The Duplicates

11pm: October 23, 2008- A Generic City

The apartment block on the Eastside is washed in grey soot and the chipped paint peels in the acid rain. The city, ten stories below, creates a low hum like a giant bumble bee circling the apartments for nectar. The hodgepodge of lights from the different occupied apartments creates a sporadic pattern. Each square aglow with shades of yellow and white. At the far right, a small square stands out. It radiates a faint blue light, which flickers intermittently.
Anna, her red hair tied in a top knot, pounds furiously at the keyboard. Letters popping up in the chat window with much gusto.
AnnaB87: where shall I meet you?
AB85: let’s meet at Cannings Park where it’s safe.
AnnaB87: What time. I don’t want my parents to know.
AB85: after school? 3pm?
AnnaB87: Great! I can’t wait! See you soon.
AB85: See you soon
            AB85 has signed off
Anna, stares at the screen. Her heart pumping in her chest creating a deafening roar in her ears. Or was that the door?
“Anna! It’s 11:30. You should be in bed!”,her father shouts through the closed door.
“Sorry Dad!”.
She flicks off the computer and the overhead bulb and settles into her bed. Her eyes affixed on the world outside. She watches the rain trickle down the window, flowing into other drops till they disappear from view. Her nerves were buzzing with excitement. She couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

3pm: October 24, 2008- Cannings Park.

Anna stood at the fountain scanning the crowd. How was she going to recognize AB? All she knew was that they shared the same name and she was from a small town, north of the city. The weather today was bleak and cold. Anna kept her hands in her pockets and fidgeted back and forth to warm herself up. Perhaps AB was running late. The afternoon crowd was filled with men with business suits, mothers walking their kids home from school, joggers and teenagers like herself. Typical generic crowd. No one broke away and made their way towards her or even looked at her as they passed. She was about to resign to the fact that AB was going to be a no show.
“Anna?”.
A soft voice came from behind her and her heart leapt with excitement and joy.
Turning around, her smile faded to confusion and her face became pale.
“Anna?”. The mouth moved slowly and then into an easy smile. Her dark eyes sparkling. Same dark eyes as Anna’s.
Anna was staring a mirror copy of herself. Her red was the same shade and cut. Her skin dotted with freckles. She even had the same scar above her left eye.
“AB?”.
The clone nodded.
“But, but...you’re me!?”
Suddenly, AB’s hand flashed before her and Anna felt a quick jolt of electricity hit her in her stomach. Her vision clouding over. She felt herself falling to the ground, a rushing roar like a crashing wave, in her ears. Faintly she heard AB speak.
“I’m not you. But, I will be”.
AB kneels beside Anna’s now unconscious body. Gathering Anna’s bag, she signals two men who sat on a bench nearby. Slowly they approach. No one seems to notice the two men, now carrying Anna’s body towards a waiting car.
AB,watches the car leave before heading towards the Eastside, making purposeful strides to the subway. She catches her reflection in a deli window and smiles back.
“I best get home, I don’t want Mum and Dad to worry about me”.
She slowly makes her way into the crowd, her red head visible, then gone.