I know this because of science.

He hadn't wanted to wake up in what had once been his old childhood bedroom, with its single window overlooking the forest he used to explore (nostalgic, familiar, pleasant) and its muffled memories of hated names and nouns (less nostalgic, less pleasant). He hadn't meant to barrel down the stairs and out the door, still in his pajamas. He also hadn't managed to think of an explanation for how exactly he had arrived here--at least, a reasonable scientific explanation. It was understandable, he told himself. Escape the sense of baffled discomfort at being forced to re-escape from one's youth, and then you can think critically and scientifically about it.

From a critical, scientific standpoint, (as he wandered outside in his pajamas, feet bare, glad that none of the rest of his family appeared to be home), there were certainly a lot of people wandering the streets who seemed just as disconcerted as he did--or moreso, even. From Kairos, he assumed. Maybe originally from Kairos, unlike him. There were rumors catching in casual conversations on the breeze: roads blocked, transportation cut off; so they were stuck here? What began as a coldly rational attempt to understand the situation quickly deteriorated. Who would feed Dorothy, or had she come here with him? Was he still expected to teach with no notes, no classroom, probably not even any good labcoats? What would he do when the rest of his family came home, or would they come home at all? Had they been transplanted as well? Had his students? Had his fellow teachers--had Cecil?

Apparently, he had, because there, Carlos realized, glancing around in the crowd of disoriented strangers, he was. "Cecil," Carlos said, and then again (louder), "Cecil!"

1. What is a thought that often keeps you from falling asleep?

2. Who is on your mind the most?

3. Do you have any scars? If so, how did you get them?

4. If you could pick one song to describe who you are, what song would it be?

5. Have you ever felt like just packing up your things and leaving everything behind?

6. Name 3 of your favorite books. Now if you could live in the world of one of those, which one would you choose?

7. If you could go out on a date with your celebrity crush, what would you want to do?

8. If you had to have your memory reset but you could choose only one memory to keep with you, what memory would you choose?

9. You run into yourself from the future, they offer to tell you what you have to look forward to, would you choose to know what your future is like?

10. You're a survivor in the zombie apocalypse, what is your weapon of choice?

11. Are you currently hiding something from someone?

12. What is one thing you don't want your parents to know about you?

13. What are some sensitive subjects for you?

14. Was 2013 a good year for you?

15. If you could change any moment in 2013, would you?

16. What is the worst nightmare you've had?

17. Where do you feel the most comfortable?

18. A night at home or a night out?

19. What is the thing you fear the most?

20. If you were a fictional character who would you be?

21. Have you ever felt forgotten?

22. How do you handle conflict?

23. Who and/or what makes you the happiest?

24. If you could design the perfect day, what would it be like?

25. Do you have any hobbies?

26. You can have only one trip in a time machine, would you travel to the future or the past?

27. List one of your quirks

28. Have you ever had a near-death experience?

29. What is the strangest thing you've experienced?

34: Thoughts on privacy? (Are they a private person, or are they prone to ‘TMI’?)

He tends to keep a lot of things internalized, to the point that sometimes even he does not entirely acknowledge or understand the thoughts and emotions drifting through his gray matter. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sharing your personal information, if you feel comfortable with that kind of thing—the only problem here is that Carlos often personally is not. Maybe it’d be better if he was forced outside of that shell, the way he was in regards to identity as a teenager. Maybe ignoring more difficult aspects of one’s psyche isn’t the best way to deal with things. Who knows?

44: Superstitions or views on the occult?

A lot of fascinated shrugging, probably. He’s a scientist—he studies science—and according to science, most of the strange things that people believe are unlikely at best, but then you get something like Cecil, and all of the things that Cecil is convinced are real or unreal, and, frankly, who can say otherwise for certain? Reality is subjective, much like time. Maybe ghosts really do put worms in Cecil’s dining room furniture. Who knows? It’s entirely possible, honestly, and just because science doesn’t agree doesn’t mean that science is wrong either. The world is a very strange place.

47: How do they express love?

49: Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?

27: What is their biggest regret?

You know, maaaaaaybe it might have been a good idea to sort out the ethics a little more before cloning a person. Like, it’s not that it’s bad that it happened, but he probably should have sorted things out with, like, consent and child care and stuff before actually going ahead and doing the thing. Things would probably have gone a little smoother and also not have been terrible. Well, they weren’t terrible, per se, but they would have been less terrible.

28: Who do they see as their best friend? Their worst enemy?

Carlos has quite a few friends among his fellow scientists, but if we’re being entirely honest, doesn’t it seem obvious that the drama teacher across the hall who makes an effort to come spend time with Dorothy nearly every day has to be the one he’s closest to? Cecil is nice. He’s great. They’re good friends.

7: Favorite way to waste time and feelings surrounding wasting time

He’s actually not much of a time-waster. It isn’t so much about any sort of moral judgment relating to time and its passage and ways to spend said time; it’s more out of a sense of wonder and exuberance at the world and its possibilities. A “lazy day” for Carlos would mean cleaning and fixing up the house. There is always just so much to be done.

