Bring Me To Life
For some people, actually, most people, life goes something like this-
You're born, you live, then you die.
How nature had intended and practiced for thousands of years... but sometimes, there's exceptions where life has an error, a flaw in the original plan of life.
My life was one of those exceptions... and this is how it began-
It was the sound of horses hooves drumming against the hard, dusty earth that woke me up that hot summers morning, then there was a clatter as they went haring past down the hills towards the main city that was an hour away by horseback.
My younger brother scrambled to his feet and ran to the door, probably wanting to look at the horses that were running towards the city of Rome.
Our family lived in the countryside, not another house for miles on end, and the endless green fields and meadows with apple trees were our land and playground. It was quiet and peaceful, the other company except my brother and mother were the horses grazing in the fields. Father was in the army of Caesars, a general and storming wherever he was ordered to. It had been a year now since he had been home, and he was sorely missed.
My brother was five winters old, and I was fifteen.
And now that same brother was running back into the room we shared, his long curly bright blonde hair like sunlight was bouncing as he jumped onto the bed and said excitedly.
"I saw horses!" he said happily, and I chuckled, answering back as he ran to the other side of the room and picked up his little horse carving that Father had made for him when he was born. He ran back over to me now and made it run along the bed, making horse noises as he went, smiling at me with dimples showing. Lucian had always been fascinated by horses from the first time he could walk and talk.
Mother came into the room now, drawn by the noise. "Lucian? What are you doing?"
"Horses!" he just said, letting his mother pick him up into her arms as she chuckled in defeat. Mother was so pretty with her long curled blonde hair and sky blue eyes.
"Melody, could you please go around the orchard? We need some apples."
"Of course Mother." I smiled, leaping up and grabbing the wicker basket and walked outside into the bright sunlight.
The worn away path in the orchard that led to the best tree where the ripest of apples were based. The horses raised their heads to survey me through dark eyes as I passed, then lowered their heads and continued to graze on the lush grass.
The apple tree I was looking for was stood tall and proud in the middle, and ripe rosy apples high up in the tree. I stood before it now and bit my lip, thinking how best to reach them. I set the basket down now, then started to climb up the tree, holding on tightly as I went, trying not to slip down as I did so.
I grabbed the first apple now and let it neatly drop into the basket, then carried on higher, picking more and more.
It was when I was on my way down that I saw someone crouched next to the basket, picking through the apples and I realized that this person was stealing it.
"Hey-!" I yelled now, and the person looked up for a split second, then went running off through the field, but I dropped down now and went haring after the thief, recognizing the back of a boy as I ran. I caught up now and grabbed him, pulling him to the floor and grabbing the apple from him.
"Let me go-!" he almost yelled now, pushing me away, but I grabbed the apple and was standing up, watching him do the same, chest heaving with the effort.
"Get your own." I snarled now, and the boy just said, almost pleading. "Please can I have it?"
Now that I looked at the boy, the more I looked, the more I frowned; he looked my age with ragged dark hair that was neither black nor brown. His eyes were tired, but they were a sky blue. He was wearing a pale tunic that made me think that maybe he was a slave or something. I also spotted a new looking wavy band of black on the top of his left arm. From a tribe anyway. He looked kinda frightened as well, and I felt myself asking. "Why?"
"I'm hungry." he just said, eyes flickering to the apple in my hand. He looked it too, for he was a little on the thin side. I tossed it to him now, and he caught it, thanking me before biting into it.
What was he doing out here for one thing? If he was from Rome, he had been walking for three hours plus. No wonder his bare feet looked like they were bleeding.
"Would you like something to drink?" I asked him now, the runaway boy. He looked suspicious, then said. "Is your parents there?"
"Yes, bu-"
"No-!" he just said, going to run again, but I grabbed his arm and said swiftly. "We have a barn you could wait in."
The boy still looked rather frightened and like he was going to run again, but I think he was sick of running, for he silently nodded and I gestured to a place behind the trees. "It's just there." He didn't speak again, but he did nod and let me lead him forwards.
Why was he so frightened?
I led the boy to the barn and he kept close, as if he was expecting an attack or something. But now as he walked forwards, I saw spots of blood on the back of his pale cream tunic and I asked. "Are you bleeding?"
His head snapped round at that, then he just said, genuinely clueless. "I don't know. Maybe."
The barn was cool in the early morning sun, but the hay loft up top was nice and warm, and that was where I led him. The boy sat down on the golden hay bales now and just said. "Thank you."
