『Human Frailties』のカバーアート

Human Frailties

Human Frailties

著者： George Rothacker
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Nails is the first in a speculative series of stories blending fact with fiction to explore the many traits, habits, flaws and idiosyncratic behaviors that make us human.

© 2026 Human Frailties
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  • A Literary Ending - Chapter Eighteen - An Epilogue

    A Literary Ending - Chapter Eighteen - An Epilogue
    2026/08/15
    The publication of Laura Hillenbrand’s book, A Literary Ending, inspired a global resurgence of interest in prion diseases, many of which had been previously misdiagnosed and mislabeled as a rapid progression of Alzheimer’s or other neurological conditions. Without the book, the children and grandchildren of those afflicted with Fatal Familial Insomnia would have found it incredibly difficult to distinguish the subtle boundaries between these conditions unless they had been genetically tested early in life. While a simple blood test had eventually become all that was necessary to predict the onset of Alzheimer’s, the search for a rare, specific mutation like FFI had historically remained a mystery.Realizing that Hillenbrand’s work was a catalyst for her own survival, Jen set out to become a prominent spokesperson for the disease and the book. She even went as far as to add a subhead to her own “Unbroken” title, proudly printing “Lab Rat” on the T-shirts she wore while volunteering her veins and body to any test program or clinical trial that might lead to a cure.Through Cheryl’s enduring friendship with Sabina Wister, Sharon was introduced to the Wister Institute’s Dr. Chengyu Liang, the Co-Leader of the Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program. Dr. Liang was deeply familiar with FFI and had already appeared in Hillenbrand’s early notes, as his laboratory was recognized for its pioneering study of autophagy—the process by which cells consume their own cellular waste. It was the exact cellular machinery Sharon believed she needed to rid prion proteins from her sister’s brain.Dr. Liang subsequently introduced Sharon to Dr. Maureen Murphy, the Director of the Cancer Center, whose research focused on cellular responses to stress and the genetic instructions required to prevent misfolding. Although FFI was not a target of Murphy’s current research, after speaking with Sharon she contacted the Institute’s chemist, Dr. Joseph Salvino—a specialist in small molecule discovery who designed the precise “molecular bullets” needed to hit the targets Sharon had first identified in her lab at Johns Hopkins. Through this fortuitous introduction, Sharon was hired to work alongside Salvino to build an AI-driven protein model designed to completely silence the mutant FFI gene.Sharon called her mother immediately after leaving Salvino’s office, giving her the joyful news that she would soon be returning home from Baltimore. She followed it up by contacting Laura Hillenbrand, who, unfortunately, was once again bedridden.“It seems like the demands of completing the book and working with the filmmakers on the screenplay have taken their toll on me,” Laura said, her breathing heavy over the line. “I’m finding it difficult to swallow, and I’ve lost weight. Even the light from my computer screen is painful. But I am so glad to hear that you are doing well, Sharon. I also heard that your sister has scored a massive success with her new book, Lab Rat.”“She’s tearing it up with all kinds of projects,” Sharon responded warmly. “Much of it even overlaps my research on FFI. With her lectures, proactive work on promoting genetic testing, and her book signings, she’s beginning to get picked up on the talk show circuit. She is truly making the most of her young life. Hopefully, I can help her extend her term on Earth by a few decades. I also read that the movie will be ready for release this coming August, starring Jeremy Strong and Jessica Chastain as my parents. I don’t quite see Mckenna Grace as me, though. She’s far too pretty. But Madeleine McGraw is a great pick for Jen.”“They fictionalized the ending,” Laura noted somberly. “I really had no control over the screenplay, except on the technical aspects of the script.”“I thought your epilogue was great, Laura. It allowed Jen, Mom, and me a lot of latitude for our futures. I don’t know if you heard, but Mom is planning to tour France with Sabina.”“No, I hadn’t heard that,” Laura responded softly. “I haven’t spoken with your mother in quite a while.”“Well, like Jen, she’s busy and seems genuinely happy.”“I’m glad to hear that... but if you’ll excuse me, Sharon, I really am exhausted and need to rest. Goodbye.”“I’ll call you next week, Laura. And, by the way, thanks again for everything you’ve done.”An Update: March 2029By the spring of 2029, a definitive cure for FFI had not yet been found, though it seemed hopeful that one was finally on the horizon for those who carried the deadly mutation. A massive breakthrough did, however, arrive for patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)—the very condition that had kept Laura Hillenbrand and many others like her bedridden for most of their adult lives.The breakthrough came from the dedicated research of Dr. Sharon Halpern and her team at the Wistar Institute, collaborating with bioengineers from Johns Hopkins....
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    12 分
  • A Literary Ending - Chapter Seventeen - The Legacy of the Chosen

