Plot Outline
A recently graduated archaeologist is working on an excavation in Pompeii. He has an accident and is knocked unconscious. Two thousand years in the past a Roman Centurion is returning home to Pompeii because he has just inherited the family estates due to the mysterious deaths of his father and elder brother.
He is knocked off his horse during an earthquake. When he returns to consciousness he has strange memories that are not his and they seem to foretell of an impending disaster.
It takes him some time to make sense of his new memories but when the volcano erupts he ensures many people escape that otherwise would not have done.
When the archaeologist returns to consciousness after what in his time is just a few seconds his world as he remembers it has subtly changed. Unfortunately things are not what they seem and outside forces are at work. He must discover what is happening and regain some control over his destiny.
Well that is the outline at the moment but things always seem to change as I write so it could be completely different by the time it is finished!
© Clive Osborne Rapley
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Note: Below are un-edited sample chapters of my new book as they are written. Please feel free to comment on the story line. (I know my grammar is rubbish! That will get fixed in the editing stage)
Chapter 1 Italy (Fist Draft)
The plane shuddered; Dr Justin Taylor gripped the arms of his seat. He did not particularly like flying; it was not the actual flying that was a problem. It was everything around it, getting to the airport, check in queues, security queues. Whatever row Justin stood in it always seemed it was the one that was the slowest.
Then there were the interminable delays, caused by late arrival, no air traffic slot, the excuses were endless. A couple of years ago in the last year of his PhD he had been stuck in Brussels’ airport for hours the day before Christmas Eve.
It would not have been so bad had it not been for the fact that everything in the airport seemed to close a 6. 30pm. His flight finally took off at 11.45pm nearly six hours late.
He shook his head and sighed his thoughts were interrupted by a chime from the PA system and the fasten seatbelts sign illuminating. Justin never bothered to take his seatbelt off so he watched as his fellow passengers fumbled for theirs.
There was another set of chimes and the captain’s voice filled the cabin.
“Ladies and Gentlemen we are experiencing some turbulence at the moment which will continue as we fly over the Alps. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Once we have passed over the mountains into Italian airspace the turbulence should subside”. Just to punctuate his speech the plane shook again.
Justin watched the pretty blonde airhostess walk down the cabin. She smiled at him as she passed. He smiled back then turned to look out of the window. The snow-capped peaks of the Alps were passing far below them; bored Justin closed his eyes and tried unsuccessfully to sleep.
The person next to him had their headphones on and even above the noise of the engines Justin could hear an annoying buzz like a flying insect. He looked up at the in flight entertainment screen. They did not normally activate them for short haul flights but the diplomatic crisis was worsening so the captain had switched it on.
Justin shook his head and sighed. The two super powers China and Russia were sabre rattling again. All that kept them apart in the western hemisphere were the small insignificant states of Europe. Ever since the Middle Ages when the Germans had halted the Mongolian advance on their boarders there had been an uneasy truce between Europe and the Russian Empire.
The Chinese held sway over the Pacific Rim and the Americas. They had taken it from the Spanish nearly two hundred years ago. The Chinese were now pressurising their small neighbour across the Atlantic, Britain to allow them to establish military bases. They wanted some control over the buffer of Europe and a base to strike back from if the Russians got out of line.
Britain had so far refused but the Chinese were powerful enough to force the issue.
Justin closed his eyes There was always going to be some crisis somewhere Sod ‘em he thought There is nothing I can do about it so why worry! He felt his senses drift.
He woke with a start as the plane touched down at Naples airport. Obviously as his seatbelt was fastened the cabin crew had not disturbed him during the landing preparations.
The tedium of disembarkation, baggage reclaim and passport control went by in a blur. It was not until he was on the shuttle buss to Naples central station did Justin feel at ease. He loved Italy and its people. He had learnt Italian during his frequent visits to Rome.
Justin had been fascinated by Roman history as a child. He grew up within walking distance of the Roman Palace of Fishborne in Southern Britain and had visited all the major archaeological sites with his father.
Becoming a specialist in Roman archaeology just seemed to be a natural progression.
He smiled to himself as he watched the hustle and bustle of the city. Cars mopeds and scooters jumbled up into a hooting honking mess. The philosophy of the moped riders being if you cannot move on the roads ride on the sidewalk.
The bus eventually arrived at Piazza Garibaldi. Disembarking Justin made his way to the Station. He purchased his ticket at the ticket office and boarded the commuter train to Pompei Scavi. As the train rattled along he listened to the conversations going on around him getting used to the language again.
The train eventually arrived at his destination, he alighted and dragging his case behind him made for the outskirts of the town where his rented apartment was located. The key had been forwarded to him by the agent so he was able to walk straight there.
The afternoon was warm and pleasant so Justin enjoyed the walk even with his baggage. The flat was along a small cobbled street above a general provisions store. Opposite was a small restaurant and bar with the tables spilling over the pavement. There was a group of old men sitting at one of the tables chatting quietly their drinks in front of them.
Justin located the steps at the side of the shop walked up and tried the key in the door. He sighed with relief. It was always in the back of his mind that the agent might have sent him the wrong key. He pushed open the door, after the bright sunshine the interior was cool and dark.
He wrinkled his nose there was a smell of stale cigarette smoke.
Oh well can’t be helped I suppose. He thought to himself, after all I am in Italy.
He walked to the bedroom, as promised the agent had ensured there was clean bedding. Justin dropped his bag and threw himself on the bed. He looked around the room it was clean and presentable.
He smiled to himself. At least I don’t have to share now I’m qualified.
While he was an undergraduate and post graduate on field trips he had to share with other students. Even a tent in a muddy field was not uncommon.
He checked the rest of the flat. It was clean and tidy, if a little frayed around the edges. He had started to unpack when there was a loud knock on the door which made him jump. He opened the door to find a large elderly woman standing there. She smiled and introduced herself as his landlady.
Her speech was fast and heavily accented for the region. Justin was thankful he had become accustomed to the sound of the language on the trip over from the airport otherwise he would have had difficulty understanding what she said.
Apparently she owned the flat and the shop below which was run by her son. He could get his provisions from them at a good price. She would also clean the flat twice a week but he was to keep it reasonably tidy himself. She did not approve of messy tenants.
She finished her speech wished him a pleasant stay then turned on her heals and disappeared down the stairs.
Justin closed the door and said to himself “Wow formidable woman!”
He looked out of the front window. The small café opposite looked clean and inviting with a number of obviously local clientele. Justin decided to get his dinner there later that evening. With dinner sorted in his mind he went back to the bedroom and finished unpacking. The last thing at the bottom of his case was a framed picture of his girlfriend Sarah.
He picked it up and stared at it, he sighed Ex girlfriend . He thought back to the last few days before he was due to leave. She had not wanted him to go. She wanted him to stay and take up a teaching post in Southampton University.
Justin shook his head slowly remembering the last argument. He was a field Archaeologist for god’s sake! Not a boring lecturer stuck in a University. The same argument had been simmering under the surface for months. It came to a head that afternoon.
“If you leave now it’s over” she had shouted.
Justin knew in his heart he could not do what she wanted. He had turned and quietly walked away. The photo had been in his case before that fateful day as he had started to pack early.
With a final sigh he dropped the picture in the waste bin.
Click here for Chapter 2