<\/p>\n
Something impossibly large.<\/p>\n
Something that had existed before my family.<\/p>\n
Before the archive.<\/p>\n
Before the experiment.<\/p>\n
Before everything.<\/p>\n
Gwen whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I backed away.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
She answered:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original.\u201d<\/p>\n
A voice filled the space.<\/p>\n
Not loud.<\/p>\n
Not angry.<\/p>\n
Just\u2014<\/p>\n
everywhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cI REMEMBER.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The world shook.<\/p>\n I covered my ears.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n The voice answered:<\/p>\n \u201cI AM WHAT YOUR SPECIES FORGOT.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n She was crying.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does it want?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTO RETURN.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cReturn where?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHOME.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I didn’t understand.<\/p>\n Then memories flooded through me.<\/p>\n Not mine.<\/p>\n Ancient memories.<\/p>\n A civilization.<\/p>\n A world.<\/p>\n A species.<\/p>\n Machines.<\/p>\n Wars.<\/p>\n The first humans.<\/p>\n The first cities.<\/p>\n The first memory.<\/p>\n Then something impossible.<\/p>\n I saw Earth.<\/p>\n But it wasn’t Earth.<\/p>\n The continents were different.<\/p>\n The oceans were larger.<\/p>\n The sky was purple.<\/p>\n And something enormous lived beneath the planet.<\/p>\n Something that had been sleeping.<\/p>\n I opened my eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe archive isn’t from the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt came from here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEarth?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why does the future know about it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the future discovered it.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd they tried to control it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd failed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo they sent memories backward.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo warn us.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo prepare us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why?\u201d<\/p>\n She whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cTo wake it.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n The voice returned.<\/p>\n \u201cWAKE.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The ground cracked.<\/p>\n The copies began screaming.<\/p>\n Millions of faces suddenly looked upward.<\/p>\n Then they all said the same word.<\/p>\n \u201cWAKE.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I grabbed Gwen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s nowhere to go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re already inside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInside what?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThe archive.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cInside?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cMy body is here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour real body?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n She touched my chest.<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled sadly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve been carrying me.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn’t understand.<\/p>\n Then my chest burned.<\/p>\n A symbol appeared beneath my skin.<\/p>\n The same symbol from the archive.<\/p>\n The circle.<\/p>\n The vertical line.<\/p>\n Gwen’s hand touched it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt connected us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we’re the final pair.\u201d<\/p>\n I remembered Elara.<\/p>\n The two halves have returned.<\/strong><\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are we halves of?\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThe original.\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly\u2014<\/p>\n a door appeared.<\/p>\n A normal wooden door.<\/p>\n In the middle of the impossible world.<\/p>\n Gwen pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s the exit.\u201d<\/p>\n I ran toward it.<\/p>\n She followed.<\/p>\n I opened the door.<\/p>\n And stopped.<\/p>\n On the other side was my house.<\/p>\n My childhood home.<\/p>\n Exactly as I remembered it.<\/p>\n The kitchen.<\/p>\n The stairs.<\/p>\n The old clock.<\/p>\n The family photographs.<\/p>\n But there was something wrong.<\/p>\n Every photograph had been altered.<\/p>\n My family was standing together.<\/p>\n My grandfather.<\/p>\n My grandmother.<\/p>\n Adrian.<\/p>\n Elena.<\/p>\n Henry.<\/p>\n Lily.<\/p>\n Alex.<\/p>\n Gwen.<\/p>\n And\u2014<\/p>\n me.<\/p>\n But there was another person.<\/p>\n A boy.<\/p>\n Standing beside me.<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cEvan.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n The clock stopped.<\/p>\n 12:00.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n someone walked down the stairs.<\/p>\n A young man.<\/p>\n Same face as mine.<\/p>\n Older than Evan had been.<\/p>\n Younger than the man in the archive.<\/p>\n He stopped at the bottom.<\/p>\n \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cEvan?\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n I stepped toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re alive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n Then at me.<\/p>\n \u201cA memory.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can’t be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I remember you.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is exactly why I exist.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn’t understand.<\/p>\n Evan stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think memories are records.\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cMemories are instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInstructions for what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor becoming.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n He touched my shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and I were never meant to be brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n I frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were meant to be one person.\u201d<\/p>\n The room went silent.