Reader - final installment

This is the fourth of a science fiction series ( to read the first three click on hyperlinks below)

Reader part 1

Reader part 2

Reader part 3
Reader part 4

Masters in Intuitive ability ‘Readers a social history’ – by Cherry Godwin

(published postumously -  in her memory)

It has long been cited that readers emerged as a byproduct of brain transplant technology. According to Wentzky (2024) by not replacing the entire brain organ it allowed the brainstem of the recipient and the transplanted brain to communicate. This rudimentary brain communication contributed to the development in offspring of telepathic abilities, Smith and Stevens (2027). These studies have fuelled some to dismiss those who develop intuitive tendencies as genetic errors, medical mistakes or even as waste byproducts. Of course, the scientists involved in such transplants have clearly argued that such gross simplifications are an erroneous distortion of the facts.

They have instead concentrated on the insights, the reader’s ability, brought to neuroscience in general. The stigma suffered by readers was nothing new. The inquisition/expulsion/targeting of ‘the different’ had historical parallels in terms of race/religion/disability.  Historically speaking, this ever-enduring fear of others has given rise to not only persecution but numerous wars for millennia. Race riots, religious clashes, the growth of terrorism and a growing divide between the rich and the poor fuelled upheavals right up to the beginning of the 22nd century.  The situation might have escalated further had it not been overtaken by two external events which decimated human society.

1.   The pandemic on a global scale changed human interactions both socially and internationally. The loss of life had not been experienced since the Spanish flu of 1918 that killed 40 million. One early impact had been a social isolation that became necessary to avoid contagion. Almost no aspect of human interaction was left unaffected. Even the handshake that most primitive of greetings (developed to restrict the sword arm of your potential enemy) did not survive. Communities became more rural as larger numbers perished in urban settings. International travel became less common.

2.   Severe climate change sped up the pace of this deterioration in transportation. Due to sea levels rising, more than had been predicted, coastal regions including almost all the worlds major ports (Hubs of cargo transportation) were inoperable. Speeding up of the earth’s engine meant there were more intense storms/dust/volcanic eruptions/earthquakes/droughts and floods. The atmosphere (Due to holes appearing in the ozone level) no longer protected the population from increased UV rays. Nor did it aid communication systems as solar flares regularly knocked outside satellites. Even communication at microwave level (WiFi) was impacted.

These global changes transformed society. The fear of others combined with poor communication systems and poor transport routes triggered the rise of opportunistic political groups. Scientists called for a rational approach to the challenges but were seriously damaged by the discovery that climate change had been fuelled by the very technology developed in their ranks.

Social anthropologists on recognizing the changing structures of human society began groundbreaking studies of the grass root communities beginning to emerge. Such close social groups, isolated in rural settings, began to exhibit customs and mannerisms that reminded the researchers of much older tribal societies. Not only, much more self-subsistent in nature but also demonstrating increasing social interaction at the micro-community level. Many published papers showing parallels with pre-industrial tribal groups.

In a society where seas became the main barriers between communities the emergence gradually of three Superstates (named after the three seas that separated them) seemed organic. Technologically society developed in scientific hubs and progressed quickly. Scientific knowledge had not been lost during pandemic and climatic changes. Careful data storage meant that when scientific communities could flourish (as in Superstate funded Hubs) the explosion of technological breakthroughs startled everyone. Transplant technology was just one field, which benefited from these hubs but there were others. In fact, it was precisely due to the massive restructuring that scientific cross discipline collaboration became rampant. This brought new fields of research. One such crossover between fields was between neurologists studying brain transplant development and those social anthropologists investigating new community dynamics. When presenting results of readers telepathic abilities in close proximity to others, anthropologists pointed out that in some very close-knit communities of non-readers there seem to be a growing intuitive link between members who had prolonged exposure to each other. This included sensing of moods, being aware of small and subtle changes in behaviour or habits. This coincided with a dramatic drop in suicide rates. It almost seemed as if social isolation could be inversely linked to the health of the community.

