Pray to the Dead

Alyce Elmore

Description

Twenty years ago The Desolation wiped out all males over the age of twenty and despite the best efforts of researchers no cure has been found. Women have recovered and adapted to this new world but what should they do about the 'male problem'? With the reintroduction of democratic elections looming, this is their most pressing issue. Should males be eliminated, exploited as cheap disposable workers or allowed to live short but useful lives? And what secret is so damning that the government will go to any lengths to cover it up?

Sujets

• Trilogía (desambiguación)
• Desolation
• Tread
• Elmore
• Speculative
• Trilogy
• Pray
• Fiction
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris AU
• Date de parution: 12 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781669833666
• Langue: English

Extrait

Pray To The Dead
Book Two in Angels Have Tread Trilogy
Alyce Elmore

Copyright © 2022 by Alyce Elmore.
 
Library of Congress Control Number:
2022923300
ISBN:
Hardcover
978-1-6698-3365-9

Softcover
978-1-6698-3364-2

eBook
978-1-6698-3366-6
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 
 
 
 
 
Rev. date: 01/10/2023
 
 
 
 
Xlibris
844-714-8691
www.Xlibris.com
841546
CONTENTS
Glossary Of Terms
Character List
The Histories
WEDNESDAY
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Thursday
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Friday
Chapter 41
About the Author

When All Hope Is Lost
Pray to the Dead
For Where There Are Harps
Angels Have Tread

For my family and friends
With a special thanks to Peter who provided the cover photo and Dean for all the words of encouragement.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Collapse
heart failure among cusp-aged males
Cusp
the last years of a young man’s life
Cuspers
young men between eighteen and twenty
Floorboys
derogatory term for male retail workers
Grunts
derogatory term for male labourers
Lancers
homeless cusp-aged males
Lost boys
young boys deserted by their mothers
No-Gos
derogatory for male uni students
Slackers
derogatory term for males
Studs
derogatory term for male sex workers
Survivors
men who didn’t die in the pandemic
The Desolation
the pandemic that killed adult males 2029–2032
The Transition
the period immediately after the pandemic 2033–2048
The Interim
the stable period preceding the civil war 2050
The Great Upheaval
the civil war 2050–2053
CHARACTER LIST
Melbourne
Members of New Order Party
Evelyn Perkins
Founder of New Order Party
Monika Thomas
Deputy premier, formerly minister for infrastructure
Catherine Williams
Minister for infrastructure
Jenny Connors
Staffer
Dorothy Anderson
Premier
Gloria Fenton
Party secretary
Rose Walsh
Party treasurer
Davina Warren
Head of Evelyn Perkins’s security
 
Daily News Feed
Joan Simonds
Editor in chief
Patricia Bishop
Political journalist
Tiffany Prosz
Junior reporter
Amanda
Reporter
 
Gentech
Bonnie Harris
Head of research
Geraldine Williams
Administrator
Mark Connors
Head of research (deceased)
 
Four Musketeers
Karen Jacobs
a.k.a. D’Artagnan – Jenny Connors’s ward
Josh Harris
a.k.a. Athol – Dr Bonnie Harris’s son
Zane Greyson
a.k.a. Porthos – Floorboy
Benny Tyler
a.k.a. Artemis – Monika Thomas’s toy boy
 
Melbourne Residents
Penny Zan Soeng
Computer security analyst
Carla Zan Soeng
Restaurateur
Helen Cutter
Coroner
Jaime
Karen’s deceased brother
Mike
Patricia’s deceased brother
Nick
Thomasina’s cusp-aged brother
 
Survivors
Matt Stevens
ex-SAS soldier
Steven Baker
French Island resident
 
Warragul
Colony Political Leaders
Jocelyn
Council chair
Sofia Vargas
Council moderator
Kerry
Bailiff
May
Head of police
Alicia
CFA commander
Ginger
Head of health services
Terry
Head of education
Ernestine
Treasurer
Claudia
Secretary
Juanita
Head of housing
Phillipa
Child Carer at Heart House
 
Residents
Florence
Fish market owner
Ingrid
Naturopath and masseuse
Georgina
Owner market co-op
Ursula
Manager of the Sunday market
Cheryl
Former worker at the market co-op
Lauren
Truck driver
Jackson
Trader
Craig
Uni student
Jai
Uni student
Malcolm
Uni student
THE HISTORIES
September 2069
T he young girl touched the Old One’s forehead. There was no fever, but the coughing that persisted through the night had used up the last of the medication, and she was getting worried. Calling the hospital this morning hadn’t done much to alleviate her anxiety either. They said they weren’t sure when the next doctor would be able to get through, as the roads between Melbourne and Warragul were still impassable. But the good news was that additional crews from the city were expected to help with the storm clean-up, so it was only going to take days and not weeks. The best thing, the duty nurse advised, was to keep the patient warm and comfortable, adding that if a fever did develop, then the girl should call back, and they would consider sending an emergency rescue team.
Thanking her, the girl hung up and considered her own predicament. Last night, despite the storm, they had enjoyed a pleasant, relaxed dinner; but today the reality of her decision to stay and continue the interview was beginning to sink in.
If she had known what she was getting into, would she have agreed to do this interview in the first place?
What was supposed to be a simple, firsth