Six Hours of Rain [TRA2018]

Gods he loved her! Words could not express the feelings he felt even the very moment he first laid eyes on her. They say that Cupid’s arrow flies straight and true like Jupiter’s thunderbolt leaving you dumbstruck, not able to breath, and every waking thought devoted to your new object of desire. It was that feeling he felt and more, so much more. Courting was encouraged by both families. In the city, finding an apprenticeship was easy but finding one in a profession you would not even consider work was even more of a blessing. The marriage was a maelstrom and every Sabine touched flower wove a tapestry of colors. Red hollyhock swayed along the path, the verdant green ferns, the yellow and white chamomiles were opening for a busy day of marching to Sol Invictus’ orders (he did not believe his father that the plants followed the sun’s path during the day. One day, stricken with a fever, he watched the spring’s blossoms slowly turn to follow the path of the sun! It was in this fevered state that he was amazed by nature around him and helped decide his career path), even the purple hickory blossoms and lemon trees popped in a vibrancy that spring morning.

The feast! Figs, honey, walnuts, pine nuts, the festive salad, the first pressed olives (!! Did he ever thank his uncle for that?!), chick peas, warming lentil soup, somebody even brought them sea urchins! A cornucopia fit for a king. Strong wines from the north, the salty, earthy white wines from the south, there was even an Egyptian barley drink that looked pale yellow and watery but was deceptively strong. Songs and dancing, little children running around playing games, and by the gods he never loved her more.

Days passed by with the ups and downs of life. Neptune’s fury for some slight perceived. Meals, arguments, the making up, talk of children, and never during any of this did his love waiver. He knew she felt the same for him.

A town meeting happened early in the planting season after a savage earthquake. People were worried. Some wanted to move. Most wanted to stay in their houses and in their homeland; the land where they grew up; the land where they would raise their children. To leave would be akin to banishment. The majority agreed to stay. They would pray more and try to assuage Neptune’s fury. More prayers and laurels at the Lares shrines at the crossroads would protect them they argued. There were to be two city sanctioned sacrifices. The ground shook but not more than normal. Their prayers seemed to be answered as the mountain no longer glowed at night; the earthquakes also seemed to be less. Contentment eased everyone’s fears.

Two days ago, the earth began to move again. Many small shakes then it would quiet down. It had gone silent until today. The mountain began to glow red and the earth shook with a fury unknown. Grey ash fell in midday turning the day to night. People went indoors. Those that moved around wore sandals as the grey ash hurt to step on with bare feet.

The sun must have gone down. They could see the top of the mountain with streams of fire slowly making its way down towards the sea. They were so far away, unlike Herculaneum. She was unfazed by any of it. Her faith in the city was as unwavering as was his love for her. He loved her all the more. The earth shook with Neptune’s fury and hot rocks the size a child’s fist rained down. The men dowsed the roofs with water. Several fires broke out where those who lacked faith had abandoned their homes. They were put out if they were too close to other structures.

Continued...

He came into the bedroom to check on his lovely wife. She was sleeping!

Another quake was violent enough to rouse her from her sleep. “Mmmhh. Come to bed,” she said half awake.

“We should leave,” he said while standing next to her, waiting for the moment for her to understand the concern and worry in his voice.

She heard it and rolled over and sat up. “What is it?”

“This feels different. It is not normal. We should leave until the violence passes and Vesuvius settles down,” he said half to her and half to himself.

Something hit the roof and bounced off. Then another and then another. He looked towards the window and saw larger stones falling from the sky to land on the ground and smoke.

“I’m not leaving,” she said with a quiet determinism.

He turned to her. She never looked more beautiful. “Fine,” he slid into bed, “I love you.”

They slipped out of their clothes. Arousal had taken over while the rain of smoking rocks bounced off the roof. The air was getting hotter and more putrid with sulfur. He kept kissing her as they made love. The rain intensified, the air more difficult to breath. Still he kissed her and loved her like they had on their wedding day.

The rain became a deluge, a flood. There was screaming and yelling. The rain kept falling until there was no other sound except the rain itself.

-end-

Siouxsie & The Banshees – Cities in Dust



Water was running, children were running
You were running out of time
Under the mountain, a golden fountain
Were you praying at the Lares shrine?
But oh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, oh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend

We found you hiding, we found you lying
Choking on the dirt and sand
Your former glories and all the stories
Dragged and washed with eager hands

But oh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, oh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Your city lies in dust

Water was running, children were running
We found you hiding, we found you lying
Water was running, children were running
We found you hiding, we found you lying

Your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, oh, oh your city lies in dust, my friend

Hot and burning, in your nostrils
Pouring down your gaping mouth
Your molten bodies, blanket of cinders
Caught in the throes, yeah

Woah, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Woah, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Woah, oh your city lies in dust, my friend
Woah, oh your city lies in dust,
My friend (repeat to fade)

“Lares Familiares” are family deities that the Romans prayed too. There was the pantheon of gods, but for local or familial issues they had a Lares. Each neighborhood, typically, had a shrine to their Lares deity at the crossroads. They were like neighborhood guardians. Wikipedia: link.

In 79 AD, pyroclastic flows from Vesuvius travelled some 10 kilometers. The heat reached some 250 °C which did most of the killing. The rain lasted six hours burying the inhabitants under 25 meters of ash. (Source: Wikipedia)

In the 1980s, if I remember correctly, there was a museum tour and public TV show, depicting the residents of Pompeii, and the newly discovered bodies of which 1,000 plaster casts have been made. That is where the song’s inspiration comes from. One cast was of a couple “in the throes of passion” so to speak.

I started listening to this song last week and did some reading on Pompeii.

Thanks Gordi for letting me get this off my chest!!

ETA: A site with photos and an excerpt from Pliny the Younger, AtlasObsura.com - Plaster Citizens of Pompeii.

Errata and full disclosure.

Timeline is off in the story. There was an earthquake in February where they decided 2 city sacrifices were required. The volcano erupted in late August. It did erupt at noon, and having been covered by volcanic ash myself, it does turn noon to night!

The eruption lasted 18 hours. That was not the worst part. The eruption made a volcanic dome which collapsed the following morning and is where the majority of ash came from. It travelled at a hundred miles an hour down the slope and buried Pompeii six miles away.

In 2017, the famous "Lovers of Pompeii" plaster casts turned out to be two dudes!

Me and Siouxsie both got it wrong! Ah, but it is a work of fiction!

That was great. Pretty powerful their love

a reply to: SprocketUK


Thanks, I'm getting caught up on the submission. I suppose I should go in order or something. lol

Hey, loved yours! Will go post a comment...

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

It was all good and thanks

TEOT -

Read this yesterday and really enjoyed it, thank you for entering! Especially liked the extra stuff you added after the story for historical context - very cool.

a reply to: PrairieShepherd


The dang story got stuck in my head! For a couple weeks I read about what they ate and how they lived. It was all thanks to that song on a playlist on my ipod.

It was a good thing that the contest came along and I wrote it down and got it off my mind!

I need to catch up on reading the other entries (including yours). I will have time this afternoon.

Thanks for the feedback!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

S's and F for You Teot!! How could I NOT like a Tale with Syx in it's Title?!?!! LOL!!
You painted beautiful Imagery here.
Also it drew Smells to Me as well!
(That does not happen very often for Me, just so Ya know!)
Cheers!

a reply to: SyxPak

Hey, long time no see!! Luv ya syx!!

I’ve been sporadic about this but that has nothing to do with ATS. Real life is a PITA sometimes.

Anyways, forgot about this, which is good, because we need to unplug every now and then.

Good luck to all everyone!!! I have a few to read!