The Rat Collector: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    “Please don’t say that.” More tears ran down her cheeks. “You make it sound like he’s dead.”
    “I’m sorry. That was not my intention.”
    Carl came back holding a bowl of chili.
    Rupert gently rubbed Martha’s back. “You go ahead and eat. I think we know everything that there is to know right now. I’ll call a town meeting later today. People should know what’s going on.” Rupert left, and Vince followed.
    Martha held the bowl of chili but didn’t eat. Instead, she just stared at it.

EIGHT
    ELLA SLAMMED HER ax down on the log, watching it split cleanly down the middle. Chopping wood was exhausting, but she did it so often it was second nature. Just another of the many chores she took over when her father passed away.
    She stood over the pile of wood, satisfied with her work, when her mother called from the back porch. “Ella, could you run out to the library? I need a few things.”
    “Of course, Mother.” She wedged the ax into the chopping block and headed inside. Her mother provided a list of three books: a recipe book for stews, a guide to edible plants, and a book about herbs and spices. Her mother had recently developed an interest in cooking and was experimenting with new dishes. Ella found herself making trips to the library more often these days, but she did not mind. She enjoyed browsing the shelves and discovering new books.
    On her walk over, she came across the old man in his usual spot, yelling and stomping his feet in the snow. Ella approached him with a smile. “Hello, Horace,” she said in her most cheery voice. “You’re looking handsome today.” Horace quieted down and attempted a lopsided smile. Ella chuckled “Okay honey, don’t outdo yourself with all that yelling. Wouldn’t want you to lose your voice.” She patted his shoulder. “See you later.”
    When she arrived at the library, it was completely empty. Not unusual for this time of day. She pulled out her mother’s list. First, a recipe book for stews. She browsed the shelves. The Secrets to Home Cooking: Soups and Stews . Perfect. She adored soups. Perhaps she could convince her mother to brew a nice hot batch of corn chowder.
    Second, a guide to edible plants. For this, she picked out Knowing Your Greens: How to Find Delicious Plants and Avoid the Dangerous Ones .
    To finish off the list, a book about herbs and spices. There were many books of the sort. Endless options to choose from. After a few minutes of searching, she picked up Spice Up Your Life: Herbs and Spices That Will Change the Way You Cook . Spice books were all the same, but this one had a fun cover.
    With the last book in her bag, she headed towards the exit but stopped just short of the door. She turned around and slowly walked to the center shelf in the middle of the room. The book was in exactly the spot she knew it would be. She pulled it off the shelf and ran her fingers over the cover. The Wonderful World of Animals: Volume 5 — Reptiles .
    She cracked open the cover and skipped directly to the index sliding her finger down the page, searching for G. When she found it, she eagerly flipped to the page and stared at the words:
     
    Giant Tortoise
    There are numerous species and subspecies of the giant tortoise, all spread throughout various parts of the world, but they are typically found in a tropical island setting. Their diet consists of various plants, including grass, flowers, and other greens. As their name suggests, these specimens are very large, weighing as much as 600 pounds, and growing up to 4 feet long. Once very prominent around the world, their population has significantly declined. In the days of pirates, many considered tortoise meat a delicacy. Their slow movement made them incredibly easy targets. Tortoise meat is highly resistant to spoiling and has a unique taste. Docked sailors would often capture these creatures in large quantities before setting out on long voyages. Nowadays,