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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Science Fiction
- Subject: Aging / Maturity
- Published: 03/19/2022
She looked up in amazement at the Platinum Star on the Rejuvenator’s forehead. It was Platinum. She had heard of a Platinum before…but only in essays, or articles about Longevity. Platinum meant you had more than a dozen rejuvenations. A dozen. That means the Rejuvenator working on her was well over a thousand years old.
She was in awe. Most people, like her (this was her third Rejuvenation) only opted for four (sometimes five) Rejuves, before they ask to go the “Quiet Way” and embrace death with dignity. She had only lived one “Natural Life”, got her first Rejuvenation (and it was everything they said it would be), that lasted a good century and a quarter. Then a second Rejuvenation (which was everything they said it would be too). She was definitely feeling the signs of aging now…so she opted for another Rejuve…as did almost everyone.
This would be her third Rejuvenation. Already she could sense that her next one would be her last. She had experienced all that Life could offer, many times over. She was still willing to try what few new careers or experiences were available. At least the ones that didn’t require you to damn near kill yourself to feel something “new”. She had been an Artist in her Natural Life, then a Musician, then a Linguist. Now, at the end of this long Century she was noted as one of the most Accomplished Composers of all time. Maybe one of the best in History.
After all, she had four hundred years under her belt in every for of Human Artistry. She could Paint, Draw, Compose, and play any instrument as well. All at the Virtuoso Level. She could also Dance; having spent almost forty years with the Premier Ballet School - and another thirty with the Modern Dance Ensemble. On top of all that, she was a renowned Director, Videographer, Photographer, and Calligrapher. Several Lifetimes in Fields that overlapped somewhat gave her a formidable jump on younger more eager creative types.
This time tho…she wanted to become a Teacher. Of young People. Really young people. Infants on their first Natural Life. A Lifespan that nowadays regularly exceeds 150 years. She wanted to dip back into that world where everything is new. Every experience is a “First” from your first steps, to you first words, to your first love. She wanted to enjoy their delight as their lives unfolded for the first time.
And so she had found something worthy of dedicating another Rejuvenation too. A life of selfless love for tiny toddlers. She imagined it would be all the wonder of being a Grandmother (which she never lost joy in being, even though her Grandchildren now number more than fifty or so) magnified by a hundredfold. It turns out…she was right.
And so it was she found herself in the presence of a Platinum. Of course, nobody called them that to their Face. That would be rude, since the stamp was on their forehead for all to see and admire. She called him what everyone did…SENIOR. With all the respect due to a being who has lived over a millennium…and still want to live more. She might go through this whole Rejuvenation, and her next (and probably last Rejuvenation ) without ever personally meeting another Senior. They were rare.
Even six centuries of Life (roughly five Rejuvenations) was relatively rare. Seven Centuries, and you could count those that you met on just your fingers and toes. Eight centuries, and you only need your hands. Nine centuries…and you only need one hand. Ten Centuries and more…and you could live an entire Rejuvenation without ever meeting one face to face. And here she was about to undergo Rejuvenation from a Man three times her age or more.
It isn’t polite to ask a Senior how Old They are. Platinum is the last seal placed on your forehead. So maybe this one has had more than one Rejuvenation since his Platinum Seal was fused into his forehead. How old could he be? Her mind raced with possibilities…and all of them fell way short of reality. His real age was not a possibility but rather an: impossibility. He had reached Platinum, not once, not twice, not three times…but five times.
She didn’t know it, but she was in the presence of the only SENIOR that Seniors, called: SENIOR.
He was an anomaly. He had never lost his joy in living. He was still filled with wonder and delight. A baby’s giggle, the sun reflected off a dandelion, the feel of a cold beer at the end of a hard days work. The lovely feminine smell of a woman’s hair as you hold her close in a slow dance. These and so many other things that folks take for granted, even in their Natural Lives before Rejuve, still amaze and astound him. And he still loves.
“Am I your first Rejuvenation, Senior?”
He chuckled and patted her hand as the Technician started attaching various tubes, IV’s, Monitors, and Leads.
“No my Dear. I have a great deal of expertise …so don’t worry. Everything will go well.”
She relaxed. The Sedatives were just starting to give her a warm relaxing feeling. She smiled and asked a question few would dare ask a Senior.
“So you have been a Rejuvenator this whole Rejuve?”
He laughed again. He smiled as he smoothed her almost white hair from the wrinkled forehead that was a clear marker that Rejuvenation, or the “Quiet Way” we near to hand. He leaned into look right into her eyes. His eyes twinkled with a depth that she cold have easily got lost in.
“I have only ever been a Rejuvenator.”
Even with the Sedatives trying their best to pull her down from Consciousness - her brain burst with thoughts of “impossible”. Only one Career? Ever? For what must seem like forever? She forgot her manners.
“SENIOR…why? I mean one job, one career for a thousand years?”
He lifted her hand and kissed it gently. She staggered mentally under how kind, safe, trusting, and full that gentle kiss was on her hand. She giggled out loud.
“I will never wash that hand again.”
He smiled even wider. Thanking her with his eyes for her honest child like promise.
Just before she went under he leaned in to tell her a Truth.
“I haven’t been a Rejuvenator for a thousand years. (Patting her hand again with a soft butterfly wing slap…slap…slap.) I have been one for over five thousand years.”
She could barely feel the shock at his revelation. The Sedatives were kicking in. She managed to eek out one last question before she went under:
“But why?”
He leaned over to whisper in her ear.
“Because… I… like... people.”
She smiled.
