Chapter 5: Fractured Realities
Tanim sat at his desk in Northant Media’s studio, staring at the glowing screen of his computer. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of success for the team, with their breakthrough at a high-profile wedding cementing their place as one of the most sought-after creative studios in the region. But Tanim couldn’t shake the nagging sense that something was wrong.
“Sonia hasn’t been answering her phone,” he said to Bowman, who was busy reviewing the latest footage.
Bowman looked up, concern etched on his face. “She’s probably just taking a break. You know how hard she’s been working.”
Tanim frowned. “It’s not like her to just disappear without saying anything. I called her flat—her landlord said she hasn’t been home for two days.”
Bowman leaned back, now fully attentive. “That’s serious. Have you tried the places she usually goes?”
“I’ve checked everything I could think of,” Tanim replied, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but something feels...off.”
Bowman nodded slowly. “What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to retrace her steps,” Tanim said firmly. “There has to be something I’ve missed.”
Retracing Sonia’s Steps
Sonia’s last assignment had been to finalize arrangements at a boutique hotel for an upcoming wedding shoot. Tanim started there, hoping to find a clue. The hotel staff remembered her, but nothing seemed unusual—until the receptionist mentioned seeing a flash of light.
“It was strange,” she said. “She was leaving in a hurry, and there was this blinding light on the street outside. It only lasted a second, but when it was gone, so was she.”
The words sent a chill down Tanim’s spine. A vague memory stirred—something he couldn’t quite place.
“Do you have CCTV footage of that moment?” he asked.
The receptionist nodded. “I can pull it up for you.”
The footage showed Sonia walking briskly down the street, glancing nervously over her shoulder. Moments later, the screen flickered, and a bright, blinding light filled the frame. When the light faded, Sonia was gone.
Tanim staggered back from the screen, his head pounding. The image of the light triggered something buried deep in his mind—a forgotten memory forcing its way to the surface.
The Blinding Light
Tanim closed his eyes, and in an instant, he was somewhere else.
He stood in an office cluttered with case files and surveillance photos. Across the desk sat Adam.
“You’re here,” Adam said, his tone calm but knowing.
“Where is here?” Tanim asked, his voice shaking.
Adam leaned back in his chair. “This is my world. And yours, too—sort of. We’re the same person, Tanim. Split across parallel realities.”
Tanim shook his head in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”
“Think about it,” Adam said. “We have the same parents, the same date of birth, the same memories—up to a point. Then our lives diverged. You chose weddings and creativity. I chose investigations and chaos. But we’re still connected.”
Adam slid a photograph across the desk. Tanim picked it up, his hands trembling.
The image showed a school event from years ago—one Tanim remembered clearly. But now, it featured two versions of himself: one smiling brightly, the other standing off to the side with a more serious expression.
“How is this possible?” Tanim whispered.
Adam’s expression darkened. “Sometimes, the boundaries between our realities weaken. That’s what the light was—a rift opening. Sonia must have been caught in it.”
Tanim stared at the photo, his heart racing. “How do I fix this?”
Adam hesitated. “I don’t know. But if we don’t, more people could end up like Sonia—lost between worlds.”
The light returned, blinding Tanim and pulling him back.
The Awakening
Tanim jolted awake in his car, parked outside the hotel. The receptionist was tapping on the window, looking concerned.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
He nodded slowly, though his mind was spinning.
Back at the studio, Bowman was waiting for him. “Did you find anything?” he asked.
Tanim handed him the photograph, which had somehow appeared in his bag. Bowman stared at it, confusion spreading across his face.
“This...this is you,” Bowman said. “Twice. How—?”
Tanim’s voice was steady, but his hands trembled. “Because I’m not just me. I’m also him. Adam. And our worlds are colliding.”
Bowman looked at him, unsure of what to say.
Tanim took a deep breath. “We have to find Sonia. And maybe, in the process, we’ll figure out why this is happening.”
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