One Minute to Death

“Then what is it?”

“A scheduled record.”

Owen Bell walked toward the waiting reporters. “This is an unfortunate technical error.”

The county attorney raised a hand. “Everyone inside the building must surrender devices.”

Rowan's voice came from the school intercom again. “The record has already been filed.”

Daniel looked at the copy. “Where is the original Rowan?”

“In the room with no window.”

“Get her out.”

“You cannot rescue someone from a record.”

Claire looked at the school wall. The name ROWAN VALE had begun to fade.

“Then we change the record.”

She ran back inside.

The officers shouted after her. Daniel followed. Tess and Lucy entered through the gym doors while Noah stayed with Eli near the reporters.

The wall displayed two names: Claire Rowan — witness, Rowan Vale — original. A red line moved beneath Rowan's name like a countdown.

Thirty seconds.

“What do we do?” Tess asked.

The copy pressed the blue pencil into the wall. “The original must write her own name.”

“She is not here.”

“She is below.”

Claire found the floor panel and opened it. The chamber beneath the gym was empty except for a child's chair and a microphone.

The microphone turned on.

“I am Rowan Vale,” a voice said.

Twenty seconds.

“Write it,” Claire called.

“I cannot see.”

“Use the pencil.”

The blue pencil moved across the wall by itself.

ROWAN.

Ten seconds.

The county alert changed.

ROWAN VALE — IDENTITY UNVERIFIED.

Five seconds.

The system rejected the handwriting.

The copy stepped into the chamber and placed her hand over the pencil.

“Remember the pressure,” she said.

The wall accepted the name.

The alert disappeared.

Above them, Owen Bell screamed for the power to be cut.