As I stumbled towards the bathroom, I noticed that the kitchen light was on. I was sure I had put it out the night before, so I reached around the door for the switch.
"Hey!" somebody called out. "I'm eating breakfast here."
The voice was oddly familiar. I turned the light back on and looked through the doorway. "Who the - ?" I stopped.
"Hello," I said - or rather the me sat at the table said - and waved a milk-stained spoon. "I didn't think you'd mind."
It took a moment for my indignation to overcome my stupefaction. Then I hurried to the table and grabbed the cereal bowl from in front of other-me. "That's my cereal! And my milk! And how did you get here?"
Other-me shook his head. "I should know better. I'm not good before breakfast, either. So I won't quibble about the groceries, but I will answer your questions. I'm you and I've - ."
"Come from the future to warn me about something, right?" I snapped. "That's a really bad cliché, even for a hack like me."
"Still trying to write science-fiction?" Other-me shook his head ruefully. "You should learn to embrace those clichés. They're what sells. No. I'm from the universe next door. Passing through, you might say."
"But you've got a message for me?"
Other-me laughed. "No. Besides, what could I tell you? You might be a parallel version of me, but I have no idea of your circumstances, past or present - except that you're probably hungry." He gestured towards the cupboards with his spoon. "Grab a bowl. Sit."
It took me a minute or so to fix myself some breakfast. Other-me watched, then made room at the table. "So," he said. "I know you have questions, and I can guess what they are. So let me see ... . This isn't the first time I've been ejected into a parallel reality."
I paused the spoonful of cereal partway to my mouth. "So, it's not deliberate?"
"I wish it was. Then I would know how to control it. But I don't, and none of us have been clever enough to work out how."
"Us?" The implications of the word percolated through my consciousness. "There's more?"
Other-me nodded. "Of course. Every time I slip through the realities I end up with a parallel-me. It's probably something quantum. But there's no 'Council of Kangs' or anything like that." His face fell. "It would be easier if there was."
I tried to filter out the buzzing in my ears. "So what happens when you ... ?" A sudden attack of blurred vision made me feel nauseous.
"Move sideways? Well, first my senses start to go and then -."
I tried to stand up. "I think I know what you mean."
My double tried to hold me steady. "Right. You haven't long. I need to tell you something before you get lost."
But it was too late.
