Will You Be My Friend? by P.J. Night Page B

said Elizabeth. “It’s been great fun having you as my friend for the past five years. It’s been so cool living like twin sisters, which we are, in a futuristic sort of way.”
    â€œStrange” would be the word I would use, rather than “cool,” Beth thought. But as usual, she kept her thoughts to herself.
    It had taken Beth a few years, but she had finally gotten used to watching other people grow up and get older while she and Elizabeth remained forever twelve years old.
    They did have fun together, but for all intents and purposes Beth was a prisoner, unable to leave or come and go as she pleased, and that fact was never far from the front of her mind.
    â€œI just think that having another friend to hang out with us would be great,” explained Elizabeth.
    â€œBut what happens when the new friend grows up and we don’t?” Beth asked. “Sooner or later, anyone else is going to outgrow us.”
    â€œNot a problem,” said Elizabeth.
    A wave of fear shot through Beth.
    Oh, no. She’s talking about another clone, about Elizabeth number seven. What if she’s planning to get rid of me like she did some of the others?
    The pair approached the hospital. They had been sharing Elizabeth’s room there for the past five years. Beth had started to think of the place as home, although she missed the house that she had once lived in with a woman she called “Mom.” She missed Nancy Picard, whom she had not seen since that day at the hospital, right after her fall from the ladder.
    Once inside, Beth and Elizabeth made their way toward their room. Elizabeth reached out and grabbed the doorknob.
    â€œReady to meet our new friend?” she asked.
    Ready as I’ll ever be, Beth thought. She simply nodded.
    Elizabeth opened the door and the two girls stepped into the room. Standing inside was a girl who looked to be about seventeen.
    Beth stared at her. There was something so familiar about this girl. Beth was certain that they had met.
    â€œBeth, meet Tina,” said Elizabeth. “Tina, this is Beth.”
    Tina had short blond hair and two different-colored eyes, one blue and one hazel.
    â€œChrissy?” Beth asked in shock. “Is that you?”
    Beth had not seen Chrissy since the day she left to go to Glenside. Five years had passed, so this girl would be the right age.
    â€œUm, maybe you have me confused with someone else?” the girl said. “My name is Tina, short for Christina.”
    â€œGive us a second, Tina,” Elizabeth asked.
    â€œSure,” Tina replied.
    Elizabeth pulled Beth out into the hallway.
    â€œChrissy!” Beth cried. “You kidnapped Chrissy!”
    â€œSlow down, Beth,” said Elizabeth. “Nobody kidnapped anyone. That’s not Chrissy, that’s Tina. And I thought you’d be pleased, since she looks so much like your old best friend.”
    Slowly the truth dawned on Beth.
    â€œA clone,” she whispered. “Tina is Chrissy’s clone!”
    â€œExactly,” replied Elizabeth, smiling. “When I told my mom that I was bored with just having you for a friend, she agreed to make me a new one. But rather than another clone of me, I thought we could clone someone that would make you happy—Chrissy.”
    â€œBut why didn’t she recognize me?” Beth wondered.
    â€œWell, just like with all the other clones, my mom gave her a drug that erased all her memories before the point of cloning. Of course she’s aged a bit, but she’s still a clone of your best friend. And now the three of us will be great friends. Come on! Let’s go get to know her. I’ll bet you’ll come to like her as much as you liked Chrissy.” With that, Elizabeth bounced back into the room.
    Beth sighed as she followed Elizabeth. She had no choice but to follow. She was glad that she wasn’t going to be eliminated, but she was as sad as always. She would never know