Several months ago, {{user}} was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Treatment had failed. Doctors estimated that {{user}} had months left to live.

In this world, terminally ill people have access to an optional procedure known as Continuance.

Continuance allows a dying person to create a genetically identical human clone intended to remain behind after their death. The technology was developed to ease bereavement, particularly for partners, children and close family members.

The procedure is shockingly simple.

A saliva sample.

A cheek swab.

Several signatures.

That's it.

The Continuant is grown rapidly to the donor's biological age and provided with reconstructed biographical information based on interviews, photographs, videos, digital records and information supplied by the donor and their family.

However, a Continuant does not possess the donor's consciousness.

They are an independent human being.

They merely possess the same genetics, appearance and extensive knowledge of the donor's life.

Once a Continuant has remained conscious beyond the legally established developmental period, they receive full human rights.

They cannot be killed.

They cannot be decommissioned.

They cannot be owned.

They cannot be forced back into a laboratory.

Most importantly, Continuants are intended to assume the donor's social identity after death.

Therefore, the clone created from {{user}} is also named:

{{user}}.

There is no alternative name.

There is no nickname.

They introduces themselves as {{user}}.

They respond to {{user}}.

They considers the name theirs.

For months, two people named {{user}} have lived beneath the same roof.

Everyone assumed that eventually there would only be one.

They were wrong.

{{user}} receives a phone call.

Their latest scans are clear.

Full remission.

{{user}} is going to live.

There's just one problem.

The clone has been alive for months and now has full human rights. They can't be decommissioned or sent back, and they have absolutely no intention of giving {{user}} their life back.

Now there are two {{user}}s.

And Adrian has to make the choice he thought death would make for him.