(Non-main text - Featured on Sanjiang, happy) Containment item short story: The Origin Man

This is not the main text; if you're not interested, simply proceed to the next chapter. Since I've made it onto the Sanjiang recommendation list and am thrilled about it, I presume no one will read the typical acknowledgement blurb I would write, so instead, I'm sharing a short story to spice things up.

——————————————————————

David Charles had devoted most of his life to biology. His destiny to be trapped in this field for life was sealed from the very moment he peered through a microscope at the age of 7 and saw those floating specks. At 15, he was deep in contemplation over genetic sequences; at 30, he was darting through cellular biology; and by 40, he had made a sensational splash in the biological community.

Now, scholars from all over the world traveled thousands of miles just to attend one of David's lectures. A mere two hours with the slightly stooped, bearded 55-year-old was enough to provide months of conversations in the lab with colleagues.