One social anthropologist pointed out that in ancient tribes if a witchdoctor cast a spell on a troublemaker within the community the following social exclusion would invariably cause the victim subjected to such isolation to die. The neurologists wanted to know if isolation had been linked to suicides in other societies. Exposure of such a link became evident in many societies from the rural isolated Australian outback areas in the 21st-century to elderly living in inner-city areas of France. 

Neurological studies of twins, highlighted instances of links built up via genetic similarities and close proximity in the womb. Again it repeated and reinforced earlier studies that actually brain communication was a result of enough close physical exposure.  Brains were evidently designed to communicate in huge swathes of ways that far exceeded our previous understanding. Science’s inability to spot such phenomena was largely a result of ‘not looking’. Once attention was turned to this feature, all sorts of evidence began to emerge. When females live in close proximity, their menstrual cycle is quickly gets in sync. Couples who live together in close proximity for many decades flagged up coincidence of thoughts and insights that were just milder versions of the readers abilities. The brain’s plasticity continued into adulthood and enabled unexpected linkage.

It was soon demonstrated that intuitive links developed in communities and between individuals was actually a healthy community in operation. In fact, isolation and the lack of such contact was not only unhealthy but in some cases deadly. Studies of human brain communication began to let the scientific community put readers back into a continuum of mainstream abilities. Instead of being caricatured as medical waste, they were in fact exhibiting skills that human society needed to cultivate quickly. Living in a close-knit community was as important as a healthy diet. Such genuinely close-knit groups are more welcoming of others. This embracing of individuals, despite their abilities/or lack thereof was indicative of a society in the process of development. That intuitive ability allowed each member to learn from and contribute to their betterment of their society. In this environment social exclusion of readers by Superstate’s such as Pacifica could be seen as flawed as earlier ideologies supporting genocide. 

To choose to reject others led to to exclusion. Whatever steps taken in that direction began to descend into a sliding form of apartheid. It inevitably begins focused on one specific group but soon morphs into targeting more and more as unwanted. In fact, the question becomes less, ‘Who do we not want?’ but more, ‘who will we retain?’. Even those who supported the exclusion policies initially can find themselves in later years the target of these same expulsions. Such piecemeal dissection of society creates fear and confusion.  In these divided and fearful societies leaders become disproportionately empowered and corrupt.

In deciding which direction to take for the future, perhaps there are parallels to be found in the biology that gave rise to readers in the first place. Early organ transplants including heart, lung limbs etc involved heavy-duty immune suppressant medication to avoid rejection of the new organ. This had major side-effects and impacted considerably recovery statistics.  Eventually, science uncovered an effective solution. The Tissue Generated Linkage Technique (TGLT) which did away with the need for immune suppressants.  This involved recognizing that that it was the interface between donor organ and recipient that caused most of the problems.  By growing in situ manufactured tissue that diluted boundaries, the body could be fooled into accepting the new organ.  Organ rejection was all but eliminated and transplant technology proceeded at an incredible pace.

Brain transplants became possible and although highly controversial were carried out. The question of the hour was, ‘which was the human’. The brain being given a new body or the body, being given a new brain. Legislation was of the opinion that the higher organ (I.e. the brain) would have to be perceived as the human host. When the existence of the brainstem of the donor body became evident the legislation had to be revisited. If there are two sentient beings in the one body, which one constitutes humanity.  Before legislation could even be formulated science showed how quickly the new brain and brain stem began to communicate and indeed act as one. Such evident synchronicity seemed to preclude viewing them as separate entities. The brain sections, instead of competing to dominate each other, evidently approached proximity as a means of establishing a multitude of communication channels. Including the development of high-level neural linkages that neither had ever created before. It would seem rather than otherness or rejection of a foreign organ, the brains choose a more creative and inclusive path. Reaching out to this new organ with curiosity and openness.

