Hyperwoman – Chapter Two: Mirror Mirror

Written by Woody :: [Thursday, 19 September 2019 15:32] Last updated by :: [Saturday, 21 September 2019 00:02]

I was looking into a mirror… again.

The girl who walked into the unit was more of a dead ringer than Hyperwoman. She had her hair tied back in a loose pony tail and glasses over her green eyes. She was my height, my build, even had similar clothes to what I owned. She even had a dimple on her right cheek looked to be where mine was. I looked at her glasses in detail. They were just like my new ones that I couldn't find.

If I put her up against me I don’t even think my mum could tell the difference.

What seemed like an eternity later I spoke. “Can you at least shut the door?”

She did then it was onto the questions

“Who are you?” she started

“What are you doing in my house?” I replied

“YOUR house! I’ve lived here 3 YEARS”

“No I’ve lived here for three years.”

Then the questioning got weird.

“Are you a robot?” she enquired

“NO, why would I be a robot?” I snipped back

“I know Hyperwoman you know.”

“The hero girl?”

“Yes the Hero girl? Don’t you know who Hyperwoman is?”

“Not until this morning, No I didn’t.”

She stopped. This somehow floored her.

“Hang on, you didn’t know who Hyperwoman is?” she asked regaining composure.

“Yes, No idea” was my answer.

“What’s your name” she said with a slight trepidation.

“Hannah.”

“Hannah what?”

“How do you know my surname?”

“I meant what is your last name?” She looked almost bewildered.

“Watt, My name is Hannah Watt. Like James, the guy who invented the steam engine.” I snapped back.

She stopped dead and the colour drained from her face.

I went to catch her but she recoiled. I backed off and got her a glass of water.

“Drink this and sit down.” I motioned to the seat and helped her sit down. I sat opposite her

“I know you think this is weird but trust me this is a hundred times weirder for me. Let’s start with your name”

“My name is also Hannah Watt.”

“What!” I said in a surprise reflex

“Yes, we are both named Hannah Watt. Also James Watt didn’t invent the steam engine. Ampere did.”

“I might need some water myself.”

I looked at Hannah. It really was like looking into a mirror. I started with some more questions of my own.

“Your names really Hannah Watt?”

“Yes”

“And you’ve lived here for 3 years?”

“Yes.”

“Are you scared?”

“Yes.”

“Me too. Do you think I’m a threat to you?”

She sized me up for a long time.

“No, I don’t’ think you are” she eventually said.

“Can you hear my story out?”

“Ok.”

I explained my last 24 hours to Hannah. Hannah said nothing but kept nodding. I explained about the bed, the tv, calling work and being told I was on holidays, the encounter with Hyperwoman and then “meeting” Hannah.

“I know all that sounds crazy but I swear I’m telling the truth.”

“I know you are.” came a soft reply after about 5 seconds.

“You do?” I asked, somewhat amazed that she actually took me seriously.

“Your tone. The inflections don’t indicate that you’re lying. You told me everything straight to my face without looking up and to the right as if you’re writing the story in your head. You’re either a psychopath, delusional or this genuinely happened. If you were a psychopath your earlier actions would have given it away when I came home. When I almost fainted there was genuine care which is not exhibited by psychopaths. I can’t rule out delusional however I am tending to believe you.”

“So where am I?” I asked Hannah.

“At the moment you’re in my place, but it could be yours as well.”

“I don’t follow.” She lost me.

“What are your parents' names?”

“Tracey and Brian.”

“Brothers?”

“None.”

“Sisters?”

“Christina.”

“Just out of interest what would Christina have been called if she was a boy?”

“Jake. Why are you asking me these questions?”

Hannah then changed the subject.

“How good are you with science?”

“I can hold my own.”

“What do you know of a multiverse?”

“I know of the theory of one, multiple universes on differing plains of reality in different dimensions?”

“Maybe that’s why I trust you.” she said.

“Are you saying?” I started but Hannah continued.

“My parent’s are also name Tracey and Brian, but I have a brother, who would have been called Christina if he was a girl.”

“Jake.”

“Got it in one.”

Then the penny dropped.

“Am I in another dimension?”

“Possibly.” she said. “Or I am, but given you thought Sorny was a typo and you hadn’t heard of Hyperwoman before I’m thinking you’re the one in another dimension.”

“Sorny is a typo.” I protested.

“Look at the TV.” Hannah said as she pointed, sure enough it was a Sorny. I thought I knew a genuine Panafonics when I saw it, guess not.

“Who calls themselves Hyperwoman anyway? It’s a kind of lame name.” I changed the subject.

“I kind of like it, plus blame the media because they gave her the title.” Hannah replied.

“What about us then. Are we the same person?”

“There’s two ways to find out: 1 I have a DIY DNA kit I can muck around with.”

“Why do you have a DNA kit?”

“It’s a work assignment, I’m a geneticist.”

