7:35AM973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YXIsBHwHl
Marcus awoke suddenly. The sky was still dark.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2EG9OtcZl
“Leave now.” Caius said stiffly. He stood at the foot of Marcus’ bed and was already prepared to leave, right down to the knots already tied in the strings of his sandals.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutdX4Oxx3C
“It cannot be morning yet. It is still dark.” Marcus said drearily.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0hUopl46I
“The sun has risen, brother.” Caius replied darkly. “The ash cloud that had begun to shift has returned. Thicker, this time.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhok9T3uzLw
“The mountain has stopped its rumbling Caius. The god’s are appeased.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAM5ZIRcPOs
Caius snorted.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfOO8PXR0l
“You think they are satisfied with a little blood spilt in the arena? I have lived under these gods my entire life. I see now their true faces. They do not wish to bless us. Their only intention is to bleed us, to hurt us and to curse us.” He paused. “Pompeii has seen enough of their blessings in these years past. Each one has ended with lives lost and buildings crumbling to dust.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43pkHHaYrt
With a swift glance out of the window, Marcus saw thin shafts of sunlight struggling to push through the dense cloud that had descended. The ash that had stopped falling the night before now flowed freely once again, and Marcus noticed cracks along the floor that had not been present before he had fallen asleep.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRDvsF935p
“We shall leave the city at once.” He announced. Caius nodded in agreement.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnthY96cBv
“Behold: the first sensible thing you have suggested all week.”
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7:40AM
Livia was awoken by the slamming of the heavy bronze door at the front of the house. Before she had a chance to gather herself, her bedroom door was unceremoniously thrown open and there, in the doorway, stood Ariadne and her fiancee.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemnFDgUep2
“Where is your gladiator?” Maxentius demanded.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwzMNPYMzp
“He shall be here presently, I would imagine.” Livia replied curtly, fighting the urge to insist that he was not her gladiator.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIZzqpbYYc
Ariadne was about to intervene, but was interrupted by screams from outside. The floor rumbled ever so slightly. They moved to the window, and saw to their horror, the cloud that had annihilated Herculaneum moving closer. It would be upon Pompeii within a matter of minutes. Rocks that had been pushed along by the current were thrown back out again at violent speeds, their temperatures enough to cause severe burns.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJZeRxnQ2L
“Get outside!” Livia demanded. Maxentius paused.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBiHOa0KU3
“Surely we should be safer inside?! We should not go out there into it! It would kill us all!”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix1xX3Epuo
“It will destroy the house. We will be safer in the hills, far away from here.” Livia insisted.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKSfJSN0t5
“Your cellar should provide adequate shelter.” He replied. His tone suggested that he would be the one to make the final decision. “Ariadne is with child. She is in no condition to be running through the streets. We shall take shelter here.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqL8eWEjal
Livia considered his point but wondered why, if walls were enough to save them, the remaining citizens of Pompeii were running through the streets seeking their safety.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8I2k1UPjSY
“Walls shall not be enough.” She said softly.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwVqUf3eJr
“They shall have to be.” Maxentius said bluntly, turning away and leading Ariadne down the stairs. At the bottom, he turned back to Livia. “Leave if you wish; I shall remain and take care of your parents. Find your gladiator, Livia, but know that you enter a world of chaos out there. A world that will almost certainly lead to your death.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JBS478R3I
“It is a chance I am willing to take.” She replied. Turning to Ariadne, she shot her a pleading glance. “You are certain that staying here is the right decision?”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWxnQemIh6
“Yes.” Ariadne said with a nod, “I trust Maxentius to keep us all safe. I worry only for you Livia. Is he worth risking your life for?”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXZJixiaOW
Livia nodded.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p6QM0PMJy
“Then I pray the gods smile upon you.” She said softly. She took Livia’s hands and held them tightly. She hugged her tightly. “Be safe,” she whispered as a stray tear leaked from the corner of her eye.
