Life and Death

Life and Death
Marcus

I wake at dawn to the sounds of movement in the meadow—footsteps, arguments, children crying, and dogs barking. People are waking, packing, arguing over where they should go, and trying to figure out how to escape the mountain before it blows.

I shake Fiona gently. “Wake up. We have to move.”

She opens her eyes. “Is it already morning?”

“Yes, and I think the first thing we should do is find Decimus and his grandmother a way to Neapolis.”

The boy stirs, groggy, and rubs his eyes. “Neapolis?”

“Yes, Decimus. It’s the safest place for you right now. You stay here with your grandmother,” I say firmly. “Fiona and I will see what we can find.”

The little boy nods and stays put, his grandmother still asleep next to him. Fiona and Felix follow me as I push through the restless crowd, looking for the man with the wagon we borrowed last night. 

When I find him, he’s finishing tending his team of horses. His wife and three children sit in the wagon, ready to leave, and I give them a friendly wave.

“Do you remember me? From last night?” I ask.

“Of course I do,” he says, eyes twinkling. “You told everyone the world was about to be on fire… and then borrowed my wagon.”

I bite back a laugh at his blunt way with words. “Yes, that was me,” I say. “We were wondering if you’re heading to Neapolis?”

“We are,” he says, nodding. “If what you say is true, we’ll be safe there. And if you’re lying, we can always return once we know it’s safe.”

“You’re a sensible man,” I reply. “I assumed as much last night, and now I see it’s true. I have another favor to ask.”

He raises an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in his gaze. “Go on.”

“There’s a young boy whose only family is his grandmother. She can’t walk, but he cares for her. They need a ride to Neapolis. I borrowed your wagon to go back for her last night. I’ll pay whatever you ask if you’ll take them there for me.”

He glances at his wife and then back at me. “I’m going to Neapolis anyway. You don’t have to pay me. Bring me the boy and the woman,” he says, his sensible bluntness shining through again.

“Thank you. That’s very kind of you,” I reply. “I’ll return shortly.”

Fiona, Felix, and I make our way back to the treeline where we left Decimus and his grandmother. I crouch beside him. “There are kind people who’ve offered to give you a ride. And when I get to the city, I’ll find you, Decimus. Don’t worry—you’ll be safe.”

“Thank you, Dominus,” Decimus says softly. “You’ve been so kind to me.”

“Decimus, you helped save my brother. I’ll always take care of you,” I say.

He nods, brushing a tear from his cheek.

His grandmother stirs, looks at us, and says, “You are a good man, Dominus. The gods will bless you.”

“I’m glad I am able to help you,” I assure her. I lift her from the blankets. She holds onto my shoulder. “I’ve got you. You’re all right,” I murmur. The woman wraps her arms around my neck, letting me carry her more easily.

When we get back to the family with the wagon, I wait for Decimus to place some blankets down and then gently place the old woman in the wagon bed. The boy hops in beside her and introduces himself to the family. They all seem to take to him immediately, and I feel he’s in good hands.

Before leaving, I say, “I’m Marcus Valerius. When I arrive in Neapolis, I will find you and retrieve the boy and his grandmother. May I have your name?”

The man smiles, nodding once. “I’m Caius Septimius. Don’t worry, Valerius. They’ll be safe with us.”

I nod as the man climbs into the driver’s seat and pulls the wagon forward just as the sun rises fully. 

“Goodbye, Decimus! We’ll see you soon!” Fiona calls, and we both wave to the boy who frantically waves back. 

I turn to Fiona. “Can you believe we only have a few hours left?”

She shakes her head, looking up at the mountain. “Mere hours.”

“I think we should go back into the city one last time,” I say. “Urge anyone still there to leave.”

She takes my hand. “Agreed.”

We leave the meadow behind and follow the path toward the city, catching a ride with a man who is on his way to look for his brother. Smoke puffs from the slopes of Vesuvius, gray and heavy in the morning sky, and a tremor shudders through the ground beneath our feet. Ash drifts down in light, powdery flakes.

The closer we get to the city, the more people we see already moving out—families in wagons piled with belongings. 

“At least some of them are leaving,” Fiona says.

“That’s a good start.” I nod, feeling the air thicken with heat and a sulfur tang that makes our noses wrinkle.

From the forested hills above the city, a herd of deer bursts into motion, pounding down the slopes, eyes wide with terror. Felix growls softly and moves closer to me, tail stiff, ears forward. Normally, he would chase after them, barking and yipping with excitement. The fact that he isn’t tells me everything I need to know—something is very wrong.

“See that?” I say. “Even the animals know it isn’t safe.” 

Fiona nods. “We need to hurry.”

The man driving the carriage spurs the horses on faster.

When we reach the city, the streets are a blur of motion. People are moving quickly toward the gates, helping children and the elderly, holding what they can carry. Others carry on as if it’s any other morning, sweeping doorways, carrying baskets, opening shops—ignoring the ash in the air and the tremors underfoot. They aren’t alarmed. They seem to be refusing to acknowledge the danger.

“We need to reach those who won’t leave,” I say. “They don’t understand yet.”

We hop off the carriage and weave through the crowd until we reach a woman with a baby on her hip as she stoops to fill a clay jar at the fountain. Her other child tugs at her skirts, just as a tremor shakes the stone streets.

“Domina,” I say gently, “you need to leave. Now.”

She glances up at us, frowning. “Leave? I can’t just abandon my home. The children—”

Fiona steps closer. “We’ve seen the ash drifting down from the mountain. We’ve seen the deer fleeing the slopes. Vesuvius is going to erupt, and it will kill everyone in the city.” 