“So am I.” I said with a reflex before I caught my words. “And number 2?”

“I have a rather unusual birth mark.”

“No way, Underneath.”

“Yep.”

“At the base of my left breast I have a birth mark. It’s shaped like a heart but I am a bit subconscious about it.”

I got up and lowered the towel. “This one?” I said showing my birthmark

She undid her top and lifted her bra.

“Snap!” she replied showing me the same mark.

“How long till that DNA test comes back?” I asked

“2 days, and I have 2 kits.”

“Why do you have 2 kits?”

“I’m a bit of a klutz, I tend to destroy things accidently.”

“Captain butterfingers over here.”

So she took one and I took one. We took a swab and put them in their envelopes.

“So what do we do for the next two days.”

“I try and work out if you’re delusional, or a robot.” Hannah said.

“I’m not a fucking robot!” I snapped.

“I know, just kidding.” she laughed back.

 

2 days later the results came in.True to form Hannah dropped the envelopes.We opened up the letters together and inside was a graph with our genetic makeup.

“Interesting reading.” I said looking at the lines.

“I did the tests, they give me the results purely confidentially then I destroyed the samples.”

“Good idea, but why did you have the kits in the first place.”

“Testing new methods for this.” Hannah said “Let me guess.”

“We were doing the same thing, but my company wants to keep the samples and we haven’t got to the testing phase yet.” I replied.

“Oh, believe me, if this was anything but destroyed I would not have done it. You ready.”

We compared the cards.Then we looked at each other.Then the cards again

“So, am I delusional?” I asked

“I don’t think so.” Hannah replied.

They were a 100% match.

“No one is a 100% match are they?”

“Nope.”

“So we…”

“…are genetically the same person.” we said in unison

Hannah then took a step back. There was a certain sense of urgency in her eyes.

“Are you ok?” I went to reassure her but she stepped back.

“Yeah, I just need some air. This is a lot to process and you’re better to stay here. I’ll be back soon.” and she raced out the door.

With Hannah gone I went back to the notepad. This was big, no, huge. All indications are that I had somehow ended up in a parallel universe and come face to face with my alternate self. I sat and turned on the tv to distract myself.

A news bulletin cut in. “We take you live to a building fire across town.”

“Thanks Ross,” said the reporter. “We’re live at the Metro city bank which is really alight. Fire fighters are on the scene and… IT’S HYPERWOMAN!”

Hyperwoman showed up and assisted the fire fighters save the bank. Afterward she thanked the crowd and flew off.

About 30 minutes later Hannah came back.

“Sorry about rushing out. Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m ok. Are you ok? This is a lot to process.”

“I just needed some air, It’s not everyday you meet your alternate self.”

“I hear you!” I replied “What do we do now?”

“I’m not sure but I think we should keep this quiet. Stay with me, wear what you want. I’m pretty sure it will fit, we’ll work something out.”

 

The days turned into weeks and I stayed with Hannah. We continued chatting about the ins and outs of our lives. We were very similar but had subtle differences. We both played netball but she played defence and I played attack. She liked Daphne in Scooby Doo and I liked Velma. But we were mostly the same person. While she was at work I started reading up on physics and string theory. Where I was didn’t have a Stephen Hawking though. That being said I wasn’t going to volunteer to be his guinea pig for the multiverse.

One day Hannah left for work around 8 as she normally did. About 5 minutes later I heard screaming tyres but felt nothing of it. About 10 I got up and turned on the tv to my horror.

Hannah was on the TV and was subtly pointing to her wrist. Several men were holding her hostage were listing their demands.

“Fuck me!” was all I could muster as I got up and started pacing. Hannah was in trouble and I felt I had to do something. That being said what was I supposed to do?

I decided to get changed and head down and follow the sirens. In my rush to change I ripped my shirt off.

As I did I felt a surge flow through me. I looked down and red gloves had materialised onto my hands. I raced to the mirror. I wasn’t in my pyjamas. I was wearing a blue and red suit. But not just a blue and red suit, the blue and red suit!

“NO! FUCKING! WAY!” I gasped.

I was Hyperwoman.

Suddenly I was hit with a realization. Hannah must also be Hyperwoman. So that’s why she looked like me. My next though was how the hell I didn’t put two and two together sooner; the thought hadn’t crossed my mind that Hannah had a secret identity.

Then I snapped back to reality; I had to save Hannah.

“Give us these items at the warehouse on Roachford Avenue in an hour or she dies” played on the broadcast in the background.

“Well that’s convenient” I said “I guess Hyperwoman needs saving this time” I said with my hands on my hips in a power pose. “Now how do I fly and where is this warehouse”

How does a superheroine learn to fly? What happens when a superheroine needs to be saved themselves? Why is it that the crazy guy sits next to you on the bus when there are plenty of other seats to choose from? Two of those questions answered next week in Hyperwoman Chapter 3 – Where To From Here?