This responsiveness of both parts of the brain to totally new possibilities of communication is perhaps an indicator of the general path an ever-advancing civilization should take. Inclusion, clear communication, working for the progress of the whole system, all of these, our brains indicated must be the priority.  Surely, when we contemplate the future of humanity these lessons must be embedded in all our interactions.

Reader Part 4 - pain is ours, shame is yours

This is the fourth of a science fiction series ( to read the first three click on hyperlinks below)
Reader part 1
Reader part 2

Reader part 3

From The Joint Head Council of Atlantica and Easterna

We the representatives of our two Supernations are pledged to maintain and improve the standards of a civilized society. Those basic standards involve the protection of each citizen independent of their race, religion, health, intellectual capacity, financial status or position. We adhere to these principles not because they are the better choice, the wiser path but because all our futures depend on this awareness. Morality is not about making selfish judgment calls at others expense. Neither is it found in targeting groups as a means of political expediency. The many individuals making up human society all have unique contributions. We celebrate their existence in our midst. Our diversity is our strength and is both embraced and welcomed.

Readers have and will continue to contribute to the betterment of our society. Their skills have allowed us to improve the true benchmark of any great civilization, how it treats the vulnerable in our midst. The young, the elderly and ill have benefited disproportionately from their intuitive skills. In choosing to exile readers from their country Pacifica has demonstrated its flawed agenda. It compounded this injustice to our society by deliberately including among the exiles, quantities of sentenced prisoners. The damage that Pacifica inflicted on its own native reader population has been compounded by the release of violent criminals into our midst as their deliberate policy. We regret the suffering and on occasion deaths that these two actions have inflicted on so many. In order to ascertain who are genuine readers it has been necessary for us to bring in technology to distinguish readers from the criminal population. We will treat all refugees with compassion and justice, criminal or otherwise.

In the actions Pacifica has taken, it has shown clearly its moral bankruptcy. Our response must be a determination to raise the true standards of civilization. The proof of this will be the creation of a united and diverse community, working for the betterment of all. Misinformation and fear has long been the tool of the tyrant.  Facts and truth must be brought into the light so that they can be distinguished from falsehood. Human intellect must always choose the light of reason over the darkness of ignorance. Our policy of embedding readers in frontline posts has already saved many lives. In their actions we see the strength of our diversity. We, the representatives of the Atlantica and Easterna, are united in our path. In choosing discrimination and dishonesty, no nation can hope to progress. Many of our citizens have paid with their lives because of your leader’s actions.  These deeds reflect the fruits of your society. The pain is ours but the shame is yours.

Part 3 Readers - The Killing

This is the third of a science fiction series ( to read the first two click on hyperlinks below)
Reader part 1
Reader part 2

Four days later Sherry was dead. He received a call from her line manager. Keats was informed that she had stepped out in front of an express train at Central Station. The driver had seen nothing and the impact had been minor. It had been railway tech workmen who picked up the tiny shudder at the hub station. They recognized the tiny tremor peak that they had grown accustomed to in suicides on train lines. Their electronic sensors had flagged up an incident and Cherry had been identified quickly by DNA analysis. The line manager broke the news with great sensitivity but the blow felt beyond enduring. On the phone Keats had been unable to speak, to reply. Even, when asked, “are you alright do you need assistance?” He just put his forehead on the phone intercom and closed his eyes. Because of his lack of a coherent reply a response team had been dispatched. They arrived 15 minutes later, over-rode the front door lock and raced in, medical kits at hand. Kind hands lowered him onto his bed while a sleeping patch was applied on his inner wrist. He fell into blissful oblivion and remained so for four hours. 

When he woke he was still in his own bed a bereavement medical worker by his side. He asked the uniformed woman who she was. She was in her 40s with dark straight hair, around a pleasant calm face. Not pretty but plain and pleasant with brown sympathetic eyes. She replied,

“My name is Dora, I'm your bereavement medical worker. Here is my ID, you've had a shock. Do you remember anything?”