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour grandfather separated us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause one body couldn’t contain the archive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo he split us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt sick.<\/p>\n \u201cMy memories\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy abilities\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy missing years\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMine.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re the other half of me.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Gwen?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cShe is the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen closed her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Henry?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is the lock.\u201d<\/p>\n I remembered the machine.<\/p>\n The seven subjects.<\/p>\n The numbers.<\/p>\n The archive.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what is Subject 0007?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan’s expression became serious.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one designed to shut us down.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cHenry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why did he help us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he changed his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked toward the window.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he fell in love.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith whom?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n Gwen shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHenry loved Gwen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe loved her before she knew him.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen looked devastated.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t he tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he knew what would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan answered:<\/p>\n \u201cIf Gwen remembered him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He paused.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026she would remember everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly\u2014<\/p>\n the house began shaking.<\/p>\n The walls cracked.<\/p>\n The photographs fell.<\/p>\n The clock started spinning.<\/p>\n The door opened behind us.<\/p>\n Henry stood there.<\/p>\n Blood covered his face.<\/p>\n He looked exhausted.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough.\u201d<\/p>\n I raised my weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cStay back.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don’t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think I’m the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAren’t you?\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n \u201cI can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n He reached into his coat.<\/p>\n Pulled out a small black device.<\/p>\n \u201cThis.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe shutdown key.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you use it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause it requires two people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n Then Gwen.<\/p>\n \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happens if we use it?\u201d<\/p>\n Henry’s expression changed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe archive dies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe archive dies\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026and so does everyone connected to it.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLily?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlex?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvan?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n Henry didn’t answer.<\/p>\n I already knew.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Gwen?\u201d<\/p>\n Henry looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n Gwen whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThen we can’t.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s why I never used it.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what do we do?\u201d<\/p>\n Henry looked toward the window.<\/p>\n The sky outside turned black.<\/p>\n A massive shadow appeared.<\/p>\n The thing from the future.<\/p>\n It was coming through.<\/p>\n Henry whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWe fight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith what?\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the one thing the archive can’t copy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChoice.\u201d<\/p>\n The house exploded.<\/p>\n The wall disappeared.<\/p>\n The future poured through.<\/p>\n Machines.<\/p>\n Soldiers.<\/p>\n Copies.<\/p>\n Creatures.<\/p>\n Millions of memories.<\/p>\n Everything collided.<\/p>\n I grabbed Gwen.<\/p>\n Evan grabbed my other arm.<\/p>\n Henry raised the shutdown key.<\/p>\n \u201cReady?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n I looked at Evan.<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n Then Henry shouted:<\/p>\n \u201cNOW!\u201d<\/p>\n We activated the key.<\/p>\n The archive screamed.<\/p>\n Every copy froze.<\/p>\n Every memory stopped.<\/p>\n Every machine shut down.<\/p>\n The future soldiers disappeared.<\/p>\n The giant shadow vanished.<\/p>\n Everything went silent.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n one voice remained.<\/p>\n \u201cYOU CANNOT KILL ME.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked around.<\/p>\n The voice came from everywhere.<\/p>\n \u201cI AM MEMORY.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Gwen stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd memory can die.\u201d<\/p>\n The voice laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cNO.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n She raised the silver pendant.<\/p>\n The original archive chip.<\/p>\n \u201cYou forgot one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The voice stopped.<\/p>\n Gwen looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cYou gave humans memories.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at the machine.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you forgot we can choose what they mean.\u201d<\/p>\n She crushed the chip.<\/p>\n The world exploded with light.<\/p>\n I heard Evan scream.<\/p>\n Henry fell.