A Day In Pompeii

When the festivities of Vulcanalia ended on the night of 23rd August, the people of Pompeii slept with a sense of safety and security, not being acknowledged for the imminent destruction. 

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The day was August 24, AD 79. Mt Vesuvius rumbled inside as the pressure within its stony walls ignited a rage. Though by the mercy of the supreme lord Vulcan, the fire was unable to smelt down and urge the rocks to do their bidding. On the other hand, a few miles away from the silent killer, in the town of Pompeii, people rose up and commenced their routines. 

The sun's rays penetrate through the sheets of clear clouds as the breeze scurried along the strong stream of air current. The air current travelled until it was obstructed by a large conical landmass. Hot wafts escaped out from its mouth in the cool atmosphere until their anger was subdued. Popularly christened Mount Vesuvius, it overlooked the small town and settlement, near it, towards the tranquil shore with uncertainty whose boundaries were unknown. While the mountain designed its atmosphere into a fuzzy mass, the city of Pompeii erupted with happiness that overshadowed the upcoming destruction...

The prior festivities of Vulcanalia instilled in the people a sense of security and joyousness as they awoke with a pristine mindset. Such was the morning of an adolescent, busy with her diary early in the morning writing on her desk. The sun's light fled into her room through the open balcony, enriching the yellow-coloured walls with a glow that even reflected off her satin bed sheets. In her white roman toga, she kept writing with a smile moulding on her face as she reminisce the previous day.

Dear Diary, I forgot to mention last night's event...

Her diary recited the tales of the numerous offers made to the Roman god Vulcan before the astrologers announced that midnight had loomed over. Her train of deep thoughts was interrupted by the sound of her ink bottle dropping off her desk and painting black blotchy patches on the once-cleaned wooden flooring. She was bewildered for she had kept the bottle away from the table's edge. The candle stands relieved their strain as it fell upon the diary with a loud thud. Turning around, Lucia glanced in horror and despair to see her only log to be veiled with an orange-yellow flame only to be charred into a black mass. The door to her room was flown open as a boy and girl of around fifteen entered the room upon hearing the clamour. 

"Mea Domina (my lady), you okay?" the boy, commonly addressed as Paulo said in broken ancient Latin. His toga was messed up as lines of worry etched upon his forehead. Paulo, a handsome chap, looked quite older than other adolescents of his age for his hands and arms were wrinkled due to the aftermath of incessant work. The girl, Ariana, gasped at the mess but stayed still in her place. She was quite the stereotypical lady-- perfect demeanour, perfect elegance and an attractive olive face. The only drawback was that she was not a member of the upper higher class who manipulated the governance. "Paulo, Ariana...I am unharmed." Lucia replied, crouching down to the ink blackness upon the floor. As Lucia's fingertips touched the sharp edge of the shattered glass bottle, the earth rumbled like a gigantic starving stomach. The shaking became more lucid as Paulo rushed out to the open balcony from where the sight of mob people fleeing outside presented itself. 

He turned around to see Ariana sheltering Lucia, her long silk toga completely covering Lucia's pale skin. The vibrations were incessant and but they feared not the earthquake for it had been occurring for four days. Footsteps traced towards the door as a stout and fairly handsome man in armour stood at the threshold. "Mea Domina, are you alright? We need to evacuate right now. This earthquake is unlike any we have experienced till now" He said in a heavily accented voice as sweat rolled down his olive-skinned forehead. Underneath his shining Helm, his brown hair was completely hidden from the human eye. "Arulos, what's happening?" Lucia said, her tone laced with uncertainty as she stood up alongside Ariana. "Paulo, we need to flee-" Ariana said but the sharp and distorted choppy sound of something collapsing made her turn around immediately as anxiety overpowered her senses.

The balcony, which had no support underneath, had collapsed and at its position was a veil of dust which enabled the human eye to see on the other side. Lucia covered her mouth and nose as the dust particles scurried into the room but Ariana didn't budge. She gasped in horror at the sight; at the sound of Paulo's scream before gravity plunged him down alongside the shattered balcony. "Listen, girl, you scurry now with us or you die," Arulos said. Ariana didn't move for his broken Latin reminded her a lot of the one who had just plunged to death. Arulos waited two seconds before dragging Lucia with him. "Arulos wait, I can't leave Ariana there. She'll die," Lucia said, struggling to free herself from his stronghold. She caught a glimpse of Ariana standing in the room as white light masked her body's colours only into a black silhouette. "Mea Domina, I have been given orders to bring you out safe by my master and I shall not disobey him in the pursuit of a mere helping girl," Arulos said as they descended down the stairs. With Arulos' agility, there were out in less than ten seconds. Once they were out, Lucia saw her family; they just stood there without greeting her, without asking if she was fine. A wooden canopy was stretched above their bodies as their expressions of apathy really bewildered Lucia.

