“I’ve told you a million times already! How many more times do I have to retell the TRUTH?!” Ian yelled as he hit the metal table in the interrogation room. The female officer in the corner grabbed her gun in the holster on her hip, putting the other hand up. “Sir, I need you to calm down!” She yelled.

The detective in front of Ian looked at her, “step out Officer Danali.” She looked at him confused. “But-“ she started, “Not another word. Out.” The detective said sternly. Looking back to Ian, his face darkened. “Look, if you can’t give me the answers I’m looking for; I will have to lock you up.”

Ian put his head in his hands, “I’ve been telling you the truth, this entire time. My name is Ian Williams, I am 27 years old, I’m from Wako, Texas. I went to college at Texas University but dropped out after two years because I decided I wanted to do something better with my life. I got married five years ago to my wife Melody Chambers, and we have two kids together. I work as a renovator; fixing up houses for those who need the work done. The man in the other room? He isn’t me! I have every single bank statement, every ticket I received from speeding and parking in a no parking area, I have every one of my medical records from when I was ten years old. I even have a scar from when I flew off my mountain bike on my leg when I was 13! My mom can attest to that!”

The detective nodded his head, then when Ian finished his story, he asked: “then why does he look like, sound like, and even share the same scar as you?”

Ian leaned forward, “I don’t know! All I know is that HE isn’t ME. He’s taking over my life! He… he SLEPT with MY WIFE, then committed a bunch of wire fraud under MY NAME! I don’t know why, or how this is even possible!”

The detective scratched his face, then sighed.

“I want to help you, but you’re not helping yourself. Your ‘wife’ as you call her has even identified that man in the other room as her husband. Your ‘mom’ confirmed that it wasn’t a mountain bike accident where you got that scar on your leg, but falling down the stairs and landing on a glass table in the living room when you were 7. You’re story doesn’t line up with any of the witnesses we have interviewed. Why is that?”

Ian’s eyes welled up with tears, “I don’t know, man!” His voice broke, “Maybe he paid them? Maybe they decided that he’s better? I don’t know! What I do know is that he isn’t me. I’m the real Ian!”

The detective nodded, standing up he gestured to the one way mirror, “take him. We’re finished here.”

“Wait! No! You-You can’t lock me up!” Ian yelled, standing up as two officers came into the room. Ian tried to convince them that he was the real Ian, but that didn’t react.

As they hauled him to the mental hospital car he seen the man who had taken control of his life standing in a window grinning at him. He was the perfect mirror image of Ian. From his brown hair, to the beauty mark on the palm of his hand. “No, no, no, no! NO! NO!” Ian screamed as he tried to get away.

They got him outside then placed him in the vehicle. He felt buzzing in his pocket when they closed the door. Ian opened the message:

“See you in the next life, brother. You’ve been replaced.”

Ian looked up to see the man who took over his life, breaking a burner phone and putting it in his pocket inconspicuously. Ian yelled but no one heard him.

As the car drove away he watched as his wife, and his children clung to a man they didn’t know. A man who looked like him, but wasn’t on every level.