Episode 1: The Other Me
The golden hues of autumn sunlight streamed through the window as Tara, an 18-year-old girl with dark eyes and a quiet demeanor, sat at the breakfast table. Her mother, busy in the kitchen, hummed a soft tune while flipping an omelet.
Mother: "Eat quickly, Tara. You'll be late for school."
Tara stirred her cereal absentmindedly.
Tara: "I'm almost done."
Her mother sighed. "You're always lost in your own world."
Ignoring the remark, Tara finished her meal, grabbed her bag, and stepped outside. The crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks as she made her way to school.
At school, Lily, Tara's best friend, waved at her from their usual spot near the classroom window.
Lily: "Tara! I saved you a seat. Guess what? I found this amazing new song. You HAVE to listen to it!"
Tara gave a small smile as she slid into the chair.
Tara: "You always find amazing songs."
Lily: "Because I have great taste, duh!"
Lily's bright energy was a stark contrast to Tara's quiet nature, but somehow, their friendship worked.
After school, Tara and Lily went shopping together. They browsed through racks of clothes, laughing and trying on outfits, making silly faces in the mirror. Tara bought a new scarf, and Lily picked out a bracelet for them both. They headed to a café afterward, where they ate their favorite pastries and played games on their phones.
Lily: "Let's be like this forever, okay? Just the two of us, having fun."
Tara smiled softly, a feeling of peace washing over her for the first time in a long while.
Tara: "Yeah, forever sounds nice."
That night, Tara sat at the dinner table with her mother. The room was dimly lit, casting soft shadows across the walls. The only sound was the clinking of cutlery—until her mother finally spoke.
Mother: "You hardly talk anymore, Tara. All you do is stay in your room."
Tara: "I just like being alone. Is that a crime?"
Her mother frowned. "I just wish you would share things with me. Like Lily does with her mother."
Tara clenched her jaw. "I'm not Lily."
The tension in the air thickened.
Mother: "I'm just trying to help."
Tara: "Maybe I don't need help."
Pushing her plate away, Tara stood up abruptly and stormed off to her room.
That night, sleep came quickly—anger and exhaustion pulling her under like a tide. But when she opened her eyes again…
She wasn't in her bedroom.
The scent of damp earth filled her nose. The ground beneath her was cold stone. Around her, eerie blue lights flickered, casting ghostly shadows on strange, metallic walls.
Panic surged through her.
And then—she saw her.
A girl.
Standing just a few feet away.
Her heart pounded. The girl had the same dark eyes. The same face. The same everything.
She was looking at herself.
Episode 1 Ends.