24th August, 12:30PM986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpzE7EGLmP
Marcus had made his decision. He was leaving with Caius, but he was determined to bring Livia with him. Although he was more than certain that she would deny his offer, he had to at least try. With Caius’ help, he had left the garrison unseen through a back door, swearing to be back before meal time. Caius had patted his friend on the shoulder and bid him hurry. Marcus nodded and left, without so much as a goodbye.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhNqRBFFVz
He reached Livia’s house - The largest house in Pompeii, that stood on a tall hill overlooking part of the city. He climbed the stone steps and paused to lean on one of the large columns beside the door. He contemplated knocking, and then stopped himself. He was being foolish. Under no circumstances would any of the servants inside let him in, especially not to see the only unmarried woman in the house. It was bad enough that she regularly left the house without male accompaniment - to have a gladiator knocking at her door would almost surely get the whole city talking. Livia would be a hussy and a harlot. Marcus shook his head, descended the steps and went around to the back of the house instead. Through a gap in the garden wall, he could see her sitting on a stone bench, basking in the midday sun.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6xLaxao3Z
“Livia,” He whispered loud enough so that she could hear him. Her head whipped around, smiling a little when she saw through the bricks an eye that she found familiar. She moved to the bench closer to the wall, where she could whisper and be out of hearing distance of the house.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXgZvEFZkX
“Marcus, what are you doing? It’s the middle of the day!” She said, her head held downwards as to hide the movements of her lips from anyone looking at her from the house.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgElNRtTeK
“Caius is leaving and I’m going with him.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjqJ5XRK2i
“Is everyone to leave Pompeii today?!” She asked incredulously. Marcus was about to ask the meaning behind her statement, but thought the better of it. Time was of the essence.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sLuCahtJC
“Come with me.” He said bluntly. Livia laughed.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ476DmnEhPR
“Come with you?! And how would I manage that?”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcOCp43GII
“You said you had been away before you returned to Pompeii last week. You said you had stayed with family in the North - go to them now. Return to them, and wherever you go I will follow.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgiqkPylWy
“I cannot just leave Marcus. It wouldn’t be right nor proper.” She said with a shrug. “Perhaps if you left and I sent word to you in a few months when I would be able to visit my relatives in the North again.” She suggested.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLsNNtwAKR
Marcus bit his lip. Caius’ uneasiness had spread to his own mind, and his thoughts were unsteady. He no longer liked the thought of Livia remaining in Pompeii and as the moments dragged on, he began to realise that he did not like the thought of himself remaining in Pompeii for much longer either. He began to grow impatient. A queasiness was growing in his gut, and the heat of the midday sun was making him sweat. He was about to answer, when the mountain interrupted.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s6p1wRIv1
At first it rumbled. The noise was louder than anything it had produced over the past few days, and rocks were sent hurtling down its surface. Livia looked up at the mountain in fear. Marcus rested his head on the brick wall in front of him.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsstb9JZ69K
“It is just an earthquake, it will all be fine!” Livia said, although her tone indicated that she herself did not believe her statement. Her father was at once calling her from the top of the garden. He was demanding that she get inside the house immediately. She rose from the bench but stopped a moment to linger her gaze on the eye that looked through the gap in the brick work.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa41cZSYSn
As smoke began to rise from the crater of the mountain, her heart dropped to her feet. The mountain had rumbled many times throughout her life, but never had she seen a black cloud of smoke rising from it.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHP6xGzXsN
“The God’s are still angry! We did not do enough!” Her father lamented. He had fallen to his knees and was begging for forgiveness.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8Wiv81jwv
“Mighty Jupiter, forgive us for what we have done to so grievously offend you!” He wailed. Livia helped him to his feet and pulled him inside, giving Marcus one last glance before shutting the doors behind her.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfb8uDGrOZ
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Marcus set off at a run. The streets were crowded; people were looking up in awe and fear at the mountain and those that were not were putting all of their most valuable possessions in sacks and leaving. It took Marcus an extra half an hour to reach the garrison and by that time, the cloud had covered most of Pompeii. The sky went dark, almost as if nighttime had befallen them. Caius was waiting in the garrison.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4U5YDI1TyE
“We should have left this morning.” He said bitterly. Marcus placed a hand on his shoulder.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8swJRzpn1c
“It is a cloud, Caius. Nothing more. With a bit of wind it shall pass.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdiS6BYLCn
He tried to act nonchalant; he did not wish his friend to worry any more than he was already, although Marcus himself was terrified. True, it was only a cloud - but clouds were white, not black. Clouds did not come from mountains and they certainly did not block out the sun. Nothing of the sort had ever been heard of and as hard as he tried, Marcus could not contain his fear.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ504ZXrcEPW