At that moment, a flock of birds bursts from the trees near the mountain, screeching as they wheel into the sky, fleeing as if they can sense the danger. The woman’s eyes widen with fear, following the birds, the color draining from her face. Her baby fusses on her hip. 

“Oh… oh no,” she whispers.

“Yes,” Fiona says firmly. “You need to get your family and go. Take what you can carry. Head to Neapolis as fast as you can.”

She nods. “All right… all right. Thank you.”

“Move quickly. Every second matters,” I add. 

We keep moving down the street, and the ash drifting thicker makes my eyes water. Felix stays close, low to the ground, sniffing, his back rigid.

Near the next fountain, we see a man sitting on the edge, looking hopeless, tears streaking his face. 

Fiona jogs over. “Dominus! What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

He shakes his head, trepidation clear. “I… I can’t leave. No one will help me.”

I walk over and crouch, glancing at his legs. “Can you walk?”

He shakes his head, voice trembling. “I’m paralyzed. I can’t leave by myself. Everyone else is going, and I’m stuck here.”

Fiona kneels beside him. “You’ll be all right. We’ll figure this out. We’ll find you a ride out of the city. Felix will stay right here and watch over you.”

I tell my dog to stay, and he obediently sits at the man’s feet, as if he understands that this is life or death.

Fiona and I step out into the street, searching for anyone heading to Neapolis. The first carriage we spot looks like it belongs to a wealthy household. I raise my hand and signal the driver to stop. “Excuse me,” I call, stepping forward, “are you traveling to Neapolis?”

The man pops his head out of the carriage window, and I move closer to speak with him. “Yes, we are,” he says. “After the mountain started rumbling and the animals went wild, we decided you were right—we should get out of here.”

“I need a favor,” I say, leaning closer. “There’s a man—he can’t walk on his own. He needs a ride out of the city. Can you take him with you?”

The man frowns and shakes his head. “No. We’re already crowded enough, and that’s asking too much. We can’t—”

“Are you serious?” I snap, exasperated.

Fiona steps forward, her eyes blazing. “Did you not hear the call at the festival? Do you not feel the eyes of the gods and goddesses on us now? Every priest, priestess, and every deity we honor—they demand we help those who can’t help themselves. This isn’t about fear or convenience. It’s about living or dying. You turn your back on him, and you turn your back on what we all swore to uphold.”

The woman leans out of the carriage window, startled, her frown softening. “We’ll help the man. Where is he?”

“There,” I say, pointing down the street. “We can lead you to him.”

Her husband nods reluctantly. “All right. We’ll help him. Let’s go.”

We lead the carriage back to the fountain. The man is sitting where we left him, his face lighting up the moment he sees us. “You came back,” he chokes out, his voice thick with emotion.

“Of course,” I say, kneeling to lift him off the ground as Fiona helps him from the other side. “We found someone who can take you to safety.”

We carry him to the wealthy man’s carriage and help him inside. 

Once he’s settled, the lame man smiles at us. “Thank you. Truly.”

“Be safe,” Fiona says, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Go quickly.”

The carriage pulls away, and I glance around. “Wait…” My stomach drops. “Where’s Felix?” 

“Felix?” Fiona yells, scanning the street. “He was right here a moment ago…”

Panic burns through me. “We can’t leave him behind!” 

“Of course we can’t leave him behind,” Fiona says, her voice frantic with worry.

I spin, running down the street, stopping to look in every alley that he could be hiding in. “Felix!” I roar, my voice cracking with desperation. “Come! Now!”

Fiona runs down the opposite side of the street, shouting, “Felix! Where are you?!”

I stop, whip around, and my eyes dart across the street. My heart aches. “Felix!” I whistle for him. “Felix!” I whistle again, louder this time. 

Every moment that passes, the city becomes more dangerous. It also feels impossibly large, every sound swallowed by the low rumble of the mountain, ash drifting over rooftops, coating everything in gray. My stomach turns over as I keep running between carts and barrels, scanning every corner. “Felix!”

Fiona runs over to me. “Has he ever done this before?” she asks. 

I shake my head, frustration and fear twisting together. “No—he’s never run away. He’s been with me since he was a puppy! He’s my best friend, Fiona… I can’t—”

A whimper and a short bark hit my ear from down the street. “Felix?” I call. 

Another bark, closer this time, louder and more urgent. I grab Fiona’s arm. “That must be him!”

We follow the sound, weaving between people and abandoned goods. He comes into view, crouched protectively next to a little girl, who can’t be more than five. 

“Felix!” I shout, rushing forward. The dog’s tail wags furiously as he looks up at me. Relief floods my chest. “Good boy! Who did you find?”

The little girl peers up at me, shaking and scared. “I got all turned around,” she says, her voice small and scared.

Fiona kneels, smiling at her. “Do you know where you live?”

“No,” the child whispers, looking down at her feet. “I can’t find my mama.” 

From somewhere behind us, a frightened voice yells. “Octavia! Where are you?!”

The girl’s eyes light up. “Mama!” she cries, running toward the woman as she barrels through the street. 

When she reaches her child, the woman scoops her up, hugging her tightly. “Oh, thank the gods, I found you!”

I look down at Felix. “You found Octavia, didn’t you?” I say, scratching him behind his ears. Felix yips, nudging me with his nose.

Fiona pets him, too. “Good dog, Felix. You’re always looking out for others.”

I squeeze Felix tight, my heart still pounding. “I thought I’d lost you for a second.”

“Thank you for finding her,” the woman says as she runs back out into the street with her little girl in her arms. 

“Stay safe! Leave the city!” I yell after them. 

I look up at Vesuvius as it rumbles again, and then turn to Fiona. “Let’s get out of here.”