How much? He asked the old man peddling baubles. He was in a hurry. How much for this one? He asked again, pointing to the big red stone. The old man's fingers came alive. They probed the small wooden plank on which the baubles were kept. They hesitated near the red stone and moved on to a green one. He was growing impatient at the old man. The old man picked up the green stone and said One Dollar. That's not the one I want, he muttered. Oh I am sorry, you wanted the big one, said the old man. That will be Two Dollars. What drama, the old fool wanted to push the green stone, he thought. He handed the old man a five dollar bill. The old man caressed the note and then proceeded to sniff it. Damn, why did I even have to buy from this loon, he thought. Could you please spare me the exact change, nowadays it's tough to make out the worth of money, said the blind old man.
Last night they discovered a human in the sewers, screamed the headline on Daily Vermin Times. Ed Rat paused to scan the headline and sipped his morning tea. He was in charge of the highly successful Human Extermination Programme. He came from the highly acclaimed family of rats that had unleashed Plague on the frail human race centuries ago. At that time rats used to be in the sewers and the humans used to be outside. Maybe they too had a Vermin Extermination Program. How ironic, thought Ed. We were destined to rule the world. We withstood their poison and laboratory tests. In fact, the tests made us stronger and resistant to the diseases. Now look at them hiding in sewers away from us, fearing us. The telephone rang. Ed woke with a start from his reverie. There must be something wrong, he thought. My room has shrunk, there are metal bars everywhere. It looks like a cell. I can see my cousins in another cell. They are all playing with something. What's this lump on my hand? What...
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