The Rejuvenator.(Kevin Hughes)
She looked up in amazement at the Platinum Star on the Rejuvenator’s forehead. It was Platinum. She had heard of a Platinum before…but only in essays, or articles about Longevity. Platinum meant you had more than a dozen rejuvenations. A dozen. That means the Rejuvenator working on her was well over a thousand years old.
She was in awe. Most people, like her (this was her third Rejuvenation) only opted for four (sometimes five) Rejuves, before they ask to go the “Quiet Way” and embrace death with dignity. She had only lived one “Natural Life”, got her first Rejuvenation (and it was everything they said it would be), that lasted a good century and a quarter. Then a second Rejuvenation (which was everything they said it would be too). She was definitely feeling the signs of aging now…so she opted for another Rejuve…as did almost everyone.
This would be her third Rejuvenation. Already she could sense that her next one would be her last. She had experienced all that Life could offer, many times over. She was still willing to try what few new careers or experiences were available. At least the ones that didn’t require you to damn near kill yourself to feel something “new”. She had been an Artist in her Natural Life, then a Musician, then a Linguist. Now, at the end of this long Century she was noted as one of the most Accomplished Composers of all time. Maybe one of the best in History.
After all, she had four hundred years under her belt in every for of Human Artistry. She could Paint, Draw, Compose, and play any instrument as well. All at the Virtuoso Level. She could also Dance; having spent almost forty years with the Premier Ballet School - and another thirty with the Modern Dance Ensemble. On top of all that, she was a renowned Director, Videographer, Photographer, and Calligrapher. Several Lifetimes in Fields that overlapped somewhat gave her a formidable jump on younger more eager creative types.
This time tho…she wanted to become a Teacher. Of young People. Really young people. Infants on their first Natural Life. A Lifespan that nowadays regularly exceeds 150 years. She wanted to dip back into that world where everything is new. Every experience is a “First” from your first steps, to you first words, to your first love. She wanted to enjoy their delight as their lives unfolded for the first time.
And so she had found something worthy of dedicating another Rejuvenation too. A life of selfless love for tiny toddlers. She imagined it would be all the wonder of being a Grandmother (which she never lost joy in being, even though her Grandchildren now number more than fifty or so) magnified by a hundredfold. It turns out…she was right.
And so it was she found herself in the presence of a Platinum. Of course, nobody called them that to their Face. That would be rude, since the stamp was on their forehead for all to see and admire. She called him what everyone did…SENIOR. With all the respect due to a being who has lived over a millennium…and still want to live more. She might go through this whole Rejuvenation, and her next (and probably last Rejuvenation ) without ever personally meeting another Senior. They were rare.
Even six centuries of Life (roughly five Rejuvenations) was relatively rare. Seven Centuries, and you could count those that you met on just your fingers and toes. Eight centuries, and you only need your hands. Nine centuries…and you only need one hand. Ten Centuries and more…and you could live an entire Rejuvenation without ever meeting one face to face. And here she was about to undergo Rejuvenation from a Man three times her age or more.
It isn’t polite to ask a Senior how Old They are. Platinum is the last seal placed on your forehead. So maybe this one has had more than one Rejuvenation since his Platinum Seal was fused into his forehead. How old could he be? Her mind raced with possibilities…and all of them fell way short of reality. His real age was not a possibility but rather an: impossibility. He had reached Platinum, not once, not twice, not three times…but five times.
She didn’t know it, but she was in the presence of the only SENIOR that Seniors, called: SENIOR.
He was an anomaly. He had never lost his joy in living. He was still filled with wonder and delight. A baby’s giggle, the sun reflected off a dandelion, the feel of a cold beer at the end of a hard days work. The lovely feminine smell of a woman’s hair as you hold her close in a slow dance. These and so many other things that folks take for granted, even in their Natural Lives before Rejuve, still amaze and astound him. And he still loves.
“Am I your first Rejuvenation, Senior?”
He chuckled and patted her hand as the Technician started attaching various tubes, IV’s, Monitors, and Leads.
“No my Dear. I have a great deal of expertise …so don’t worry. Everything will go well.”
She relaxed. The Sedatives were just starting to give her a warm relaxing feeling. She smiled and asked a question few would dare ask a Senior.
“So you have been a Rejuvenator this whole Rejuve?”
He laughed again. He smiled as he smoothed her almost white hair from the wrinkled forehead that was a clear marker that Rejuvenation, or the “Quiet Way” we near to hand. He leaned into look right into her eyes. His eyes twinkled with a depth that she cold have easily got lost in.
“I have only ever been a Rejuvenator.”
Even with the Sedatives trying their best to pull her down from Consciousness - her brain burst with thoughts of “impossible”. Only one Career? Ever? For what must seem like forever? She forgot her manners.
“SENIOR…why? I mean one job, one career for a thousand years?”
He lifted her hand and kissed it gently. She staggered mentally under how kind, safe, trusting, and full that gentle kiss was on her hand. She giggled out loud.
“I will never wash that hand again.”
He smiled even wider. Thanking her with his eyes for her honest child like promise.
Just before she went under he leaned in to tell her a Truth.
“I haven’t been a Rejuvenator for a thousand years. (Patting her hand again with a soft butterfly wing slap…slap…slap.) I have been one for over five thousand years.”
She could barely feel the shock at his revelation. The Sedatives were kicking in. She managed to eek out one last question before she went under:
“But why?”
He leaned over to whisper in her ear.
“Because… I… like... people.”
She smiled.
Gail Moore
03/19/2022An awesome piece of work Kevin.
I can't even imagine being that old. My bones would be a totally worn out hehe. :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
03/19/2022Thanks Gayle,
I know my bones are ready to call it a day already. Lol
Smiles, Kevin
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