A/N: So, yesterday I picked up the first TimeRiders book and... well, I started brainstorming. But, instead of three in a team, this time... there are six. Please enjoy!
CHAPTER ONE
Pompeii, 79AD
Caius coughed, lowering his head. Falling stones and rocks wee hitting the other people on the beach, screaming for help- but not him. His mother. Juliana, had told him to stay in the house. And he would obey her, even if that meant coughing.
The fumes were stinging his eyes and choking his lungs. Realising he could not stay in the poisoned air for much longer, he raced over to the door and shoved it hard. Nothing. His mother had locked it! Coughing, he sank down to the floor, feeling dizzy and faint. And then, through the smoke, stepped a man.
He looked quite old- his hair was grey and his gave set with wrinkles. His brown eyes were dull and hard. And one other thing- he wasn't dying.
Caius wondered how the man could breathe through the poison in the air. He choked as he opened his mouth to speak...
"Caius Oppius Sabinus," the man called through the cloud. Caius nodded, still unable to speak. "You don't have much time. Within two minutes, the gases will have all but killed you; then, about a minute later, a large rock will smash the roof in and you will be buried half-alive. You will then lie underneath the wreckage in pain for twenty seconds before you die."
"Ahc... Acka... Ack... Cas-or and Pollllllux..." Caius coughed weakly. "Nooo..."
"Do you want to live, Caius?" the man asked. Caius nodded frantically, struggling to stand, but fell back a moment later. He was too weak... the gas was too much...
"If you come with me, Caius, you will still be dead. You wont get your life back... but you'll get a new one."
"Ahck... Please, just... agh... t-take... uh... meeee," he begged. The man extended a hand.
"Take my hand, Caius," he said. Caius watched it warily.
"Ar-Are you a God?" he choked. The man shook his head, eyes glimmering in amusement.
"No... but I can save your life. Only twenty seconds left now, Caius. So, tell me... what's it going to be?"
As the smog thickened and Caius began to choke again, he reached out... and grabbed the man's hand. For a moment, nothing happened; then he felt the oddest sensation. It was as if he were falling...
A/N: So...? How did I do? Review and tell me! I'll be uploading another chapter straight away (since this one was short), so see you in a sec!
-Invisi