7:35AM970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTst2UGmYP
Marcus awoke suddenly. The sky was still dark.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnxWCc65lF
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oGM5KQRCI
“It cannot be morning yet. It is still dark.” Marcus said drearily.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSabpKvYVw
“The sun has risen, brother.” Caius replied darkly. “The ash cloud that had begun to shift has returned. Thicker, this time.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmizfsmon6b
“The mountain has stopped its rumbling Caius. The god’s are appeased.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9tRZrlR10
Caius snorted.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLcmFSHFip
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgRMmWJnbk
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgol87Rp90
“We shall leave the city at once.” He announced. Caius nodded in agreement.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeCGcl1Sl7
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5D6ScwTbj
“Where is your gladiator?” Maxentius demanded.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaV5tlAZr8V
“He shall be here presently, I would imagine.” Livia replied curtly, fighting the urge to insist that he was not her gladiator.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFshrkvBCN
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡky2hpvnsdd
“Get outside!” Livia demanded. Maxentius paused.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYVwWODIn3
“Surely we should be safer inside?! We should not go out there into it! It would kill us all!”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kUxdpCS99
“It will destroy the house. We will be safer in the hills, far away from here.” Livia insisted.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx3w7x8LdV
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkq7HkaqnTl
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5G0BRRrVA
“Walls shall not be enough.” She said softly.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuc1CxQvHcD
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tzPcR9gMo
“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?”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2zUpKH0VP
“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?”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY07swcDZS
Livia nodded.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEVEaIOuTZ
“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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7:45AM970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1TCgKkiW4
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoZFK0gVM7
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdG7EQRQp6J
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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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgj6wZqYqnv
“I was coming to get you. We need to leave.” He said into her ear.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaEbjxqaVo
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTdIzSASce
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pTKygK4ZY
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB9uiKu6g1
“One would think the sun had forgotten to rise today.” Livia said lightly.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw6fodotVd
“The sun has forsaken us.” Caius replied darkly. Marcus glanced sharply at his fellow gladiator.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMUjfGIYzy
“There is no need for dark omens, Caius.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCpjwiXcll
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPT1jEQNAx
Marcus stopped.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjTULIjozP
“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!”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfpzarXbQx
Caius remained silent.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2apBzEGJQ
“I apologise, brother.” He said softly. “My tongue consults not with brain in times of panic. I do not think before I speak.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21rFY4y0oL
Marcus clapped his friend on the shoulder.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG00LZRHFHp
“You are forgiven. Now, shall we stop stalling and continue?”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4J37FUAvwB
Livia, watching the encounter unfold before her eyes, was at once confused by the temperament of men. Shaking her head, she moved past them.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9zew7f3we
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClc4rcoxi9
Caius nodded. Glancing behind him, his eyes widened and his pace increased.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlxozYwa0x
“We shall have to run if we are to dodge this.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5S4fuSI4vd
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7:50AM970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhswEMfYRGb
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWJPrgtEOa
Maxentius sat next to Ariadne, his arm around her shoulders.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbvbedEVGy
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcZXWmWQMi
“Why has it stopped?” Ariadne whispered. Maxentius shrugged.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAq2xpteljy
“Perhaps it is over.” He said quietly. “I told you we would survive this. I told you I would protect you.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLGGnzzPpy
“You did.” Ariadne said, burying her head into his shoulder.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXQ8yxGs0U
“We shall leave for Rome as soon as we know for sure it is safe.” He said. She nodded in agreement.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YNPkkwzRj
Outside, it seemed that all footfalls had fallen silent. Not a soul was to be heard. The temperature was rising.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LFOiiUAyq
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxnkQY6kLi
And then it was over.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2jxWSDYeR
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8ZgdLfHfF
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgawUF2PVPU
“We need to keep going!” He shouted. Above the noise it was difficult to discern the words they spoke to one another.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTF3gfYOB9
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgt58HLg0I
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZR6iXP5r43
“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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8AM970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtthT8SBnY
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIu0fPvvIG
“Stop.” Livia said, letting go of Marcus’ hand once again. “Stop.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tzDbsTBx6
“We cannot stop now!” Marcus said incredulously.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyR5cSqaJZ
“We cannot outrun it Marcus! We shall die running!”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNzTi3Yplv
“We shall die on our knees if we stay here!”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbCwNYVGvv
Livia was breathing hard, trying desperately to catch her breath. Caius had stopped too.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iaf3Ppbmz
“She is right Marcus. We have no chance.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCxZTxWNw1
Marcus looked at the darkness that was nearing them. It was only meters away. He could almost feel the heat.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtXl7DsBi7
“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?”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPvfcGaN7Y
Marcus glanced at Livia. “Yes, she can ride.” He replied. The old man shook his head.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35ZWXVRJpb
“Not her. The girl.” He said, pointing at the young child in Caius’ arms.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBq4YbEFT2y
“Can you ride?” Caius asked. She nodded.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4oBDrkHDC
The man approached her and handed her the reigns. “Ride, child. Ride for Rome and tell the emperor what has occurred here.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJeKrdEVxi
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqIGNIGVOt
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqSmF0nVDo
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9zDzM7cjq
“What do we do now?” Livia asked.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhz7u9ASAu
Marcus looked at the cloud that was approaching fast and took her into his arms.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdYpv0vWeF
“Close your eyes.” He said softly. She did as he said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pushing her face into his chest.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZqJur5Ivu
Caius fell to his knees.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi7suot6Kv
“I was supposed to die in the arena.” He said bitterly.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQ6Yjprzad
“The whole world is an arena Caius.” Marcus replied. “All of us live inside the Gods' own personal arena.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUwYvrTGoG
Caius managed a small laugh.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbIHdYDw6O
“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.”970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOxye0AuVK
Marcus laughed.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWLU3HIGF0
“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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ936JYz9i6W
“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-“970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxWBpLUmKG
“I love you.” Marcus interrupted. Livia smiled.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mOH215uKg
“You stole the words from my mouth.” She said softly.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCLsPThpA6
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…970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVk192TPDE
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpveFJeuU6W
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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9AM970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6O5sXtTx3T
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQJtyMuDmZ
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5QfIGYMCG
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGc3XP8MI7g
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldAiUrobgq
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHxJyCtR4E
And thus I take my leave of you.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtELC7BuiJd
- Pliny the Younger970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURoULyDF9E
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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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWmCV0M5Ct
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.970Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISBU7zY7R6
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