While she asked, experienced fingers took his pulses all five recorded on the tablet quickly and efficiently.  Keats shuttered his response, disbelief in every word. 

“My wife and she's dead I think.”

Dora nodded,

“Yes that's right.”

She paused and waited. Keats felt huge sobs coming as if from his feet. Big shaking waves that shook his body, Dora held his hand stroked his shoulder, murmuring “I'm here, I'm here.” Gradually, his sobs stopped and he turned to Dora, and asked, “What happened?”
Dora looked at him clear eyed and measured.
“Cherry is dead but do you need to understand I am responsible to both of you.
Keats was confused,
“What?”
Dora explained,
“When a death like this happens, a bereavement medical worker (a BMW) is assigned to both the deceased and the next of kin. I have prepared Cherry, accompanied her to forensics and made sure her wishes are respected to the letter. I am duty-bound to you both, but my priority is of course Cherry, as she is no longer able to speak for herself.” 
Keats struggled to grasp what Dora was saying,

“I don't understand.”

Dora calmly replied,
“Just because a person is dead, it doesn't mean one rides roughshod over their rights. Cherry had left clear instructions and I have carried them out to the letter.”

“What instructions?” Keats almost howled his despair. Dora elaborated,

“She wanted instant cremation after a full forensics. She had prepared well, there is her will and a letter.”

“But why did she do it?”

Dora frowned.

“Out of respect for Cherry, I am duty-bound to point out forensics indicate she did not jump in front of the train. Bruising showed she was pushed and CCTV footage on the train clearly indicates this. In no way was she intentionally ending her life.”

Keats felt bile rise in his throat.
“But the call they mentioned suicide, her line manager said...”

Dora stroked his shoulder gently.
“He had no right to call you like that. No one should hear that sort of news over a monitor. Any fool knows that. But, I'm afraid nowadays communication outstrips wisdom. They certainly shouldn't make a judgment call without full forensics. For exactly the reasons that are evident here.
Keats said nothing, so Dora continued.

“I had to respect Cherry’s wishes, she was my key subject, so you were given a sleeping patch until such times as I had carried out her wishes.”

“What wishes?” Keats questioned.

Dora gave him a small sip of ice-cold water and it soothed his dry throat. He coughed and spoke louder,
“What wishes?”

Dora took out an envelope and explained. "When someone anyone dies or is dying, A BMW is assigned. Their key subject is the patient or client and they make sure their needs are met. In terms of pain control, final wishes, personal care plan. In the case of a diseased patient we are escort them to forensics or to the funeral home and ensure respect is shown to the body. We take notes and in the case of Sherry arrange cremation.”

“But I needed to see her, I wanted to...” Keats could not continue.

Dora spoke,
“In this case her instructions outweigh your wishes. But she did wish you would be given this on her death.” 
Dora handed over the white envelope.
“Just know this, she did not take her own life. This was not her choice. Someone took her from you. You need to know this. I'll leave you to read the note in private, if you need me I'll be outside the glass doors, just signal and I'll come.”
He clumsily pulled the envelope open, tearing it. His fingers felt like spagetti. His brain was in shut down. He tried to focus. The handwriting was hers and when he read Dear Keats, he cried out and put his hand over his mouth. Dora behind the glass doors stirred but he held up his hand to stop her. He read on,

‘I'm dead I don't know how it happened after all, I'm younger than you. But there you go, life is unexpected. You must be devastated, unless you killed me, in which case, perhaps relieved. Only joking, being a reader married to a non-reader is tricky but being a non- reader married to a reader is an act of daily trust. You more than met all my life's expectations. You're a good man and it has been a privilege to share these years. Your love has given me incredible happiness. Being cremated is not what you would've wanted for me. I appreciate goodbyes are important to you. But some studies have shown readers die differently. The part of the brain that processes readings in others is the last stop to stop functioning. It's requires so little blood flow there is speculation that it may continue functioning for sometime after the body is dead. I have to confess that thought freaked me out so much, a speedy cremation seemed a safer bet. I didn't want my last reading playing like a record in my head. I know it will all be all over, the fact that you are reading this means my wishes have been respected. I can ask for no more. Would have loved more time with you but you have given me more than I ever expected. Your goodness a daily lesson in how to be a better human. Thanks for that too!
much love Cherry."