The pair sat in silence until the heavy footfalls of gladiator feet made them stand. Through the window they glimpsed what had sent the bravest men in Pompeii running for shelter. Just as white clouds rain drops of water, this black cloud too was raining. Only it was not water falling from the sky, it was dark lumps of rock tinged red at the edges. A foul smell accompanied them, as well as a flurry of ash that had the appearance - but not the texture, temperature or temperament - of snow. Marcus could imagine the heat those rocks were harbouring and watched as the streets that before had been so full emptied quicker than he would ever have thought possible.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEYnlCQyvd
“Is this it?” Caius asked. “Is this the end of the world?”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEr6it3kxHn
Marcus had seen Caius kill men brutally in the arena without an inch of fear or guilt; he had seen him battle a fellow gladiator for the last bread roll at breakfast and then roar with laughter afterwards; he had seem him stand tall and fearless as other men trembled walking through the gates into the arena. Caius was the single bravest man Marcus had ever met - and he sat cowering in a corner, the level of his voice reduced to that of a child.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjzTNjNU1U
Caius feared nothing more than he feared the gods. He killed because it was what they wished of him; he risked his life on a regular basis because it is what appeased them. They had taken his parents and his home in the earthquake of 64AD, and now he feared they were about to take everything else from him. Yet beside his fear lay anger. He was angry that the gods had chosen to take their vengeance on him here and not in the arena. He bared his chest and handed them the weapon to kill him every time he walked through those arches, and yet he had survived every single fight, hardly ever even receiving wounds. He was to die in a corner, shaking, rather than standing tall in the arena.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCLu8lu5eq
“No, Caius. It is not the end of the world.” Marcus said softly. But perhaps it is the end of Pompeii he added softly in his head.
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Eventually the falling rocks and ash subsided, and Livia opened the windows of the dining room. Immediately she closed them again, for instead of fresh air welcoming her it was a heavy, dust filled air that was almost poisonous. She coughed to remove it from her lungs, and closed the slammed the shutters closed. Livia’s father sat with his head in his hands. He had reached the very depths of his despair and the comforting hand of his wife on his shoulder did nothing to ease his discontent.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBliIScVhM
“I warned them. I warned them all.” He repeated. He had said nothing else since the mountain first started spouting the black smoke.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3l2XigwBk0
“Perhaps we should leave Father.” Livia suggested. Her father raised his head. His hair lay haphazardly on his head and his eyes appeared nothing short of crazy.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw7DnhkZ1f
“We cannot. The Gods shall follow us. They will be angry with us wherever we go.” He muttered, lowering his head once more into his palms.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgS59MpZxQ
“I must see Ariadne.” Livia said immediately. Her father gave her a muffled reply from inside his hands, which sounded a lot like absolutely not. Her mother, however, nodded silently.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJLMLLn227
“Go.” She mouthed. Livia looked at her father cautiously.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63JHYlwYnp
“I’ll take care of him.” Aemilia whispered. Livia smiled tentatively and left the room silently.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJRUFMuP6a
Outside she found the streets were already busy of people doing the same as herself - visiting loved ones, making sure they had remained safe.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUiZFkX9Rw
The rumblings had made a mess of the roads. The cobbles lay all around the pavements and no shortage of statues had fallen from their pedestals.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL85q2L0eVX
Livia initially intended to visit Ariadne, but found her feet leading her to the garrison.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6sFqeuzrZ
Marcus, she saw, was sitting outside and surveying the devastation.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsKY0q2elN
“I’ll come with you.” She said without so much as a greeting. Marcus nodded, taking her into his arms.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRIp1X7Xz0
“We will leave at first light. I’ll come for you.” He said quietly. She nodded.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxBZ2n2H45
“And Caius? How is he?”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd1sdoyOO4
“Anxious.” Marcus said. He did not want to say more for fear of damaging Caius’ ego.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHomIXnvyi
“You must get back home, Livia. You cannot be outside, if it starts again-“ He began, but Livia cut him off.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl6d2T3oC0
“I am going to see Ariadne. I must make sure she is safe. Perhaps she will want to leave with us.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP8Hzdr2Pa
Marcus sighed and nodded.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQfoCTxW5i
“Then go, but hurry. I do not like the thought of you being outside.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhAqXUTxsq
She kissed him upon the cheek and smiled.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L8B6mSqDT
“I shall be safe, I promise.”986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSTaVsoXRt
Marcus nodded, watching as she walked away. He told himself that he would remember her promise, for she was sure to keep it. She would visit Ariadne and return home before nightfall. They would all leave together at the first light and leave the city of Pompeii behind them to whatever fate befell it. But most importantly, they would be safe. Yes, Marcus thought, we will be safe.986Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7qezeKcjB
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The gladiator could have no notion of just how catastrophically wrong he was about to be.
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