I DO NOT OWN SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA AND BLOOD AND SAND. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO STEVEN S. DEKNIGHT. I GOT THIS IDEA BY RE-WATCHING THE SPARTACUS SERIES AGAIN. I FELT LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT STORY ABOUT HOW A MODERN WOMAN WOULD STRUGGLE AS A SLAVE IN ANCIENT ROME. A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO NIMLOTH OF THAY FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT WITH THIS STORY. CHECK OUT HER OWN SPARATCUS STORY: THE WHITE SERPENT. IT IS A WONDERFUL STORY AND I PROMISE THAT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

FACE CLAIMS

LISA EVANS- HUNTER SCHAFER

EVAN EVANS- JEFF GOLDBLUM

Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy. February 21, 2024

Lisa Evans groaned as she listened to the alarm on her phone blasting out a loud trumpet sound. She rolled around in her bed until she finally got to the phone and snoozed the alarm. It wasn't the most pleasant sound in the world by any means, but it got her ass to wake up and at the end of the day, or the beginning, that's what counts. The sun shone through her window as she rose from her bed and began to get dressed. Her room was small, but it suited her just fine. Lisa had been living in a flat that she shared with her grandfather Evan. Her ensemble for that day was a white blouse, covered in ice cream cones of all different flavors (a welcome to Italy gift from her grandpa Evan), a pair of blue jean shorts, and her favorite pair of green flip flops.

After graduating from high school and taking a couple years of community college to get her Associate's degree, Lisa decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of living abroad. Her grandfather, who had duel Italian and American citizenship, offered to take her in while she attended college. Lisa jumped at the chance. Lisa applied for the Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli and was over the moon when she learned that she was accepted as a student. Her goal was to earn a major in political science and a minor in Latin. She worked 3 jobs over that summer to have plenty of cash that she could exchange for Euros and got on a plane to Italy.

Lisa's grandfather met her at the airport in Rome, but he actually lived an hour and fifty one minutes away in a town called Santa Maria Capua Vetere. Lisa had studied up hard on her Italian history that summer and was pleased to learn that the town actually had a rich history. It had once been the site of the ancient city of Capua: the origin of the 3rd Servile war; led by the most famous gladiator of all times: Spartacus of Thrace. Lisa felt great sympathy for the Thracian and his doomed crusade, but also...a bit of contempt; since he and his followers had the opportunity to flee Rome, but refused to do so.

Once Lisa was satisfied with her choice of clothing, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen where her grandfather was busy whipping up a batch of Cornettos for the both of them. The cornetto was Italy's clap back to France and their precious croissants. It wasn't the same though, cornettos used margarine rather than butter; which made them easier on one's jaw muscles. The best part about cornettos was that they could be filled with delicacies such as custard cream, chocolate, or Lisa's personal favorite: strawberry jam. It was one of Lisa's favorite breakfasts and her grandfather knew how to make them just the way she liked.

"Buongiorno nipote", (Good Morning Granddaughter). Evan said as he came over and planted a kiss on the top of Lisa's forehead. Evan Evans could speak fluent English; having grown up in the United States of America, but he honestly preferred speaking Italian to English as he felt that was just a more beautiful language than his native tongue.

"Ha un profumo delizioso, nonno Evan," (Smells delicious, grandpa Evan). Lisa replied with a smile. In addition to becoming fluent in Latin, Lisa had also schooled herself in Italian to be able to converse with her beloved grand father in his native tongue.

"Allora che programmi hai per oggi?" (So, what are your plans for today) He asked as the pair sat down and eagerly ate the cornettos.

"Pensavo di fare una passeggiata per la città, vedere i luoghi d'interesse." (I thought I would take a stroll about town, see the sights.) She answered as Evan let out a chuckle at her expense.

"Dubito seriamente che ci sia un posto in questa città che non hai ancora visto, nipotina mia." (I seriously doubt that there is a place in this town that you have not yet seen, granddaughter mine.) He declared as he put away the dishes after they had finished.

"Questa è la magia dell'Italia; sembra come se fosse la prima volta, ogni volta." (That's the magic of Italy, it feels like the first time, every time.) Lisa argued as she grabbed her purse and kissed her grandpa on the cheek before heading out.

As Lisa made her way through the streets towards the valley outside the town, she breathed in every scent around her. The food, the flowers, the people, Lisa had fallen head over heels in love with the country and she was too deep into back out. Lisa happily made her way out of Santa Maria Capua Vetere and to the glade where she often went to commune with nature. The only problem was that as she arrived, the clouds suddenly grew dark and the rumbling of thunder was heard.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lisa exclaimed as bolts of lightning appeared in the sky. The last thing that she wanted to do was get hit, so she began walking back to her house. Lisa had her back turned to the storm, so she never saw the bolt that came down and hit her directly. All Lisa knew was that one moment, she could see everything and the next...her world turned black.

REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.