He held the letter to his cheek and tried to breathe in her scent from the paper. His heart felt like it would explode. The pain in the centre of his chest pulsed and his ears began ringing. He rubbed his chest with his knuckles and the pain seemed to flow along his arms. Dora was beside him in an instant and placed the patch on his wrist. He tried to stop her, but she pushed his hand away and spoke gently.

“You need to trust me now. This is best. I'm here, I'm here.”

Blissful nothingness hugged him into a deep sleep. Doris sat beside him in the darkened room. He would sleep for an hour. These patches had to be used with restraint. Patients could quickly grow addicted to the swift release from painful reality. It was her job to begin weaning him. She never gave more than three patches and really felt EBW’s who did were shortchanging their clients. The sooner patients came to terms with what had happened the better. Delaying that, often suited inexperienced EBW’s who needed time to think what was best to do next. Putting a client into a long sleep allowed them to consult others and plan ahead and cover their own backs. Dora knew recovery in patients who slept through the first two days was twice as slow as those who didn't. Not on my watch, she thought settling down to her knitting, keeping a watchful eye on his vitals. She'd only been knitting for 20 minutes when someone knocked on the glass door. Dora approached the door slowly. His eyes were green flecked with gold and he signalled to her to open the door. Dora picked up the intercom and pointed to the receiver on the outside. Dickens spoke in a rush,

“He's a good friend, can I come in? He's had an awful loss, he needs me!

Dora answered,
“No, he needs me at present. I will not authorise any visitors until he is stabilised.” 

Her brown eyes were cold and clear. Dickens held up his hand, pleadingly.

“Look its not fair, if he was your friend you'd want to be there for him.”

Dora pressed a button low down on her medical jacket, and then spoke
“Who are you, exactly?”

He answered eagerly, “Dickens, we go back half a century. Come on have a heart.” He smiled winningly through the glass door.
Dora nodded slowly and held up her hand in acquiescence.

“This space has been disinfected, please wash your hands and use a cleanser spray and before entering.”

Dickens quickly did as she instructed, washing his hands with mocking exaggerated care and using the wall disfectant spray on both sides of each hand. He slipped the scalpel up his sleeve, one more kill and he was in the clear. Just one more death and freedom in this brand-new world beckoned. He could feel his hands trembling with the thrill of the kill. He would have to take out the plump woman too, but suddenly, having got rid of Cherry so easily, he felt anything was possible. Dora waved him towards the glass door and stood a little to one side making room for him to pass when the doors would open. 

Dickens smiled encouragingly at the plain face, so close to his own. Suddenly, the doors to the lift behind him opened and four security guards grabbed him. Efficiently they cable cuffed his arms and searched him. They found the scalpel within seconds. Dora opened the glass doors and stepped out allowing them to close behind her. She approached Dickens and told the guards,

“I pressed the alert, he has just killed and was about to kill again.”

The guards immediately placed red stick highlighter across Dickens’ forehead. It was fluorescent and would identify him as a murderer to everyone when he was in transit. There had been an initial outcry when such permanent indicators were used. Prisoners were horrified to find the mark indelible. Sociological studies found the mark more of a punishment than many of the other prison regimes. Not even facial tattoos removed the fluorescent red. Removing a deep layer of skin or branding did, but were so drastic most people could guess what had been removed and this defeated the intent. This colour branding had been started 30 years ago and it had been so successful the measure had become standard. As they hauled Dickens to the lift, he shouted at Dora, in recognition, 

“You’re a reader, she's a reader!”