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7:45AM973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsS3SGyXl6
The ash storm that was approaching finally hit the centre of the city. She watched as the second story of buildings was eviscerated and thrown to the ground. She heard the screams as buildings fell and toppled. Every instinct was telling her to run, to find cover and to stay there, but her legs would not move. Her eyes were transfixed upon the wall of dust, ash, rock and heat that was methodically sweeping across the streets of Pompeii.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPMzkvwOAG
When her feet remembered how to run, she turned and tried to refrain from looking behind her. She could smell burning and her lungs ached. She inhaled ash and debris as she ran, the taste causing her tongue to recoil and her eyes to water. It tasted acrid and sharp and it seemed to stick to her tongue like a stubborn paste that was hesitant to go away.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnTAryQoF8
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Arriving at the gladiator’s barracks, Livia spied Marcus and Caius leaving swiftly. She ran to them, and was caught immediately by Marcus’ arms, catching her in an inescapable hug.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fxL7tpj87
“I was coming to get you. We need to leave.” He said into her ear.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgOrVzfkzm
“We cannot outrun it.” She said quietly. It was approaching quickly, and no matter how fast they were able to run, Livia knew in her heart it would catch up to them.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocCdoHspZx
“We can try.” Marcus said simply. His jaw was set and his eyebrows were furrowed; he was determined to make it out of the city alive. Taking her hand, he ran forward, casting only a backward glance at the certain death that lay behind them. Checking Caius was still with them, Marcus took off down unfamiliar back streets.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZcdpePAiS
All lights had been extinguished, like it would somehow save the inhabitants from the debris and destruction, and visibility had become difficult. The ash cloud that hovered above the city still rained down upon them, and although the sun was now nearing its highest point in the sky, there was not an ounce of daylight to be seen. The cover of darkness coated them thoroughly.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGxby5r35i
“One would think the sun had forgotten to rise today.” Livia said lightly.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw6SAiol6E
“The sun has forsaken us.” Caius replied darkly. Marcus glanced sharply at his fellow gladiator.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡro8m7iVayM
“There is no need for dark omens, Caius.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyYH75Zbpa
“Omens? This is no omen! Can you not see that the world is ending?! Day has become night, the sky is falling in! The sun has not forgotten to rise; the sun is dead.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8vKUW8PZY
Marcus stopped.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXHNr9pERM
“If you insist on projecting your negativity, perhaps we shall leave you here!” He said only inches away from Caius’ face. “I for one intend to leave this city intact, and if you would only stop whining for a moment perhaps you too would have a chance of living past this day Caius!”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeekzX3FKtJ
Caius remained silent.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpZnZ3dC8n
“I apologise, brother.” He said softly. “My tongue consults not with brain in times of panic. I do not think before I speak.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAGNvReZ5k
Marcus clapped his friend on the shoulder.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1YoreOgaV
“You are forgiven. Now, shall we stop stalling and continue?”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51s3zSotTw
Livia, watching the encounter unfold before her eyes, was at once confused by the temperament of men. Shaking her head, she moved past them.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhS9J0NQNat
“Yes, now that you two have made up, perhaps it would be a good idea to carry on with the leaving part of our plan.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeeWJCwOmp
Caius nodded. Glancing behind him, his eyes widened and his pace increased.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHpM0vEVmr
“We shall have to run if we are to dodge this.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk6KPGWqpm
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7:50AM973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxB8eIgzDUU
Ariadne sat in Livia’s cellar. Her father had been carried down the steps by some slaves - his drunkenness had made him difficult to wake. Her mother sat next to him, holding tightly onto his hand, despite the fact that his was not holding onto hers.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZOKInHNUR
Maxentius sat next to Ariadne, his arm around her shoulders.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXc3l8dm9E9
Above them, they could hear the heavy sounds of footfall as all classes of citizen hurried past on the ground above. The windows at the top of the cellar sat level with the ground, and Maxentius had closed them in order to stop debris finding its way inside. It was becoming hot in the cellar, but outside it had fallen quiet.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaemRpai9D
“Why has it stopped?” Ariadne whispered. Maxentius shrugged.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2btp5dJOU
“Perhaps it is over.” He said quietly. “I told you we would survive this. I told you I would protect you.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLMLq6H3ZL
“You did.” Ariadne said, burying her head into his shoulder.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaQiG5LAu1
“We shall leave for Rome as soon as we know for sure it is safe.” He said. She nodded in agreement.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRgIcE59jm
Outside, it seemed that all footfalls had fallen silent. Not a soul was to be heard. The temperature was rising.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirwulyldfT
And then, as though all of Hell was breaking loose, the glass in the windows shattered and into the cellar swept an almighty gust of wind, noise, heat, rock and ash. The noise of it was deafening; the heat unbearable. Ariadne clinged tightly to Maxentius and closed her eyes. One hand rested on her stomach, trying feebly to protect the child she was carrying. Maxentius' arms encircled her and for half a moment she believed it would pass.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOxDbi41WH
And then it was over.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYqUqDRjJf
It was silent again. The dust and ash stopped; the rocks stopped falling. It was over within seconds. The current moved on, leaving only corpses behind in Livia’s cellar.
