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.

Hey, uh, this is Andy.

I didn't give my name the first time I called.

I got nervous, forgot to say it.

Um, I'm the guy who could see the countdowns, the numbers on everyone's foreheads that count down until they die.

I called a few months back.

I didn't tell you my name or where I live but somehow you found me came to my house

that's weird I mean I didn't question it. You deal with the supernatural that's your thing.

I wanted to ask you how you did it but I thought you'd say something coy like a magician never reveals his secrets.

Or maybe I was afraid you'd tell me how the magic worked. You offered me a thousand dollars, cash, to wear a black stone on a silver chain around my neck while I slept.

Told me at some point in the near future I'd see two people of my dreams.

And you wanted to know what their countdowns were. You offered me a thousand

dollars and you looked desperate. And you're Dr. Ryder, the guy who's always helping people out of scary problems.

And here I had this chance to help you. I mean, of course I would. How could I not?

I wish you'd told me more up front.

I wish I'd ask you more questions, taken less on faith.

Maybe I shouldn't have trusted you so much, so easily.

Maybe I wouldn't have agreed then.

I don't think I would have. But I did what you asked, and after several weeks of sleeping

with a black stone around my neck, I saw them in a dream.

You told me to call you after.

...