He continued to shout as they bundled him out. Dora opened the glass door and returned to her chair. Checking vitals and fussing with his sheet she felt his pulse and then settled. Frontline EDW were not all readers but in a diversity drive at the same time as the second maxim announcement had meant 50% of them where.

It had seemed as if one life had been saved by her quick reading of Dickens but further

research on the case indicated that he had killed dozens of people. The Dickens case as it became known became as instrumental as the Linenbury case in changing attitudes.

A new maxim came into being, “Unity in Diversity, makes us stronger and safer”. 


(to be continued)

part 2 of Readers - Science fiction attempt

Readers (continued, part 2) for first section see Readers part 1

I met Dickens outside the Cybersleep centre. He was shocked to see me and sounded different. His voice was unrecognizable. Sounding peculiar like an out of tune guitar with discordant notes and the volume not in control. It was his eyes that told me who he was, those green eyes with flecks of gold sprinkled around the cornea. I'd read somewhere it was an indication of a disease. Careful studies had found a gene responsible and precautions taken to screen out the anomaly. No such eyes had appeared for at least three decades. It was strangely heartening to see them again. Like being shown an ancient artifacts from the 21st century. Nostalgia swept over me and I answered warmly. 

“Dickens, I have not seen you for almost 50 years!”

He answered slowly struggling to articulate his h’s. 


“Forty eight years, it was at the middle age convention, do you remember?”


Dickens corrected me and then went on, his voice growing stronger and more certain with each minute,


“I took a deep sleep forty seven years ago. My health director indicated disease predictors required it,” he pointed to his eyes. “Woke up and had the treatment. Stupid thing really, they discovered how to deal with the disease 20 years earlier. I complained to the authorities but apparently being two decades out in such things is no longer considered incompetence. If the director had been out by three decades I would have had a substantial claim. Just my luck!”
  

He shook his hand warmly above my hand and I waved back. It had been the flu endemic of the 23rd century that had changed human interaction substantially. Apparently, humans used to actually shake hands with complete strangers. After 20 million were wiped out by a flu epidemic that spread purely by skin contact, handshakes were banned. Nowadays, it was an intricate business with different types to suit each occasion. Dickens had responded to my friendly wave palm down with a 10cm gap just above my own hand. Strangers involved a greeting with the opposite side hand wave. Readers never responded to a wave. They stood well back and scanned. The difficulty with advanced intuition is that you need time to read the intent. Readers had to scan you before responding and adopted to drop the wave for ethical considerations. Cherry, his wife was a reader and he never got used to her cold stare at visitors or new work colleagues.

Once he complained and she had answered,
 “We have to. If you don't read them the wave could be interpreted as an acquiescence.

The wave ceremony is a way of getting to know someone politely. As a reader we do it by reading, it takes us less time and avoid mistakes. It also warns others that they are being read. If I just waved I’d be pretending I wasn’t a reader. That would not be fair.”

Keats brought Dickens home for a meal and his wife Cherry had read him at the door. Dickens had stood with his palm down in a friendly invite and his wife Cherry had stared coldly back. A minute passed and in the awkward hand retreat, Dickens had blushed vivid red and then made his apologies and left. His wife explained it was more appropriate that he had left. But no matter how he pressed her she would not tell him what she’d read. She responded,

“It’s against our ethics you know that.”


I had argued,

“But I’ve known him for years, I need to know!”

The next day I tried to call Dickens but there was no response. I never knew what she had read but the next day I explained that my friend had disappeared. Sherry had nodded knowingly,


“I expected he would, it's one of the reasons people keep to themselves nowadays. They know readers are out there and their act will be discovered.”

 Angrily I told her,


”Do you know in Pacifica readers are banned”.


She nodded unruffled.


“That's one way to approach it. I view it differently. You may find it intrusive and unfair but it is also a protection for the wider community. Pacifica has had huge spikes in negative activity probably as a result of not allowing readers”.
  Keats felt annoyed,
  “Oh, come on, you can't play that card and take the credit for solving social ills. Claim that without your kind, everybody misbehaves!”


