Page 31 (1/2)

If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen this life Then again, I’m not sure I ever had a choice

These were hts as I raced away from the market, with a stolen roast tucked under my arm

I’d never atte it It happens to be very difficult to hold a chunk of rawMore slippery than I’d anticipated If the butcher didn’t catch me with his cleaver first, and literally cut off et the meat wrapped next time Then steal it

He was only a few paces behind now, chasing irth He yelled very loudly in his native language, one I didn’t recognize He was originally from one of the far western countries Undoubtedly a country where killing a meat thief was allowed

It was this sort of thought that encouraged me to run faster I rounded a corner just as the cleaver suddenly cut into a wood post behindforaccuracy If I hadn’t turned when I did, the cleaver would’ve found its target

But I was only a block froed Boys I kne to disappear there

And Ioutside the tavern, who stretched out his foot in tied to keep hold of the roast, although it did no favors to ht shoulder as I fell onto the hard dirt road

The butcher leaned over et what’s coar”

As a point of fact, I hadn’t begged for anything It was beneath me

His laughter was quickly followed up with a kick to my back that chasedI wasn’t sure I’d live to regret The butcher landed a second kick and had reared back for a third, when another man shouted, “Stop!”

The butcher turned “You stay out of this He stole a roast”

“An entire roast? Really? And what is the cost?”

“Thirty garlins”

My well-trained ears heard the sound of coins in a bag, then the arlins if you turn that boy over to me now”

“Fifty? One ave me a final kick in the side, then leaned loard ain, I’ll cut you up and sell you as meat at the market Got it?”