    A Literary Ending - Chapter Seventeen - The Legacy of the Chosen
    2026/08/14
    How long a person really stays alive is a question for the ages, and a conundrum for philosophers, poets, and physicists alike. Some leave the Earth early, as did Anne Frank, who was killed at age 15, but whose diary, written while hiding from the Nazis in World War II and published by her father, Otto, has outlasted her physical self by more than 80 years—thus far.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed more than 600 works, including some of the most famous symphonies and operas ever written, before succumbing to a mysterious illness at the age of 35.The poet Sylvia Plath struggled with clinical depression and took her own life in 1963, while her only novel, The Bell Jar, and a collection of poems published after her suicide at the age of 30, served to break the mask off the 1950s plight of the domestic woman and paved the way for the modern feminist movement.It was these voices, along with Jerry Halpern’s story, written by Laura Hillenbrand, that inspired Jerry’s daughter Jennifer to jump-start her own career in writing after finishing high school and heading off to Bryn Mawr College to study literature and creative writing.Carrying her father’s gene that caused his death, she was well aware that she might perish early, but she was also blessed with other skills of his, newly exhibited during her junior and senior years of high school.As well as being one of the cast of characters in Hillenbrand’s biography, Jennifer’s story, as composed by reporter J. F. Pirro and published in the April 2028 issue of Philadelphia Magazine, expanded her notoriety as a “survivor,” even though she might be destined for a shorter life than most due to Fatal Familial Insomnia, or FFI.The cover of the magazine depicted Jen holding a stick while standing on the Agnes Irwin School playing field, smiling broadly and wearing her symbolic “Unbroken” sweatshirt.Included in the Philly-centric story was a brief subplot about her mother, a former Llanerch Diner waitress; her sister Sharon, a junior and pre-med student at William & Mary; and her father, Jerry Halpern, the subject of the much-anticipated book, A Literary Ending, written by the celebrated author Laura Hillenbrand.Jen, prior to matriculating into Bryn Mawr College, had already found a publisher for her own short work that focused on the lives of famous people who died early, but who had made lasting impacts on the world during their short stay on the planet.According to Jen, then 18, as stated in Pirro’s six-page editorial titled “Survivor, ”there was no guarantee of a long life for any of us, and no time to waste in becoming all one can be during the time omne has left left.Her message was not only inspired by her father’s story as revealed in depth by Hillenbrand, but also by her awareness at the age of 14 of her genetic inheritance of a disease that could most probably, over a period of 18 months, eat away at the control center of her brain.Her mother had contributed greatly to Pirro’s story by revealing personal kindnesses granted by her late husband that were not mentioned in Hillenbrand’s book, including an exchange between Jerry and a male customer at the diner where she had worked as a waitress.As stated in Pirro’s story, a well-dressed man frequently came to breakfast but always had a complaint about something he was served. One day his eggs were runny, and the next day his coffee was cold, and because of that, his tips were always small. Jerry would often see the amount of change left by the man after he walked out the door and, when he noticed it, he’d compassionately add a bill or two to the coins.One day, the man came back in to get the paper he’d left on the table and noticed the bills Jerry had left. He glanced to see if anyone was watching, picked up the bills, and put them in his pocket. Jerry, who had not yet finished eating, left his table, approached the man, and said in a forceful voice, “Put that money back!”The man was surprised that he was caught, but acted as if he’d done nothing wrong. Jerry confronted him again with the facts. “These girls who work here make barely enough to pay their rent, and I’ve seen you short-change them many times. But this time you went too far. After dining here, I’ve frequently added to your tips, such as they are, and have noted that you excuse your pecuniary gratuities by pointing out the flaws of nearly every meal brought to you by your server. My question is, if you don’t like the food and the service, why do you keep coming? “But today you went too far. You stole the money I left for your waitress on your table, and although no one else saw you pick up the bills, I did. So please return them to the table now.”In Pirro’s story, Jerry, who was taller, younger, and more fit than the man he faced, stood his ground against the grudging bully until the man reached into his pocket, returned the crumpled bills to the table, and left the premises. The patrons and ...
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    11 分
  • A Literary Ending - Chapter 16 - The Stubbornness of Love

