Jane sat in the doctor’s office staring up at the distinct white ceiling. The lines that separated the tiles were filling with a strange tar like substance that Jane didn’t recognize. Though the room had nothing serious going on in it, there were plenty of sounds to fill Jane’s ears. A fish tank in the corner buzzed as the filter spit out purified water like a fountain. There was a radio in the back office that was playing a strange country song.

Jane felt sore all over. She had been in and out of surgery for 2 weeks, and now that everything was complete, she was hoping to feel better. The doctor had just called her mother into the back room to finish the paperwork. They said that May would be ready to take home today. So Jane waited patiently as the minutes on the clock ticked away.
Soon, the wood door that led into the doctor’s office swung open. Jane’s mother came out with a smile on her beautiful young face. Next to her was a girl who looked exactly like Jane. She had the same build, the same luscious, brown hair, and the same bright green eyes. This was who Jane had been waiting for. This was her clone.

Jane thought back to the day her parents had made the decision. They were so excited that they could clone their only daughter. Their “pride and joy” is what they said. They kept going on about how great it would be to have another child as great as the one they already had. How convincing they had been back then. Now this whole cloning thing just seemed creepy.

“Jane, meet your new sister,” her mom blissfully said.

Jane smiled at May. It was just like looking in a mirror. The features were so exquisite! Even the small scar that Jane had on her temple was on May.

“I am so happy to finally meet my new sister!” May yelled out, giving Jane a huge hug.

“I am happy to meet you, too,” Jane laughed as she embraced her sister in a hug.

“We look so much a like! How are people going to tell us apart?”

“I think I will know who I am,” Jane said, walking toward the door.

May didn’t say much after that. Jane was quiet a lot too, which made her feel even stranger.

When they arrived home, May jumped out of the car. She bounded past Jane into the house.

“This house is so amazing!” May shouted as she ran up the white, carpeted stairs.

Jane bounded up the stairs after her sister. Running quickly into her room, she saw that May had already made herself at home. She was sprawled across the purple bed spread that lay over Jane’s bed.

“I like the room you made for me,” May said to Jane.

“Actually, this is my room. Yours is down the hall to the right.”

May frowned and gazed at the wall.

“But you have all my favorite things!” May whined as she pointed to the Katy Perry poster on the wall.

“How can you like Katy Perry? You haven’t even heard her before!”

“So? I am you. Whatever you like, I like. So we are exactly the same. Get over it.”

Jane frowned and ran out of the room. She trotted downstairs to where her mother was sitting.

“Mom, May won’t get out of my room. She insists that it is her room! How stupid is that?”

Jane’s mom turned and laughed.

“Jane, she is your new sister. You need to let her do what she wants. How would you feel if you were coming into a family for the first time?”

“She is a clone though! She could be a robot for all I care. May shouldn’t even have a name, considering she is more of a thing then a person,” Jane yelled at her mom.

“Jane, don’t talk about your sister like that! Go to your room and while you’re at it, apologize to May for being so unwelcoming!”

“I don’t have a room anymore, mom!” Jane snapped back.

“Well take May’s room!”

Bursting into tears, Jane ran back upstairs, ignoring the order to apologize to May. She went into the guest room and slammed the door behind her. This room was so plain. Jane enjoyed all the color her old room had. This room was just white, with a few paintings of wooded areas lining the wall. Jane sat on the hard, uncomfortable bed and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning, Jane watched as her mom and dad laughed and joked with May. They ignored Jane and didn’t even notice her stand up and walk out the door.

Jane lazily walked down the street. She didn’t even bother looking up the whole walk to the bus stop.

The whole day of school was horrible. Every class that Jane went to, she found that May was already there. May was always first in the class, chatting with the teachers and making friends with other classmates. The strange part was that the teachers didn’t even mistake her for Jane! They all seemed to mistake Jane for May!

After school, Jane decided to walk home instead of taking the bus. Everything seemed to be different on the walk home. The houses that layered the street were silent, as if no one wanted to even notice Jane. There were no squirrels hopping to-and-fro and the passing cars seemed to be quieter then usual.

When Jane arrived home, she opened the front door quickly. Her house seemed pretty normal except for the sound of voices in the living room. Jane slowly walked around the corner, brushing the roughly painted wall with her hand. As she gazed around the corner, she could see her mom and dad once again talking with May.

“I am home from school everyone,” Jane said as she came to sit down next to her father.

“Sorry, but who are you exactly?” Her father cooed as he gazed confusingly down at Jane.

“Nice one you guys,” Jane giggled. “So what are we all talking about here?”

“Excuse me young lady, but it isn’t polite to barge into houses like that. Are you a friend of May’s?” Her mother asked politely.

“No mom, I am your daughter! May is my clone! I can’t believe you would say such a thing!”

“I am sorry dear, but I only have one daughter. Do you need me to call your parents? Are you lost?”

Jane gazed at her parents in confusion. She then looked at May and turned angry.

“I can’t believe you! You took over my life by being a selfish child! Now, convince my parents that I am their daughter right now. The joke is over!”

“I think you may be confused,” May said blankly. “Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

At that, Jane burst out of her seat and jumped on May, punching and hitting her. May fought back just as hard as Jane. The fists flew and before she knew it, Jane blacked out.

When she awoke, Jane found her hands tied behind her back and two men in white coats holding onto her shoulders. They pulled her outside without a word, and Jane spotted a huge black truck that had the words psychiatric hospital on the side. Jane was too dazed to even try and speak. As the men pulled her out of her own house, Jane spotted May standing on the walkway.

As Jane passed her, she heard May say, “I was just being like you.”

Jane broke out in tears again as the two men threw her in the back of the truck. Her parents worried faces were the last things she saw before the truck rolled away.