As my hand went through the hoop, two hands came out the other side! I dropped the hoop in real fear, and examined my hand. It was all there. It tingled slightly, as if a small electric current had passed through it, but that was all.

Nervously, I picked the hoop up again and poked a finger through. Two fingers appeared, splitting neatly from one. I began to experiment. One finger, two fingers. One hand, two hands. One arm, two arms. Then I thought, "What if all of me goes through the hoop? Will I get another copy of me?"

I tried it, starting at my feet. I put the hoop on the floor and lifted it carefully upwards. Sure enough, four feet, and four legs appeared as I pulled the hoop towards my head. I walked around the room on my four legs, feeling like a strange insect. It was fun. Plucking up my courage I lifted the ring higher. Now I had four arms and two bodies. Was I game enough to go all the way. I did.

Now I was standing beside myself.

"Hello," I said to me.

"Hello," I said back to me.

"Who arc you?" I asked.

"I'm you," I said back.

"We're both me," I said, "Me and me."

"You're the original," I said to me.

"And you're the copy?"

"That's right. Copies don't last very long."

"This is amazing!"

"Yes, isn't it."

I talked to me for a while, keeping my voice down in case Mum heard us. It was a very interesting conversation too, I must say. The other me was really nice, and he was interested in everything I was interested in. We shared the same tastes in food, music, art, girls. The only thing I didn't like about the other me was the way he knew the ending to every joke I thought of.

After a while, I suddenly realized it was getting close to my bedtime.

"You'll have to come and hide in my room," I said.