A week later, back at the office... the Radigans sat in Mr. Carisol's office. On one side of Theresa, the red-hooded Ray, in dark grey jeans and matching red slip-ons. He'd recently gotten a new one, of a cherry hue. Its hood was stylishly elongated, meant to look like a windsock. But the fabric was a bit stiff, and it looked bent and crooked. It was some kind of spiritual symbol, but it had been commercialized for at least a full millennia, according to Bickerpedia. Just like the necklace he bought, with the spiraling 'G'. On the other, the black-hooded Rex, in washed-out jeans and black skater shoes, with high ankles. Both hoods were down, and had been for the last week... they'd spent it together as a family, and there was no need to hide. Except from the mashed potatoes, in the food fight they had two days ago. Ray's pants still smelled a little bit like vegan gravy.
Mr. Carisol slammed down a stack of paperwork on his desk, across from Theresa. "Fill this out by September, and we'll have Rex enrolled for the eighth grade this fall. And this one," he continued, "is just a little form to change Ray's biological sex, from male to 'other'. It is ever so hard to catch these things from birth, sometimes, and forgive me – I'm no medical professional. I've only known you for the past year."
'(Not well enough you could tell me and my clone apart),' Ray grumbled.
Theresa elbowed him. '(Everyone can hear you.)'
Mr. Carisol cleared his throat. "And about your dorm, I believe one just... opened up, may he rest in peace."
My jaw hung loose. "You're putting me in JODD'S old room?! The boy who DIED outside of my OLD one?!"
Mr. Carisol, or as his nameplate stated, Carson Carisol, stacked some papers in his hand. "Are you worried about spirits, Mr. Radigan?"
Ray slow-blinked. "Just put me in my old room, and give the dead boy's dorm to the guy who literally couldn't care less. It's objectively the smarter decision."
Ol' Carson narrowed his eyes at Ray.
Theresa's went wide, and she gritted her teeth. '(Are you trying to get suspended?!)' she hissed.
Carson looked at Ray, sitting politely with his hands in his lap, and then at Rex, playing on the chair and trying to make it balance on two legs. Then crashing to the floor, and spilling a bowl of mints all over himself.
He nodded, very slowly. "Yes... yes, I see your point. Perhaps that would be best. Though you'll need to stay with your sister, if that's alright, for the time being. To tell the truth, I was simply trying to avoid having to fix all the, um... holes in the wall. Until next year. I simply assumed that Rex would remain there, and... continue making them."
Theresa was confused. "Do you want me to PAY for that, or-"
Carson shook his head, and put up his hand. "No need, Ms. Radigan, it's all covered by the state. We've had worse, I assure you. But repairs will take at least two weeks... the damage is, unfortunately, quite extensive. The bite marks alone are going to cost a small penchance in drywall patching."
Everyone looked at Rex, who was busy unwrapping mints to shove into his mouth simultaneously. "I'm a growing boy!" he said, enthusiastically.
Theresa shook her head, and put her arm around me to razz me a bit. "Don't worry, I'll drive Ray to school. We could use a bit more time to catch up, anyway."
Ray nodded, smiling pleasantly.
Theresa then leaned her head on hers, and said with some restrained anger through gritted, grinning teeth, "...and we can talk about how you tried to run away from home, and leave me with a complete stranger for a younger sibling. For the rest of my life."
Ray stopped nodding, face expressionless.
Carson slid a form across the desk, along with two new student ID cards: one for Rex, and one for Ray. This time, the pictures were in color, and next to the old one, it was clear how much Ray had changed... and how similar Rex looked to how he had been. Although a bit older, of course.

Outside, Theresa took the stack into her hands from Ray's arms, gave both twins a hug, and went back to her truck. She waved to them as she left, back for home to sort things out. Ray and Rex stepped outside. Each had been given a second chance, and a brand new life, in their own unique way. They may look like twins, but the two of them couldn't be more different. And they were better off for it, for each had something to learn from and teach to the other.
"So," Rex pondered, "what does it mean that you're an 'other'?"
Ray shrugged. "It means I'm not who I thought I was, I guess. And I was threatened by that, because it's exactly who you are that I was trying to be."
"Yeah, I'd make a better me any day," he laughed.
"Only because I'm dropping out of the race," Ray elbowed him.
"I could get better, I'd just have to eat someone else's soul. Jodd was DUMB." he answered proudly.
Ray stared at him. "What?"
"Yeah, well, I was all wild before, and I can't even remember my life before last week. But I'm scrounging around, looking for snacks, and I find this dead body in a bathroom!"
Ray's head felt like it was spinning, and he wanted to puke. To run. "You didn't...?"
"Nah, I didn't kill him. I just touched his head, and all these sparks started flying! Like, WHOAH, DUDE! I passed out, and I woke up, and I knew everything he knew!" He grinned wide, with his doglike teeth shining in the dawn. "Isn't that neat? I think it only works on dead people. See?" He puts his hand on Ray's head, and nothing happened. "Yeah, nada. I'll just wait until you're dead, I guess!"
Ray stared ahead, in horror. Rex was twice as brutal as he'd ever be.

After a bit more talking, Rex ran off, to meet his friends Darnell and Yembe. Loretta sat nearby, and read out some kind of kissing schedule drawn up for Rex's love triangle with the two girls. Then Rex surprised them all, by kissing Darnell instead. Then everybody was just... publicly displaying their affections with one another. Wow, that got weird fast. Then Rex pulled away, having become bored of the 'game' that they were playing. Darnell started talking about his life, and Rex looked for the first time like he was at a loss. He didn't have anything to talk about, for there was not a single memory in his rattled mind which strung together into a finished moment. So Ray walked over, to fill Rex in on his. For a boy without a past, it was the least Ray could do... to share some of his own. And hopefully, by consequence, a future.