The Door That Was Always There 

Al didn't want to move. 

But his body—his body wasn't listening anymore. 

His hand reached for the doorknob. 

Not his own will. Not his own choice. 

His fingers twisted the lock. 

The door creaked open. 

And standing there— 

Was him. 

A mirror image. The same face, same eyes, same body. 

But the smile was wrong. 

Too wide. Too knowing. 

The Shadow—fully awake. 

The other Al—the real Al—stepped forward. 

"You took too long." 

Al staggered back. No. No, this wasn't real— 

But the other him just grinned. 

And stepped into his world. 

The lights dimmed. The walls breathed. 

And Al—the Al he thought he was—began to fade. 

"I told you, Al." 

"You were never in control."