Hello, this is Dr Malcolm Ryder, parapsycologist. I'm currently not in the studio.

Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

This is Andy, you know, the guy who could see the countdowns?

The numbers, son, people's foreheads that show when they'll die.

I saw your count down once, if you remember, when you came to see me, to ask me to

spy on the traveling salesman. No, I mean, no. That's not what you asked. You never told me that exactly. You gave me a necklace made of black stones, said if I wore it while I slept I'd enter someone else's dreams.

He said two people in particular would be in the dream and that you needed to know their

countdowns.

I figured whatever you were asking must be important.

Otherwise you wouldn't have come to me like that. And you always help people, so why shouldn't I help you? You didn't say whose dream I'd be in,

whose countdowns I'd see, but I didn't ask any questions. Did you know?

The traveling salesman would take an interest in me

when he figured out my ability.

Or that he wouldn't let me go

once he knew I could tell him when people will die. Or were you so desperate to gain some

upper hand over him that my safety, that the safety of others the traveling salesman had me spy on never occurred to you I'm not sure which would be worse

Are you not caring or are you not realizing The traveling salesman visited me after the last time I called you.

rang my doorbell and offered me a smile. It's a strange feeling to see someone in real life who you've only ever seen in your dreams.

No, not my dreams. someone else's, who I invaded. You should commodify that gift of yours.

He told me. He said that like, he's giving me advice.

But what he really meant was he wanted to use me, like you used me.

But so much worse.

...