Cherry looked Keats in the eyes before responding,


“Apart from being prejudiced against readers Pacifica has the highest child abuse, domestic abuse, animal cruelty and an epidemic of elderly early death syndrome”.

Once euthanasia was legally allowed and the numbers of deaths of elderly went through the roof the term EEDS was coin to address the broad spectrum condition from those who are terminally ill and wanting released from their suffering, to those whose greedy beneficiaries no longer wanted to wait for their elderly relatives to die of natural causes. While legal measures had been put in place to prevent healthcare officials from benefiting from EEDS, a whole subculture of vultures had emerged. Befriending the old, the ill and the isolated in order to line their own pockets with an endgame of termination became endemic. The media exposé highlighting these unscrupulous activities resulted in the elderly and the infirmed fleeing Pacifica. For elderly protection in other nations, readers were employed routinely to screen social contacts and had unearthed an uncomfortable amount of close relatives with unsavoury mindsets. Abusers were rarely the stranger on the street as had once been feared but much more commonly the homegrown family member. One online wit had coined the phrase, ‘everyone everywhere does something’ and it had been the rallying cry of the main political group in Pacifica. Cleverly highlighting a recognition that everyone committed negative acts and judgement wasn't an appropriate response. Despite all this being in the pubic domain, Keats still felt he had to hold to his argument,

“You make it sound as if readers commit no wrong!” He snapped.

Sherry was becoming irritated.

“I didn't say that. Of course there are positive and negative readers!”


The Lindenbury affair clarified that once and for all. In Pacifica a certain Louise Lindenbury, a reader, had taken money to make incorrect readings for the unscrupulous.   It was the case that led to the banning of readers from the country. A mass program of oppression had resulted in huge amounts of reader refugees crossing out of Pacifica borders. The ripples had also infected neighbouring nation states and resulted in the law ‘Watchers need Watched’. This required readers to be subjected to weekly supervision by other readers. This safety supervision was called intrusive by the reader community who argued that the wider community, who routinely committed atrocious deeds, were not subjected to such investigations. However, in the aftermath of the Lindenbury affair refugee readers had not been in a position to complain. They had been happy to find sanctuary and accepted the edict.

Cleverly, the weekly sessions were designed that refugee readers were supervised by resident readers and vice versa. Each set was anxious to prove that their particular nation was more morally innocent than the other. So these weekly supervision sessions had become ridiculously intense and stressful as minute signs of corruption were hunted for. Keats was beginning to feel sorry that he had raised the whole affair. Cherry would be having her weekly interrogation and it made no sense to torment her with history. So he spoke apologetically,

“I liked him, Dickens was one of my oldest friends and it hurt to drive him off like that. We went back 50 years”.


Sherry nodded in sympathy,


“I know, I'm sorry, but there was a reason the doctor kept him in a cybersleep state for 50 years and had little to do with his health issue.”

Keats held her arm gently,


“I don't want to know but I expect you had valid reasons. It doesn't make it easy for me but I have to respect your reading”.

Sherry responded by hugging him and Keats added,

“Knowledge is a terrible burden but like sight, if you have it you can't go through life blindfold that would be intolerable too. I expect the maxim if there are 10 qualities and an individual nine bad then we should focus on the one good is difficult to sustain when you're a reader”.

This was said sympathetically. Sherry responded,


“Actually no, usually readers are constantly inspired by what they pick up from others. Goodness is much more common than you think. In fact during our early supervision, in the years after Lindenbury we were taught ‘look inward and find what should not be there!’


Keats was bemused and asked, 
“What did that entail!”


Cherry explained,


“Well, in terms of the old maxim it meant we should read ourselves and find not the good qualities but the bad and use the supervision to address it fully. A painful affair but deemed necessary given what had just happened.”

