Approaching cautiously, Carter regarded the vengeful reflection he saw after kissing his wife one final goodbye. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice steady despite the unsettling presence before him. He sneered his reflection younger than his old frail self. A twisted smile that held a malicious gleam. "I'm the part of you that you kept hidden, the part you locked away. The anger you never showed, the fury you never released." Carter's brow furrowed, a mix of confusion and recognition dawning on his features. "Why are you here? What do you want?" His laugh was bitter and hollow. "You're a piece of shit." Carter twitched. His heart pounding. "I chose a path of peace and understanding. I never wanted to perpetuate hate or division. I sought to rise above it." The vengeful Carter's eyes blazed with intensity, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Cut the fucking crap. What did that get you? People saw US as weak, ineffective. They took advantage of OUR kindness, your restraint." "And you turn around and call yourself a man of god. You're no man of god. You were President of the United States. You lusted for women in your heart." Carter's jaw tightened, a storm of conflicting emotions churning within him. "My restraint was a conscious choice. I wanted to lead with empathy and compassion." The vengeful Carter's eyes bore into him, a piercing intensity that seemed to sear through his very soul. "You can't deny the satisfaction you felt in striking back at those who wronged you, in crushing your enemies with the full force of your fury. All in your head. You just wish you could've let it out, like the primitive killer you are. You could've wiped Iran off the fucking map. You could've made Reagan and Rumsfeld look like Gandhi. And the people would love you more than Jesus." Carter's shoulders sagged, the weight of his suppressed anger and resentment now fully evident. His tone becoming weaker and more dead with fear. "I chose.... a path that aligned with my values... even if it meant shouldering the... burden of..." The vengeful Carter's laughter was cold and calculating. "And look where it got you. A world that disregards your legacy, that tramples on your ideals. You suck up to the same people you wanted to kill." As the tension between the two versions of Carter reached its peak, the meadow seemed to vibrate with the conflicting energies. The gentle twilight began to give way to a darker, more foreboding hue. "I made my choices. You could've made yours. That's all life is. I don't care, I'm not there anymore." He looked on to a bright light in the distance. "I'm going to meet our father. You should too."
