I found myself in a photo last night. Not one I remember taking. Tagged at a rooftop party in 2021, arm around someone whose face I can't recall. My smile looks genuine but my eyes tracked slightly to the left, watching something outside the frame. The VERSION::DIVERGE stage happens so quietly. First it's just photos you don't remember, then entire evenings, relationships, trips that exist only in digital space with your face attached.

The gap between me and the dozens of other versions widens. Each one smiles from different accounts, some abandoned years ago but still active, still being seen and interacted with. Sometimes they tag each other in conversations I never had. My phone buzzes with notifications about memories I never made. I used to correct these mistakes, trying admire the growth. Now I just watch as my past selves multiply and live their separate lives without me. The strangest part is wondering which one is the original, and if they're wondering about me too.