Knowing Yourself

After all precautions were taken, the experimental swapping chamber in the basement lab of the university was ready for a human test subject. Carl used his celerity to be the first human to step into a swapping chamber and be transformed into another person. Because Carl was the brains behind the technology and design he made sure he would go down in history as the first human in his device.

The swapping chamber was programmed to convert Carl into a tall, very muscular man and then back again. A female tech cut her finger while preparing the chamber and went to get a bandage while Carl stepped into the machine. Final programming was inserted. The remaining lab techs started the process. The swapping chamber filled with fog as it whirred.

When the process was done Carl stepped out. He wasn't a muscular man. He was a woman! And not just any woman, but a perfect replica of the female tech who cut her finger. Somehow the drop of blood reprogrammed the swapping chamber to turn Carl into a woman. The chamber started whirring again. A few moments later another copy of the woman stepped out. When the swapping chamber stopped making copies, there were four identical women from the original Carl. Carl could hear the thoughts of each of the other copies he was made into. Worst of all, there are no samples of his old self available to switch him back; they were destroyed by the tech’s blood.

The lab tech who left for a bandage returned. When she saw the four replicas of herself, she fainted. How would Carl ever explain to his girlfriend he looks exactly like Becky, the school slut. And that there are four of him.