24: Is there one subject of study that they excel at? Or do they even care about intellectual pursuits at all?

Science.

38: What recharges them when they’re feeling drained?

Science? Science.

1: What does their bedroom look like?

2: Do they have any daily rituals?

3: Do they exercise, and if so, what do they do? How often?

4: What would they do if they needed to make dinner but the kitchen was busy?

5: Cleanliness habits (personal, workspace, etc.)

6: Eating habits and sample daily menu

7: Favorite way to waste time and feelings surrounding wasting time

8: Favorite indulgence and feelings surrounding indulging

9: Makeup?

10: Neuroses? Do they recognize them as such?

11: Intellectual pursuits?

12: Favorite book genre?

13: Sexual Orientation? And, regardless of own orientation, thoughts on sexual orientation in general?

14: Physical abnormalities? (Both visible and not, including injuries/disabilities, long-term illnesses, food-intolerances, etc.)

15: Biggest and smallest short term goal?

16: Biggest and smallest long term goal?

17: Preferred mode of dress and rituals surrounding dress

18: Favorite beverage?

19: What do they think about before falling asleep at night?

20: Childhood illnesses? Any interesting stories behind them?

21: Turn-ons? Turn-offs?

22: Given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?

23: How organized are they? How does this organization/disorganization manifest in their everyday life?

24: Is there one subject of study that they excel at? Or do they even care about intellectual pursuits at all?

25: How do they see themselves 5 years from today?

26: Do they have any plans for the future? Any contingency plans if things don’t workout?

27: What is their biggest regret?

28: Who do they see as their best friend? Their worst enemy?

29: Reaction to sudden extrapersonal disaster (eg The house is on fire! What do they do?)

30: Reaction to sudden intrapersonal disaster (eg close family member suddenly dies)

31: Most prized possession?

32: Thoughts on material possessions in general?

33: Concept of home and family?

34: Thoughts on privacy? (Are they a private person, or are they prone to ‘TMI’?)

35: What activities do they enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

36: What makes them feel guilty?

37: Are they more analytical or more emotional in their decision-making?

38: What recharges them when they’re feeling drained?

39: Would you say that they have a superiority-complex? Inferiority-complex? Neither?

40: How misanthropic are they?

41: Hobbies?

42: How far did they get in formal education? What are their views on formal education vs self-education?

43: Religion?

44: Superstitions or views on the occult?

45: Do they express their thoughts through words or deeds?

46: If they were to fall in love, who (or what) is their ideal?

47: How do they express love?

48: If this person were to get into a fist fight, what is their fighting style like?

Science club was one of those things that sounded like a good idea in concept, but was slightly trickier when it came to execution. Sure, Carlos could put up signs around the school all he wanted--the kind with fun clip-art and puns and hilarious science jokes and that cat meme and also some fascinating dinosaur facts--but that didn't mean anyone was necessarily going to show up. Cecil, maybe. But Cecil always showed up, and besides, Cecil was a teacher, so this time Carlos asked him not to, so that he could bond with his students, instead.

During his lack-of-class in the last period of the day, the scientist set up his classroom to become a club room, rearranging the lab tables (and chairs) into something like a circle, turning the projector on, bringing out the snacks (fritos, pretzels, rice cakes, nutmeg seeds) and putting them in bowls (repurposed lab equipment) and putting those bowls on the lab tables. He checked on Dorothy, who was happy and safe in her terrarium by the windows. He sat down and started grading lab reports, mostly out of boredom. The bell rang. He stood up and opened the door, and then he checked on Dorothy again.

As it turned out, she had escaped. Carlos made a noise that more or less translated to, "For once I did not mean this to happen". He walked to the other side of the room very carefully, moving to close the door (also very carefully), but someone was standing in the way of the closing door. He adjusted his perception in order to acknowledge the person there as a person, and not an inconvenience.

"Oh, hi," he said, breath a little tight. "Look, um, I'm glad you're here and don't panic or anything but Dorothy isn't in her cage so if you could help me look for her or at least either come in or stay in the hall that would be very helpful so thank you in advance. I don't want her to escape because she's very important to me, and also because there are people in the school who are probably terrified of large spiders like her."

It wasn't unusual for Carlos' class' experiments to get out of hand. It was unusual for them to get so out of hand that fire alarms went off. Why this time? Well, to be fair, they were playing with fire, quite literally. Like, controlled fire, though. Like fire in bunsen burners, and chemicals to filter the fire through in order to get different colors of fire--harmless, supposedly, although there was that teenager-scream like someone's shirt or hair had started burning, and then something in the ceiling made a clicking noise, and cold, dank water started raining down on them, and the alarm sounded from the hallway. It sounded a little like an army of ducks, quacking aggressively. Carlos rolled his eyes.