Warning

Warning
Fiona

Back at the festival, Marcus and I watch the last performances of the night take the stage. Felix sits between us, resting his head in my lap. People from the neighboring villages have arrived, and most of those who live in Pompeii are here, too. There are thousands in the audience, which means the first part of our plan worked. We got nearly everyone to come to the celebration where Marcus will soon make his announcement.

“Do you know what you’re going to say when you get up there?” I ask. “Have you thought about how they might react?”

“I’ve thought about it quite a bit,” he says. “And yet, I still don’t have any idea of how this will go. I’m… nervous.” 

“Don’t be nervous,” I say. “You’re going to save many lives, and whatever happens, you’re not alone.”

He smiles at me, and I squeeze his arm. The music winds to its final note, and applause rolls through the meadow. Marcus crouches beside Felix and ruffles his ears. “Stay with Fiona,” he says quietly. The dog obeys, nuzzling my hand, his tail thumping the ground. 

Then Marcus straightens, takes a deep breath, and steps toward the stage. I watch him go, a knot of anxiety and awe twisting in my chest. He’s so incredibly brave; I don’t know that I could do what he’s about to do.

Marcus steps onto the stage and raises his voice. “I need to make an announcement, and I need everyone to hear me. If you can hear me—pass this message backward to those who can’t hear my voice.”

A ripple of attention moves through the crowd. People get quiet, lean forward, and rise to see and hear him clearly.

He swallows, glances over the thousands of faces before him, then continues. “At midday tomorrow, something terrible will happen. As I share this miserable fate, I need you all to remain calm.”

The murmurs start low at first, questions floating up from the crowd. Heads turn, people exchange anxious glances, and some call out, asking for clarity. 

Marcus holds up a hand to quiet them. “Listen carefully. Do not go home tonight! Stay here, or make your way to Neapolis. Your cities will not survive until tomorrow night.”

The questions grow louder, and more urgent. People are pointing, calling to friends and family, trying to figure out what Marcus means. He raises his voice again. “Vesuvius is going to erupt! The mountain will turn to fire and ash, which will rain down over our villages! All of your cities will be destroyed, and everyone in them will die! Do not go back! Remain here or go to Neapolis.”

Panic licks through the crowd like the wave of ash that will descend in a few days. Shouts and cries break out across the meadow. Some push through the crowd, some freeze in shock, and others clutch their children. A few scream that he is a liar, that he should be punished for frightening them. 

I watch Marcus face the shouting, the accusations, and the fear spilling out in every direction. The crowd is anxious, angry, and desperate. I feel all of their emotions at once, and it’s overwhelming. Yet, I can’t just sit here while people risk going home.

Marcus continues to plead with the crowd as I stand, taking a shaky step forward, then another, climbing onto the stage beside him. My voice trembles at first. “Listen to me! He’s not lying! What he’s saying is true! I know this is hard to believe, but if you go home tonight, you won’t make it to tomorrow. Stay here, or make your way to Neapolis. Please, do not go back into your cities! Some of you have already felt the ground trembling these past few days. You know that is a sign from the gods.”

A few people call out, demanding proof, asking why they should trust me. 

“We sent word to all of your villages today inviting you here so that we could save you! We wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t an emergency! I can only tell you what I know. Vesuvius will erupt, and your cities will be covered in flames and ash. Everyone in them will die! You must not go home tonight. If you believe me, what have you got to lose? One night in a beautiful meadow? Why not believe me?”

Slowly, more people begin to listen. They stop shouting and look between Marcus and me, trying to understand. I realize the reason they’re listening to me must be my appearance. The fact that I’m different from them is causing them to be curious enough to hear me out.

A voice cuts through the chaos. “What about our animals? We can’t just leave them!”

“If you must return for your animals, do it now!” he shouts. “Then come back here to the meadow. Bring all of your animals, your elderly, your servants, and return here immediately. At midday tomorrow, your homes will be gone. Everyone in them will die!”

Tension crashes over the crowd. People shout to one another, debating whether to risk returning to their homes. Some push forward, trying to make the dangerous trip to gather family members and animals they left behind, before it’s too late.

When we step down from the stage, my body begins vibrating from the adrenaline. Felix waits for us at the edge of the stage, and I kneel to pet him, unsure whether I’m reassuring him or myself. 

“Do you think most of them listened to our warning?” I ask Marcus. 

“It’s difficult to tell. All we could do was give them the choice,” he replies. 

“We did the best we could,” I agree as he leads Felix and me to the treeline. 

The crowd thins as people rush back toward the cities, leaving gaps that make the meadow feel larger and emptier. Families who remain find places to rest, spreading blankets and huddling together. I watch them, silently praying that those who left did so to either head for Neapolis or to gather loved ones and return here to safety. I pray that they didn’t return home because they didn’t believe Marcus and me. Every figure disappearing into the dark makes my stomach churn with worry, and I can only hope everyone survives. 