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7:55AM
Her feet pounded the pavement as she ran. Her legs had never moved so fast and her hand stayed tightly in Marcus’ grip. He pulled her along and she knew that if he were to let her go, she would falter and fall back into a pace that she could manage. But a pace she could manage would not keep her alive; a pace she could manage would get her engulfed by the cloud that seemed to move even faster as the death toll climbed higher.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZduW7J8Mh
“I cannot breathe, Marcus!” She protested. Her lungs that were aching before now screamed in protest. Her vision was shifting, and each breath she took delivered a fresh influx of soot and ash into her chest.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LSFfBKLp2
“We need to keep going!” He shouted. Above the noise it was difficult to discern the words they spoke to one another.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7zh9uphYy
The cloud of debris kept moving forward, and with it came a gust of wind akin to a hurricane. The wind rattled in their ears and combined with the sound of shouts and cries, it was nearing impossible to hear. Children stood in doorways, wailing desperately for their mothers. Livia looked backwards at them, feeling her heart tear into pieces as she saw them. A small girl stood crying by the side of the road, the fear in her eyes enough to make Livia pull her hand free of Marcus and stop beside the girl. Marcus whirled around and placed his hands on Livia’s shoulders. His forehead rested upon hers.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioUQGbXCmJ
“We cannot stop Livia.” He said sternly. He looked into her eyes and saw the words of protest rise to her lips. “Livia. We. Cannot. Stop.” Tears fell down Livia’s cheeks, and then Caius, in one fell swoop, picked the child up into his arms.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB3V7UiePo
“Go! Now!” He said, setting off again at a run. Marcus did not question the actions of his friend, and instead took Livia’s hand again and followed Caius, running down the streets coated with a thick layer of ash.
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8AM973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd1GKNgtke
The world had now turned completely black. The shafts of sunlight that had fought their way through before were now finding it impossible to push through the dense cloud that had descended. The cloud moved closer. As they reached the gates to the city, they found that it was almost empty; everyone else had decided to try their luck at the harbour. Caius still held the child he had picked up on the road, and Marcus still gripped Livia’s hand as tightly as he would grip a rope when dangling over a precipice.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHPu9yLeyc
“Stop.” Livia said, letting go of Marcus’ hand once again. “Stop.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLzUYa4O20
“We cannot stop now!” Marcus said incredulously.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHnln4jrq4
“We cannot outrun it Marcus! We shall die running!”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCJPNDPbGF
“We shall die on our knees if we stay here!”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOo4VEJOqze
Livia was breathing hard, trying desperately to catch her breath. Caius had stopped too.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMEZYLIj61
“She is right Marcus. We have no chance.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlEM0WAJEc
Marcus looked at the darkness that was nearing them. It was only meters away. He could almost feel the heat.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUWjWNgtmT
“Gladiator!” A man called from beside the gates. He was old and withered, but in his eyes he harboured an air of kindness and generosity. In his hand his held the reigns of a pony. “Can she ride?”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuG7xYl5VBd
Marcus glanced at Livia. “Yes, she can ride.” He replied. The old man shook his head.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXYU18s18b
“Not her. The girl.” He said, pointing at the young child in Caius’ arms.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62w35jA7LL
“Can you ride?” Caius asked. She nodded.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKayMFC6m6o
The man approached her and handed her the reigns. “Ride, child. Ride for Rome and tell the emperor what has occurred here.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGNDk9dJ3n
The child looked up at the old man with wide eyes. She looked at Caius for approval. Caius nodded and placed her on the pony. The animal was small and could probably hold no more than what the child weighed, but it would suffice. Caius smiled at her.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix4siY7WOq
“My name is Caius, by the way.” He said with a soft smile. “I want you to ride as fast as you can, do you hear me? Ride as fast as you possibly can and get as far away from here as possible and do not stop until you are out from beneath this cloud and you can feel sunlight on your face.” He said kindly. The child nodded numbly; she had lost her mother and had found Caius. Her entire world had been saved by Caius, and though he had held her in his arms only a mere five minutes, Marcus could see the bond he had formed with the child.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ239f31592F
“Run.” He said. The girl clapped her heels on either side of the pony. It set off at a gallop and carried her out of the city walls and up the hills to safety.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4PbBT7bLA
