Categories > Original > Drama > Separation
April 17, 1979
“He’s all right then?”
Dr. Karl Straussen nodded. “No worse for the wear, though I’m still not sure what triggered the fainting spell. Aaron tells me he pushes himself too hard, but I don’t think an over-enthusiastic afternoon at the gym is to blame.
“Mmm…” Dr. Julian Xerxes agreed, not bothering to give his thoughts on the matter further articulation. “I have a theory.”
“Do you now?”
“Indeed I do.”
“Would you care to elaborate?”
“I would, thank you.”
Karl did his best not to roll his eyes as his taller friend spread the contents of a folder on the desk.
“These are the five Clairvoyants we’ve had on record since the NSA was founded: they range in age from twenty to twenty-three. Anna Miller, Jason Winrythe, Malcolm Dandridge, Elsa Cartwright, and Jonas Seanz.”
Karl took the papers and examined them as Julian continued.
“Mr. Seanz holds the record as the oldest Clairvoyant in NSA history. He and his wife celebrated their second wedding anniversary before he died of an aneurysm. Mr. Winrythe was twenty-one when he perished, his twin brother Jonathan died six months later. Ms. Cartwright was one of seven children, she survived her first semester of college, then her best friend transferred out of state. Do you see the pattern?”
“Each of them had a companion of some kind, be it spouse, sibling, or friend.”
“Precisely. I’m not yet sure why, but it seems Clairvoyants last longer when they have another soul to lean on.”
“Which would explain why Ray managed to live so long; he didn’t have one guardian he had two!”
“Quite. I propose an experiment of sorts with our remaining young sooth sayers.”
“Assign them guardians.”
“Exactly.”
“He’s all right then?”
Dr. Karl Straussen nodded. “No worse for the wear, though I’m still not sure what triggered the fainting spell. Aaron tells me he pushes himself too hard, but I don’t think an over-enthusiastic afternoon at the gym is to blame.
“Mmm…” Dr. Julian Xerxes agreed, not bothering to give his thoughts on the matter further articulation. “I have a theory.”
“Do you now?”
“Indeed I do.”
“Would you care to elaborate?”
“I would, thank you.”
Karl did his best not to roll his eyes as his taller friend spread the contents of a folder on the desk.
“These are the five Clairvoyants we’ve had on record since the NSA was founded: they range in age from twenty to twenty-three. Anna Miller, Jason Winrythe, Malcolm Dandridge, Elsa Cartwright, and Jonas Seanz.”
Karl took the papers and examined them as Julian continued.
“Mr. Seanz holds the record as the oldest Clairvoyant in NSA history. He and his wife celebrated their second wedding anniversary before he died of an aneurysm. Mr. Winrythe was twenty-one when he perished, his twin brother Jonathan died six months later. Ms. Cartwright was one of seven children, she survived her first semester of college, then her best friend transferred out of state. Do you see the pattern?”
“Each of them had a companion of some kind, be it spouse, sibling, or friend.”
“Precisely. I’m not yet sure why, but it seems Clairvoyants last longer when they have another soul to lean on.”
“Which would explain why Ray managed to live so long; he didn’t have one guardian he had two!”
“Quite. I propose an experiment of sorts with our remaining young sooth sayers.”
“Assign them guardians.”
“Exactly.”
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