    A Literary Ending - Chapter 16 - The Stubbornness of Love
    2026/08/14
    Prior to Jerry’s passing, Sharon and Jen were both genetically tested for FFI. Sharon was proven to be free of the mutation causing the disease, while Jen’s test, unfortunately, revealed her to have a predisposition for the condition. Surprisingly, after Jen learned of her likelihood of contracting FFI, it didn’t have much of an effect on her. The doctors stressed that she would most likely not show signs of the disease for 25 years, whereas scientists had already begun research and testing on animals for genetic adjustments to end FFI, along with other prion diseases.Sharon, however, was hit hard by her sister’s diagnosis, and matured quickly past the selfish teen she’d become to take on the role of researcher and advocate. In doing so, she and her mother bonded, since Cheryl was hit harder by Jerry’s death than she would ever have expected.Laura Hillenbrand unexpectedly traveled to Pennsylvania from Oregon to attend Jerry’s funeral, and to personally meet the cast of characters she’d accumulated for inclusion in her book. She was accompanied by Dolores Southworth, her personal assistant, who had arranged all of the reservations, including the airline tickets, hotel accommodations, and a rental car to chauffeur Laura throughout her short visit.Laura had previously contacted many of the people on the list she’d copied from Jerry’s phone to construct a cohesive vision of her book’s protagonist. Dave and Cheryl provided additional names of those who had known Jerry over the years and had been beneficiaries of his kindnesses.The results of Laura’s interviews confirmed her own assessment of Jerry during the brief time she’d spent with him at her home. One author who had been mentored by Jerry into publishing characterized him as “priestlike” in his manner.“What I remember most about Jerry,” the author recalled, “was when I was struggling with a difficult segment about the fidelity of my character’s marriage. Jerry reflected on the paragraphs and suggested I consider the ‘stubbornness of love’ as a starting point. He told me that in his own relationship with his wife, he’d often thought of straying. He explained to me that it often required every ounce of strength he had not to bolt and bust everything apart. He said that in those moments, he had to leave the room, take a long walk, or find a quiet place to reevaluate his marriage, remind himself of the reasons he married Cheryl, consider the effects of a split on his daughters, and dig deep to remember just how much Cheryl meant to him.”When contacting a member of Jerry’s staff, Laura thought back to a time when the staff member had decided that the demands of her job were too great for her, and that she was considering a teaching position at a high school. It offered her the freedom and time to hone her writing skills and pursue her dream.Jerry had not scolded her, but had reminded her of what she’d be giving up. “As an agent for fledgling writers, you are much more than a teacher, and your job is far more complex than just critiquing the words your authors write. You are their Sherpa walking beside them, guiding them along their chosen paths, and their safety net from the pitfalls that are invisible to them. You are the one who encourages each of them to reach deep within their souls to reveal their finest selves. You’re with them on their journey, one to which they’ve committed in words, pen, or keyboard, with hopes you might only wish for, if and when you’re truly ready to pursue your own dream.”Another staff member recounted Jerry’s personal confession: “I thought I wanted to write fiction, and then discovered I didn’t have the talent or staying power. As an agent, I see my job as a disciple of my authors, as well as the manager of their careers. Thinking about your job in that context may enable you to improve your own writing skills as you support and encourage others to push forward.”From editors to publishers, and vendors to film producers, and then by nearly every writer Jerry had worked with over the past 25 years, he was praised for the devotion, dedication, decency, conviction, and integrity he had brought to each job and relationship.“He never told me, even once, that what I was writing was crap,” said another author. “He just helped me navigate around what he called potholes that needed to be filled with words forceful or eloquent enough to smooth out a sentence. I’ve followed his advice and have applied it to every book I’ve written since his tutelage, often recalling his words as I edit out an unnecessary word or phrase that might weaken the structure of a sentence, paragraph, or chapter.”During Laura’s visit to Philadelphia, she found time to meet Cheryl and her daughters, and informed them of the interviews she had recorded and the new direction she was considering for the book.Laura wrote in her notebook, “When I was first contacted by Jerry or Dave (I...
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    18 分
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