Keats nodded and asked,
“So why did it change?”

“Well, given the fact that readers were constantly coming across excellent ideals thoughts, actions and deeds in those they met daily, weekly exposing of their own faults became too toxic for some. There was an outbreak of suicides in case loads of over zealous supervision officials.”


Keats was horrified and enquired,


“But surely the reader supervisors would've picked up on the dangerous thoughts the new maxim was triggering and then changed their practice?”


Cherry nodded,


“Some moderated their approach immediately, many resigned on principle, but most did not pick up on the suicidal leanings in clients because it was only in the days after supervision when reflecting on their own failings that things went downhill.”


“How long before things changed.” Keats asked.


“Four years.” Cherry answered.


“What!” Keats was shocked and Cherry elaborated,

“There was a change in the maxim. ‘Look inward and find what should not be there, look outward and be inspired by what you find in others’.”

Keats was angry and exploded,


“And that changed what exactly? It seems a half assed adjustment after four years!”

Cherry answered calmly,

“Actually it was very transforming. The protection of ourselves grew out of the learning from others. Until that point we were in a judgment mode of others without knowing it. Being asked to look inward critically meant we applied a toxic judgment mindset to ourselves. Once, it became balanced with and appreciation of the good in those we met, readers found themselves on a continual path of transformation. Now, during supervision the focus is on reading if that positive progress is being made. Are lessons learned in interactions with others being applied? Do our deeds match new modes of thinking or lag behind.”

Keats could understand the difference this could make and pointed out,


“So the weekly supervision is not so bad.”


Cherry paused before responding,


“Well, it depends, there are a few old school readers still supervising and while using the new maximum cling to the old practices.”

Keats was aghast,


“What! You mean it still goes on, driving readers over the edge?”


Cherry answered calmly,


“It's very rare now, all readers trained in the last decade wouldn't dream of applying the old maxim. Even veteran readers are undergoing retraining to address issues they may have. There is the odd old school supervisor that sneak through the system like mine.”

Keats groaned, 
“Oh Cherry, I didn't realize that's what you faced each week!”

“It's not too bad, it's exhausting, but nowadays the reader can usually pick up on first maxim supervisors and make sure they protect themselves by applying the second maxim in practice during the week.”

Keats asked pointedly,


“But what about those that don't manage that?”


Cherry explained,


“We learned a lot from what went on before. Recently published papers have indicated that even under the old maxim the majority of readers behaved ethically in society. Provided they had enough social interaction with healthy individuals. Rogue readers, like Louise Lindenbury, tended to work in closed systems like prisons or mental institutions with very disturbed and psychotic inmates. Such environments it turns out are not suitable for readers. We need the fresh streams of normality to keep us from being polluted.”


“Doesn't everyone!” asked Keats,


“But you can't imagine what it's like to read your friend Dickens and know exactly what he's done and what he would like to do. Imagine being surrounded by such people every minute of the day. You lose your perspective and even the second Maxim is no help because there is little inspiration from others to find. No, in such environments readers can only be used to help determine sentences but only once in a lifetime.”


Keats asked,
“Have you ever been called in to do sentencing?”


“No and I hope I never will.” answered Cherry, “It’s the two things that every reader endures but never enjoys supervision and sentencing.”


Keats nodded and added, 
“It seems we almost live in different worlds, you and I. I never really understood before.”

Cherry laughed,


“Actually for me living in a world where you cannot pick up on what someone is thinking, seems terrifying. I could not survive in your shoes for a day I would feel vulnerable and ignorant.”

Keats laughed in response and grimaced,


“And I couldn't last one hour in your shoes. Seeing inside another’s head and knowing all the murky details would seem like a never ending nightmare.”


Sherry grinned and pointed out,


“Well, it seems, none of us are tested beyond all limits. Perhaps our greatest protection is being exactly who we are ending grateful for that! And being especially appreciative of the goodness we find in others.”

(to be continued)