"Where are you running from?" I asked him now, and he just flinched, but did look back to me with those sky like eyes. "Rome."
It was the way he said it that made me realize I'd seen the expression on his face before... but on another person. On the face of a slave.
Was that what he was-?
"Melody?"
The boy jumped now as my mother called from the house, then scuttled back towards the shadows of the other bales that were piled high.
"I'll come back." I promised, leaving him another apple and swiftly left before my mother could come and find me... and the boy.
As I ran out the place and closed the creaky wooden door behind me, I realized I didn't even know his name.
When I walked through the door, my mother looked up with a frown. "You were out there a long time."
I set the basket of apples down on the wooden table and just smiled. "They were growing high this time." she sighed at that, then took the basket from me and set it next to the window.
Mother now said to me. "I was worried. The soldiers stopped by-"
"Is it Father?Is he hurt-?" I asked swiftly, but she sighed and crouched down a little before me so we were the same hight. "No my love." she told me, then kissed my cheek and straightened up. "They were here to ask if we had seen an escaped slave."
My eyes widened at that, but thankfully, Mother didn't see it. She just said. "His Master dearly wants him back, and is offering a rather large reward."
"Oh."
"He's about your age as well." She chuckled. "Goes by the name of Godric."
Why didn't I find out his name already-?
"It's cruel keeping boys as slaves." I just said now, and Mother sighed. "I do not truly approve either, but it is life. We have to overlook it."
I looked down at the stone tiled floor- people were so very cruel these days. It was heartbreaking. I'd been to the Colosseum with Father just over a year ago, and I had to leave. How could they let all those beautiful animals die-? I'd seen strange creatures called a camel put into the ring with six starving lions... the sand was glistening red by the end of it, and then the lions turned on each other.
The crowd loved it, of course... but just how could they-?
Monsters.
"Keep an eye out for this slave." Mother now told me, and I looked up. "Is he dangerous?"
"Apparently so. So if you do see him, tell me straight away. We can't get tangled up in something like this... his Master is a powerful man in Rome... it would be unwise to get on the bad side of him."
"But how can the boy be here? Rome is so far away..."
"The boy escaped three days ago. He could be anywhere... so be careful when you go out to play."
"Ok."
"Melody."
"Yes Mother, I promise." I sighed, then she said. "You can go out now if you want. I'm doing the washing."
A grin appeared on my face now, and I bounded out the room faster than you could say... well, anything.
As I walked back towards the barn, I had to wonder- if this boy was Godric, this escaped slave from Rome, was he as dangerous as the soldiers had made him out to be-? He seemed scared more than anything... so I doubted their words.
But as I pushed the barn door open, I forgot it creaked loudly and I jumped, almost tripping back in the process. Now I made my way towards the hay loft, wondering whether or not to arm myself. But... he was as human as I was. I had to give him a chance.
As I reached the top, I bit my lip, weighing up my thoughts as I said quietly, half hoping he answered, while the other part hoped he didn't.
"Godric?"
There was silence for a moment, then a-
"How do you know my name?"
It really was him.
There was movement now, and he came around the corner and peered at me suspiciously, like he was expecting an attack once more.
I just stuttered out. "These soldiers were looking for you."
The effect was instantaneous. He stood up and looked towards the closed barn door. "Are they still here?" he demanded of me, but I shook my head. "No."
"They were searching for me?" he growled now and I nodded, sitting down on a sun lit hay bale. "I wasn't... going to tell. If that's what you thought."
Godric was silent at that, still stood up and on full alert. But now he looked at me and frowned. "Why?"
I blinked in surprise at that, then replied. "Why would I?"
"Because there is no doubt a price on my head." he said stiffly and I nodded. "You guessed correctly." He was silent, then said quietly, sincerely. "Thank you."
"Why are you running?" I had to ask now and he sighed, looking down. "My Master... isn't a nice man." His voice was sad and hurt, and I regretted asking him now, but he didn't seem angry at me. Actually, he seemed rather tired. If the soldier was correct and he'd been on the road for three days, he was more than just tired. He was probably exhausted.
"If you keep low, you can stay here for a while." I told him now, and Godric frowned. "Why are you being so kind?"
The way he said it assured me that no one had been kind to him in a long time, and all I could say was-
"So shines a good deed in a weary world."
Ever since I started my Eric version so long ago now, this one's been on my mind, so- tada! Hope you all like and I'll continue if we get enough interest:) so reviews are very much loved thank you