Twelve Days to Die

TwelveDays to Die

by

RobJ. Hayes

Cover image ©2013 by Julio Real

All rights reserved.

Jezzet slowed to a stop, breathing heavily and halting her run at thefence that surrounded their ramshackle farm. The sun was lazy andlow, still struggling to rise, and it gave her a long shadow thatstretched back towards the city. Truridge was a dark stain on the farhorizon, almost half a day's walk away.

The hard morning run never seemedto get any easier no matter how many times she did it. Probablybecause that old bastard always changes the route, makes it longer,Jez thought. Acouple more years and he'll have me lapping the whole of Acanthia asa warm up.

The goat wandered up to the fence and stuck its head through a largegap. It gave Jezzet a long stare, twisted its head sideways, thenlowered it and nibbled at some enterprising grass that thought it wassafe from the mangy beast. It wasn't much of a farm with just onegoat and three chickens, but it helped keep them fed, though most oftheir food came from trading in and around the city. Despite theyears they had been together, Jezzet still didn't know what hermaster sold down in Truridge, but whatever it was he never seemed torun out of it.

Jezzetdipped her hands in the nearby trough and pooled some water to herface, sipping at it and then splashing the rest over her sweaty skin.Always tastes likegoat.She gave the little beast a hard stare and it countered with mildindifference.

"Didyou do the full route this time?" Yuri asked. He was sitting nearthe chicken hutch, flush against the building and very much in theshade. Jezzet hadn't even noticed him there until he spoke.

"Yes,master," she said with a tired sigh.

DespiteYuri Vel'urn's advancing age he was as spry and fit as Jezzetherself. Oldbastard hasn't slowed a drop even though he hasn't been out on amorning run in... I dunno, a bloody long time.He was swift and agile, strong as a bull and had the stamina of twoyoung men. Despite this he was also wrinkled and grey, and Jezzetsometimes caught him wincing when he stood.

"Good,"Yuri said, watching her from the shade. "Run it again."

Jezzet clenched her jaw and bit back the first reply she thought of.Telling the old man to screw himself against the wall would be apetty insult and would likely earn her a beating. Like as not, itwould be less painful just to do the run.

"Fancycoming with me like you used to?" Jezzet asked as she bent downinto a stretch, one leg beneath her and the other out to the side.

Yuri Vel'urn shook his head and lifted a small cup to his mouth,sipping at the contents. "My running days are behind me, Jezzet.You, though... You are full of the passion of youth. Put that vigourto good use."

Jezzetshifted to stretch out the other leg. She was young, that was true.Yuri had bought her at just nine years old and she'd been with himfor... Shit, Jez,can't even remember how old you are. Twenty, maybe?

"Thelonger you sit there stretching the more likely I am to send youround for a third time."

Jezzet let out a groan. "You wouldn't." It was pointless becauseshe knew he would.

Yuri looked up to the sky and raised a hand, pointing south towardsLongwood. "Before the sun reaches the forest or you'll be goinground again."

Jezzet pushed back to her feet and scooped more water from thetrough, drinking two deeps mouthfuls. She sent Yuri a baleful glare,then turned and started her second morning run of the day.