“What do we do now?” Livia asked.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVU0Lkh5cYh
Marcus looked at the cloud that was approaching fast and took her into his arms.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiJ5uG0CwY
“Close your eyes.” He said softly. She did as he said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pushing her face into his chest.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMNK45UoE0
Caius fell to his knees.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ467d49CgRo
“I was supposed to die in the arena.” He said bitterly.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZF9UpIFMS
“The whole world is an arena Caius.” Marcus replied. “All of us live inside the Gods' own personal arena.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpfvIKKlm6
Caius managed a small laugh.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIBsBjIO4G
“How poetic of you, Roman.” A tear fell from his eyes and he began to cough as the dust entered his lungs. “I thought I would die fighting a Roman, not alongside one.”973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl85jA4FSsg
Marcus laughed.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWz078DpMD
“I would die by no one else’s side other than yours, my friend.” He said softly. Caius looked at him earnestly, before turning away and bowing his head.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr0JuqryFA
“Marcus,” Livia said. “I know we are to die, and I know that perhaps it is the circumstances that entice me to say this, but-“973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JkbbmJt4t
“I love you.” Marcus interrupted. Livia smiled.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrARHFYiVy
“You stole the words from my mouth.” She said softly.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCGHkWzli0
Marcus looked at her sadly, and saw in her eyes the life that they could have had. If only he had never come to Pompeii, if only they had met under different circumstances, if only…973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CUFzOXou9
The temperature got hotter, and Livia had to fight the urge to run any further. Her legs were tired, her throat was sore and it hurt to breathe.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqO0hk5q6V
Opening her eyes for the briefest second, she saw the darkness consume them. She shut her eyes tightly as the heat engulfed them and the world fell away. She tightened her grip around Marcus’ neck as the debris began to gather around them. Falling to her knees, Marcus followed her down, refusing to relinquish his grip on her. Closing his eyes tightly, and unable to even lift his head, he cradled her body as the current took the last few pieces of strength he had left.
And then it moved on. The cloud had passed, and behind it was only bodies and ash. Not a single soul remained living in the city of Pompeii.
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9AM973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiqd59U6hz
The ash continued to fall, forming blankets on all those that appeared to be sleeping. The girl watched at the fires began to dwindle and the ash began to settle. She remembered what Caius had told her. To ride until she felt the sun on her cheeks, to ride to Rome and to ride as quickly as possible.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPYIvmc81M
She turned her pony around. She shed tears for the family she had lost and for all those that had lost their lives in the city. She knew as she beheld it before her, a smoking and crumbling counterfeit of the magnificent city of Pompeii, that no life remained. She looked no longer upon the city of the dead, and instead turned her gaze forward. Sunlight still shone. The sky was still blue. It was not the world that had ended. Only Pompeii.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ydrkjzliR
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SNmiVQtTx
The bodies that were recovered were found intact and uninjured. More like sleep than death. Most remained buried and crushed beneath the weight of layers and layers of ash. I could boast that not a groan or cry of fear escaped me during these perils, but I admit that even I believed that the whole world was dying with me, and I with it.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbNpHsjlfN
And so ends our tale of Pompeii. A tale of destruction and despair that will strike fear and sadness into the hearts of many for years to come.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKYrOmQoGO
And thus I take my leave of you.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3O6KV5CN0
- Pliny the Younger973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ThYccSPhx
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Authors Note: The ending is a slightly modified excerpt from a letter by Pliny the Younger explaining the tragedy of Pompeii. I received a review a while back stating that the first person narrative at the start of the very first chapter was confusing - I'm not sure how well this comes across, but I was aiming for Pliny to be the storyteller. His letter and introduction is supposed to frame either side of the narrative. He both begins and ends the story, and as an eyewitness to the events (he was across the bay in Naples when it occurred) i thought it was fitting to include him in here somewhere.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAOvl0o22D
Anyway, this brings an end to the story and I would like to thank those of you that have stuck with it the whole way through. I wouldn't have any motivation to write at all if it wasn't for you, so thank you.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx3dFp391W
