The Rat Collector: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 1) by Chris Yee Page B

I’m the one who got injected, and I feel just fine. Better.”
    “We don’t even know if it works. If it doesn’t, there is no point in injecting myself with that stuff.”
    Saul examined his face and nodded. “Okay, I’ll test it first. If it works, if this thing is real, will you try it?”
    Vince hesitated. “Maybe. Do you even know what you are supposed to do?”
    Saul retracted the needle and slipped it into his pocket. He walked over to a tree touched it with his fingertips. The hairs on his skin latched onto the bark. “I think so,” he said, pulling away and looking at the other trees. “Which one should I try?” There was a small sapling, barely sprouting five feet from the ground. “How about this one? I feel a lot of energy from this one.”
    “Hmm, how do the other trees feel?”
    Saul found another tree, tall and thick, and placed his hand on it. “It has less, but I still feel it.”
    “Try that one first. We should start small…we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”
    “Okay. Here I go.” Saul closed his eyes and focused. Vince watched from a distance. He had never seen Saul concentrate so hard. Sweat rolled from his forehead. His cheeks shook as he built pressure in his lungs. Anticipation grew. They both waited, eager to see what would happen next. And then…nothing. Saul opened his eyes and turned to Vince. “Did it work?”
    “Do you feel any different?”
    Saul shook his head.
    “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
    He shrugged. “Maybe the tree is too old.”
    “I don’t think that’s the problem,” Vince said. “Maybe it just doesn’t work. Maybe the man in the suit was lying.”
    “I really don’t think so. These hairs on my skin are real. This feeling I have is real.” He eyed the tree again. “Hold on, let me give it another try.”
    Again, he placed his hand on the tree, closed his eyes, and took deep breaths. And again, Vince watched from a distance. This time, something was different. Saul was calm. Relaxed.
    Vince moved his eyes from Saul to the tree. He watched a leaf flutter in the light breeze before shedding off and gently floating to the ground. Its vibrant green descended into a dry, pale brown. A second leaf fell, and a third, and then dozens more. The branches fell bare as a blanket of withered leaves floated down and covered the surrounding dirt. The tips of the branches curled, and the bark peeled in small clumps. Decay crept inward towards the tree’s core. Little pieces of rotted bark crumbled from the trunk. Within minutes, the tree was dead.
    Saul lifted his hand and turned to Vince, whose face was struck with awe. All of his doubts were gone. Saul smiled. “It works.”
    “I can see that. How do you feel?”
    “I feel good. Really good. I’ve never felt this good, ever. It’s amazing. You have to try it.”
    Vince, still cautious, was also curious. His attention moved from Saul to the tube of liquid sticking out of his pocket. The man in the suit was telling the truth. Was that even possible? It had to be. He had witnessed it with his own eyes. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
    “Trust me,” Saul said, reaching for his pocket. “You’ll like it.”
    Vince rolled up his sleeve. “Does it hurt? It sounded painful when he injected you.”
    “That was because I wasn’t expecting it. It hurts a little, but not too bad. Just a pinch.” He held the needle up to his arm. “Ready?”
    Vince nodded.
    Saul pushed through the skin and pressed the button. The liquid shot out of the tube, into his arm. He flinched but remained calm. He could feel the fluid entering his veins, traveling to his heart, and dispersing across his body.
    “Now what?” He asked.
    “Now we wait. It takes a while to kick in, but you’ll know when it does.”
    They passed the time with their usual horseplay. Climbed trees, ran around, threw rocks in the nearby pond. And as usual, Vince excelled in each event. He climbed higher, ran faster, threw farther.
    Vince