Lucia's grandfather, Jeffre Benedictus, was a man of high honour as well as the head of the family. All the important decisions were made by him. He was still active despite being 60. People called him, 'Old Lord Benedictus'. Benedictus meant well-spoken and blessed in Latin and it was definitely a true clause. Having an old mindset was his only drawback. Lucia's grandmother, Silona Benedicta, was regarded as the nominal second head of the family but she had no definite powers. She was a graceful lady of 58 who was well-spoken but never got the right to showcase her talents. The grand couple were tied up in contractual marriage and there was usually no liveliness in their marriage.

Her father, Felix Benedictus, was a fearful man, skilled in the prestigious 'Art Of War' which was handed down from generation to generation. His prowess in warfare was well-known to even the neighbouring cities of Pompeii. Her mother, Aurora Benedicta, was a woman of her word and was a courageous woman with a strong character. The couple was referred to as 'Lord Benedictus and Lady Benedicta'. 

Her brothers, Marquias and Titus, of age 21 and 19 were brave men enriched with the Art Of War, ready to enter the battlefield anytime whereas her sister, Calesa Benedicta, of age 17 was a courageous woman, inspired by her mother's demeanour, was a proud and haughty women but Lucia, of the age of 15, didn't have the characteristics of a warrior. She didn't know how to handle the deadly weapons coated with an invisible bloodlust.

"Your role is to act pretty and bring honour to the family as a lady can." Old Lady Benedicta, Silona urged her. 

"Calesa is already a rebellious lady like me but you have to pave your own path, Lucia." Lady Benedicta, Aurora ordered her. 

Lucia was neither good at being a typical woman nor had prowess in manly activities. Thus, she was mostly overlooked by her family.

Lucia couldn't reciprocate her family's emotions for she had just lost two of her close friend in a disastrous tragedy. She faced the paved road, unable to witness the sight of their collapsing house of theirs. The breaking of bricks and other such muddled noises tortured her until they ceased in a matter of a minute or two. In the distance, a boy ran around the broken city, announcing that King Titus has instructed all house lords to assemble in the gladiator stadium.

"Search the ruins for any casualties and send them back to their guardians," Old Lord Benedictus said as he and Felix Benedictus marched alongside other guardians towards the magnificent monument that withstood the harsh earthquake. 

An hour passed as Lucia stood underneath a shaded tree watching the rescue members lift up the huge blocks of stone and toss them aside in hopes of catching a glimpse of her friends. She had lost hope but the cries of a worker stating that they had found something drew in her interest. In the hands of the worker was a shiny pendant, which reflected the sun's rays into her eyes, blinding her temporarily. She scurried towards the man, carefully observing the pendant only to burst into tears as a familiar memory replayed in her mind.

Fourteen-year-old Lucia was hiding behind a wall when she heard voices beyond the high-open window. The room was well-lit as the nearby river's soft song added a romantic touch to the environment. Lucia had plotted to lock Paulo and Ariana in a room alone, after catching them throwing small glimpses at each other. After a long and mocking period of silence, Ariana initiated a small conversation which eventually lead to a confession. 

"Paulo, you are such a hard-working and caring person. You have always put others before yourself. Your laughter after helping someone, your smile and your personality have attracted me. I- I think I like you more than a colleague..." Ariana said as she bowed before Paulo according to Roman traditions. 

"Ariana, you are the most wonderful woman I have ever seen or will ever see in my life. Your elegance and your bold and courageous nature have always charmed me. I do not like you but rather I know that I- I love you..." Paulo caressed Ariana's hand with his thumbs. 

"I would appreciate it if you wore my mother's pendant. It's a tradition in our family to pass it down from one daughter-in-law to another ." Paulo said as a pendant dangled from his closed fist. The pendant was neither large nor too ostentatious. It was a small four-leaved clover pendant- One leaf was convex, gold-platted, and lustrous for it symbolized love in its purest form; the Second leaf was studded with small diamonds which represented serendipity and luck; The remaining two were studded with large jade shaped leaves which emphasized on the inter-connected relationship between faith and hope. "Please, never bow to me. But I'll always bow to you, Mea Domina. (My Lady)"