EPILOGUE:
The clouds coming out the top of the mountain intrigued our city, we were fascinated by the thick grey stone pine shape spewing from the top of Mount Vesuvius and into the sky. We were used to the earth shaking but what happened today was something different, a short while after lunch when I was out watching my sister play in the streets there was an explosion in the distance and dusty debris started climbing out the top of the mountain, as the day continued more and more cloudy smoke released into the sky, it was beautifully captivating against the sinking sun and is the primary conversation in Pompeii, mostly in awe or fascination but if it is coming from my friend Cosmas it is spoken about in fear.
“Gasparo!” I turn at the frantic calling of my name, “Please Gasparo! You must listen if we leave now we might get out in time, it’s not good, trust me we are in danger we must leave!”
“Cosmas, what is dangerous about grey clouds floating into the sky? We are fine we don’t need to leave our home.” I assured him.
“If we don’t leave this won’t be our home it will be our graves! Get you family, your mother, father and Febe, if we hurry they will live.” Cosmas continued, not that it was helping persuade me at all, there is no way clouds will kill us.
He grasped some material on my tunic pulling me towards him, he narrowed his eyes sending a poisonous glare, “When the worst has happened and all you love are lost don’t say I didn’t warn you Gasparo,” his voice was warning and frighting and coming from Cosmas, who was very tall and broad for a young man of sixteen, did send a slight jolt of panic and uneasiness through my body, although the fear was instantly disbanded when a soft humming was heard in the distance, my attention had shifted from Cosmas’ lethal glare and the only thing from there I noticed was the small figure moving in the distance. Even from here I could tell her dark hair was braided and her tunic draped over one shoulder, although she was too far away to see I could imagine the way her lips were slightly pouted as she hummed that song she always does and how her eyelashes would flutter, she was mesmerizing and just looking at her made me wish I could just go up and touch her to see if her skin was as soft as it looked, I could never tell with the slight arm brushes that had happened on the odd occasion, the texture of her skin was always overpowered with the warmth that took over my body when she was around.
“Octavia is very beautiful isn’t she? Say goodbye while you still can, you will believe me soon friend, I assure you.” I was shoved away as Cosmas released my clothing.
“Cosmas, you are a skilled person and can do a lot of things, but predict the future and make me believe that a simple smoke cloud can kill us is something you cannot do.” I guaranteed.
“I cannot predict the future, nor do I try believe I can, what I can do is recall screams of terror as a simple smoke cloud turned into something worse. When do you see smoke Gasparo?” he queried.
“It comes out of the fire or the kettle when it’s boiling, or hot food,” I started naming the things that I saw smoke come from although I was not so sure why I was doing it.
“Okay that’s not all smoke but we will work with it,” Cosmas started, “Now what do all those things have in common?”
“They’re hot” I answered although it sounded more like a question.
“Good, and do you see how much smoke is coming out of that mountain Gasparo?” he pointed towards Vesuvius his hand was shaking and his face showed a mixture of anger, fear and sadness.
“A hell of a lot.” I said ignoring the seriousness his voice and actions held.
“Hmm funny is it? How hot do you think the inside of that mountain is? If all that smoke is coming out of the mountain what do you think will happen to all the heat?” he rambled. I looked at him sick of his quest to make me believe how evil the smoke is.
