The Secret (The Scinegue Series Book 1) by S.R. Booth Read Free Book Online Page A

pantry.
    Boxes were flung to the floor as she went from shelf to shelf. “We can’t eat anything that’s genetically modified. Some of the sites I read said that’s one of the tools that could potentially be used to kill people off. All kinds of stuff can be done with genetic engineering. You only hear the good sides of it. Better yields, healthier crops.” Her muted voice came from the back of the pantry as she pulled out items from deep within. “They don’t advertise the bad things that can be done with it.”
    Billy stepped over the packages on the floor and put his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, calm down,” he murmured. “We’ll work this out, okay? We don’t know if any of this is real, and there is no sense making ourselves crazy thinking it is until we have more proof.” Billy’s voice was soothing as he wrapped his arms around her. Sarah leaned back against him, closed her eyes, and tried to release the stress that had been building from the moment she’d deciphered that paper.
    “You’re right. You’re right ,” she repeated as much to herself as to him. “It might be nothing.” She pulled away slightly to loosen his grip and twisted around to look up at him. “But we are not going to eat any genetically modified foods until we have proof that they’re healthy. Got it?” she asked with a firm poke to his chest.
    “Got it!” He smiled and leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. “You have such a cute nose,” he said, trying to ease their tension.
    Pushing him away with a snort of laughter, Sarah ran both hands through her hair before tucking it behind her ears. “This is not the time to be playing around. I think I just had a mini breakdown!” She tilted her head considering. “That’s probably another mark against me. ‘Breaks down easily,’” she said in a deep, announcer style voice.
    “Not a breakdown,” Billy consoled, “just a reaction to the world possibly being much more sinister than we thought.”
    Sarah bent down and started picking up the boxes and bags of food she’d thrown to the floor. Her favorite brownie mix, instant meals, Styrofoam cups of soup. She’d grown up eating these things. Had they really changed so much over the years? Had they changed at all?
    “I’ll get a trash bag,” Billy said, and brought one from the garage.
    “Let’s wait before we throw all of these things away,” Sarah’s voice was thoughtful as she read the label on a box. “No sense throwing away money if I really am making all of this up.” She lined the packages in tidy rows on the counter and stood staring at them with her arms crossed. “We don’t have to eat any of this until we know for sure that it’s okay. I’ll just keep it separate over here for now.”
    They cleaned up the rest of the mess together then stood looking at the almost bare pantry shelves.
    “So,” Billy drawled, “what’s for dinner?” and earned himself a playful punch in the arm.
    “I’m thinking leftover stew from yesterday. We know where and how everything in it was raised. It should be safe.”
    Sitting down with their warmed bowls of stew, Sarah asked, “What are we going to do about this? It’s not like you can just take that paper to work with you and ask if there is any truth to it.”
    “I know,” Billy sighed. “If it is true they sure aren’t going to admit it. And whether it’s true or not, it will definitely get me fired for not only having it, but for also reading it.” Billy thought about it for a while, chewing distractedly. “I wonder if that guy in the window would get in trouble, too?”
    “Which guy?”
    “The one I told you was watching from his window when the trash went flying. He was there again today watching us.”
    “Isn’t it strange to see anyone in that neighborhood, much less the same person twice?” Sarah asked, looking surprised. Billy had told her that he hardly ever saw anyone on any of his routes, but especially not this one.
    “It’s