Once we are in the trees, away from the disarray of the meadow, we find a patch of smooth ground where we can lie down. Felix curls up at our feet, and I stretch out next to Marcus. 

My eyelids are heavy, and I know that even with all that’s going on around us, I’ll be asleep within minutes. Just as I begin to fall asleep, I hear a child’s voice. “Dominus…”

We sit up instantly. Marcus speaks into the shadows. “Who is there?”

“Dominus, it is I, Decimus.” The boy steps closer, hesitating.

Marcus stands. “What is it? Are you hurt?”

Decimus swallows hard and glances down at the ground. “I’m not hurt. It’s my grandmother… she’s at home in the city, and I don’t know what to do.”

Marcus asks. “Do you have any way of getting her to safety?”

“No, Dominus. She’s very old and frail.” The boy begins to cry.

Marcus stands and puts his arms around Decimus. “Don’t worry,” he says in a gentle voice. “We’ll figure it out. Let’s go find someone with a carriage.”

I rise and follow Marcus and Decimus, Felix walking next to me. We move through the meadow, looking for anyone with a wagon or carriage. Marcus calls out to a man tending a wagon, “Excuse me, could I rent your wagon and team for a short trip? I’ll pay handsomely.”

The man shrugs. “I’ll lend it to you for free—if you bring it back before dawn.”

Marcus nods. “We’ll most definitely return it before dawn.” He reaches into his pouch anyway and drops a few coins into the man’s hand. “For your trouble.”

The man tucks the coins away, nods again, and steps aside. “Very well. Be quick.”

Marcus holds out his hand, and I climb into the driver’s seat, sliding over. Once I’m safely up, he swings himself onto the bench beside me. Decimus jumps into the bed of the wagon, and Felix following him. Marcus takes the reins, nudges the horses forward, and we start moving toward Pompeii. I lean back, fighting exhaustion and trying to stay awake as he drives.

Once we enter the streets of Pompeii, Marcus glances back at the boy. “Decimus, can you give me directions to your house?”

He nods, pointing down a nearby street. “First left here, then straight past the fountain. My house is the second one on the right, the one with the stone fence. Grandma will be inside.”

Marcus guides the wagon carefully, weaving between people rushing through the streets, carrying bundles, guiding animals, and calling out to one another. The noise of shouting, clattering carts, and footsteps fills the air. We push forward, following Decimus’s directions, until we reach the house with the stone fence just as he described. Marcus brings the horses to a stop.

Leaning over the side of the wagon, Marcus says, “Decimus, go inside and bring out as many blankets and pillows as you can find. Put them in the empty space in the bed of the wagon.” The man we borrowed the wagon from has entrusted us with many of his belongings, it seems. He must be one of the shop owners who brought his wares to sell.

Decimus nods and hurries toward the house.

Marcus slides down from the wagon. “Felix, stay,” he says, and the dog sits obediently by the wagon.

Marcus helps me down, and together, we follow Decimus into the house. He leads us to his grandmother’s bed. Marcus crouches beside her. “We need to get you out of the city,” he says. “There will be danger tomorrow. Decimus and I are here to take you somewhere safe.”

She looks at us, weak and confused. “Danger…?” she whispers.

“Yes,” I say gently, stepping closer. “We need to take you somewhere safe. You don’t have to walk. We’ll help you.”

She murmurs something I don’t quite catch and then lets out a shaky sigh. 

“Can I help you up?” Marcus asks. 

She nods weakly, and Marcus lifts her easily into his arms as Decimus and I gather pillows and blankets. We hurry out ahead of Marcus, tossing them into the bed of the wagon, creating a soft place for Marcus to lay the elderly woman. He lowers her gently onto the pile.

“Decimus, where is the rest of your family?” Marcus asks. 

“It’s just grandmother and me,” he replies, his voice weak. 

My heart aches for the child, and I can see in Marcus’s face that he, too, is touched by the fact that Decimus is not only raising himself but taking care of his grandmother alone. 

We load up, and Marcus drives the wagon back to the meadow. Once we reach the treeline, we move to the spot where we had planned to sleep and arrange the blankets and pillows on the ground. Marcus lifts the woman carefully and lays her onto the pile. Then Decimus lies down beside her, and Felix curls up on his other side. 

“I’ll return the wagon,” Marcus says. “I’ll be right back.”

I nod. “Be careful,” I tell him.

I lie down next to Felix and wait for Marcus to return. Decimus whispers, “Thank you for your help,” as he drifts off to sleep, and I reach over to brush his hair from his face. He deserves our help. His grandmother deserves our help. Everyone in the shadow of Vesuvius deserves to live. I just hope they listened, that they believe, and that tomorrow, they all make the right choice and flee before it’s too late.

Marcus returns quietly, lying down on the blankets beside me. He leans over and kisses my forehead. “Good night,” he murmurs.

“Good night,” I whisper back.

I feel him getting comfortable next to me, the protection of his presence calming, and before I even realize it, sleep takes me.