‘Yes, that problem,’ Tyler says. ‘And I got thinking. What would I tell my students to do if they were in this situation?’
I shrug. There is no solution here. I’m trapped unless I agree to put everyone at risk. But it isn’t my decision to make.
‘Consent,’ he answers his own question. ‘I’d tell them to ask permission.’ He leans back on the sofa and looks proud of himself.
Does he really think he’s cracked it? I take a breath. ‘Which is lovely, Tyler, but how the actual fuck do I ask permission of a million other versions of myself?’
He stares back at me, a tiny twitch in the corner of his mouth.
‘What?’ Jesus, I’m not in the mood for this shit. The effect of the cold water splash on my face has worn off and now the edge of a hangover is throbbing in my left temple.
‘You know, for someone who said they won the Horizons Award in another universe, you’re not that bright.’ He flips the page of his notebook and then slides it over the coffee table towards me.
It’s my theorem.
He leans over to tap it. ‘You could talk to them.’
Ha! I look at Amina.Are you hearing this shit?my eyes say.
She stares back at me.Just listen to him.
Fine!
I turn back to Tyler. ‘I could talk to them?’ I’m trying not to be too sarcastic, but we all know I’m failing miserably.
‘Yes.’ He bounces in his seat a little, like a kid gearing up for something.
‘Except it’s just a theory.’
‘Just a theory?’ he asks with that all too familiar eyebrow raise.
‘What have you done?’
He grins and reaches into his bag to pull out a small shoebox. He places it on the coffee table and then slowly lifts the lid. ‘Ta-da,’ he whispers as he reveals the contents.
‘You made it?’ But of course he did. It’s not actually that difficult, or at least not for a guy who has access to a school science lab.
‘So?’ he asks, the bounce magnifying. ‘Now you can talk to the other Bethanys.’
He looks so pleased with himself and I feel like I’m about to kick a puppy. ‘No, I can’t.’
‘Yes, you can.’ But a crack appears in his excited veneer.
‘No. I can’t. It doesn’t work one way. It isn’t enough that you made it here in this world. There needs to be a receiver in the other universe.’
I wait for the crack to grow and splinter. But it doesn’t. He papers over it with a smile. ‘I knew you’d say that.’
I look at him, waiting for the punchline I know he can’t deliver.
‘How many other Tylers did you show the theorem to?’ he asks.
‘I—’
He continues talking, interrupting me from the answer I’m not sure he expected me to give. ‘And what do you think they all did? You think those other Tylers just put it away in a box and never thought about it again? Or do you think they went to find the real Bethany from their world, the one whose body you used for those few days. And when he found that Bethany, what do you think happened? Don’t you think they got to work? Don’t you think they got to work and they made one of these in their world?’
I look at him. At this brilliant, amazing Tyler. Because of course they did. Ofcoursethey did. ‘Have you?’
‘Spoken to myself in another universe?’