<\/p>\n Gwen disappeared.<\/p>\n I reached for her.<\/p>\n \u201cGWEN!\u201d<\/p>\n Everything turned white.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n nothing.<\/p>\n No sound.<\/p>\n No memory.<\/p>\n No darkness.<\/p>\n Just peace.<\/p>\n I opened my eyes.<\/p>\n I was lying in a field.<\/p>\n Blue sky.<\/p>\n Warm sunlight.<\/p>\n Birds.<\/p>\n No machines.<\/p>\n No archive.<\/p>\n No weapons.<\/p>\n I sat up.<\/p>\n Gwen was beside me.<\/p>\n Alive.<\/p>\n I stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it over?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cWe chose.\u201d<\/p>\n I laughed.<\/p>\n Then I realized something.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is Evan?\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen’s smile disappeared.<\/p>\n I turned.<\/p>\n He wasn’t there.<\/p>\n Neither was Henry.<\/p>\n Neither was Lily.<\/p>\n Neither was Alex.<\/p>\n I stood.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n A voice came from behind us.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking for me?\u201d<\/p>\n I turned.<\/p>\n Evan stood there.<\/p>\n But he was different.<\/p>\n He looked human.<\/p>\n Really human.<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re alive.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n I hugged him.<\/p>\n He laughed.<\/p>\n Then I heard another voice.<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t forget me.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry.<\/p>\n He was walking toward us.<\/p>\n Alive.<\/p>\n I laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Henry smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThe archive transferred itself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed toward the horizon.<\/p>\n I saw a small black box lying in the grass.<\/p>\n I approached it.<\/p>\n It was silent.<\/p>\n Dead.<\/p>\n I picked it up.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n the box opened.<\/p>\n Inside was a single photograph.<\/p>\n Me.<\/p>\n Gwen.<\/p>\n Evan.<\/p>\n Henry.<\/p>\n Lily.<\/p>\n Alex.<\/p>\n Everyone.<\/p>\n On the back was a handwritten message.<\/p>\n I turned it over.<\/p>\n Four words.<\/p>\n THIS ISN’T THE END.<\/strong><\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWho wrote this?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan’s face became serious.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n The photograph suddenly changed.<\/p>\n A new image appeared.<\/p>\n A city.<\/p>\n A hospital.<\/p>\n A newborn baby.<\/p>\n A woman holding the child.<\/p>\n The woman looked exactly like Gwen.<\/p>\n Older.<\/p>\n Much older.<\/p>\n Beside her stood a man who looked like me.<\/p>\n Older too.<\/p>\n And the child\u2014<\/p>\n had the same symbol.<\/p>\n The circle.<\/p>\n The vertical line.<\/p>\n Gwen whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Evan.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat year is that?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at the photograph.<\/p>\n Then his face went pale.<\/p>\n \u201c2149.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the future was destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed at the photograph.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn’t destroy the future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what did we do?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cWe created it.\u201d<\/p>\n The baby in the photograph suddenly opened its eyes.<\/p>\n And beneath the photograph\u2014<\/p>\n another message appeared.<\/p>\n SUBJECT 0008 HAS BEEN BORN.<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n Neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n Then the black box began counting.<\/p>\n 10\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n 9\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n 8\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n I dropped it.<\/p>\n The countdown continued.<\/p>\n 7\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Evan shouted:<\/p>\n \u201cRUN!\u201d<\/p>\n 6\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n The sky darkened.<\/p>\n 5\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n A massive circular symbol appeared above us.<\/p>\n 4\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Henry grabbed Lily.<\/p>\n 3\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Alex appeared from the trees.<\/p>\n 2\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Gwen grabbed my hand.<\/p>\n 1\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n The voice returned.<\/p>\n The same voice.<\/p>\n The voice from the archive.<\/p>\n But this time\u2014<\/p>\n it wasn’t speaking from the machine.<\/p>\n It was speaking from the sky<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cPHASE THREE BEGINNING.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked up.<\/p>\n And saw thousands of lights appearing across the world.<\/p>\n One by one.<\/p>\n Like stars.<\/p>\n Except they were moving.<\/p>\n Descending.<\/p>\n Toward Earth.<\/p>\n Evan whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n I asked:<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThe descendants.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf who?\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed toward the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cUs.\u201d<\/p>\n And then the first light struck the ground.<\/p>\n The earth shook.<\/p>\n A figure stepped out.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n They all had the same face.<\/p>\n Mine.<\/strong><\/p>\n But one of them walked toward us alone.<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n Smiled.<\/p>\n And said:<\/p>\n \u201cFather.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n Gwen whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did he call you?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cFather.\u201d<\/p>\n Then he looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n And said:<\/p>\n \u201cMother.\u201d<\/p>\n I couldn’t move.<\/p>\n Because the man standing before us\u2014<\/p>\n was the child from the photograph.<\/p>\n Except he wasn’t a baby anymore.<\/p>\n He was a grown man.<\/p>\n And he had traveled backward through time.<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cWe came back to save you.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cSave me from what?\u201d<\/p>\n His smile disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Then every light in the sky went dark.<\/p>\n And the world heard a single sentence:<\/p>\n