The Roman Outlander

Chapter One

I stare in awe at the Colosseum, half destroyed by natural occurrences yet still stands tall and strong and manages to bring shivers up my neck leaving goosebumps in its wake and my hair standing up.
The building stood high over me, it's thick grey brick walls blocking the harsh sun from bearing down upon my face which I was thankful for. I had studied Rome in school, something always intrigued me of the Ancient world, especially Rome. In fact, I had only just finished school and was currently on an holiday before starting my career as a doctor.
 'Argh! I wish I had your blonde hair!' Amelia stated twirling one of my blonde locks around her finger before leaning into my face and whispering. 'The men are staring at you, as always.'
Amelia had mousey hair, green eyes and a long sporty tanned legs that caught all the men's eyes as she walked, yet she always pined after my long blonde locks.
'They're not!' I exclaim, pulling her away and heading back up the cobblestone road. It amazes me how Rome is still to this day, is set in its original glory.
'Well, I'm going to head to the bar, are you joining?' Amelia asks.
'I'm going to one of the temples, Saturn's. The God of time, it's just up the road.'
'You're on your own!' Amelia walks off hips swaying and I turn and walk up the hill.
A dress was not the appropriate attire for an incline walk up to the temple, sweat covered my body and I could already feel a sunburn on my shoulders.
There wasn't much left of the temple as it was built from wood which had rooted away or  had been looted over the years but there was evidence that a temple was once here. There was a big stone table, where sacrifices would have been made, animal and human..., a broken water fountain and some parts of the structure for the temple.
I place my hands upon the rock, which is smooth with sharpe edges, there are tunnels picked into the rock at the four edges for the blood to run out into the ground and to the 'Gods'.
There has been stories told about this temple, that the animals or people sacrificed on this stone disappeared, taken by the Gods. Obviously these stories were written by poets such as Homer. Hey, maybe the bodies did disappear... days after, stolen by animals.
I ran my finger along the rocks edge, taking in the the history of the rock. There was a slight sting, as the edge, carved to perfection, unfazed by time, cut my finger.
I threw my finger up to look at the cut, which was surprisingly bleeding heavily. Blood splattered onto the stone as I turned to sit on the rock examining my finger.
'Argh!' The noise that also wasn't a noise, was deafening, it took over my thoughts and was everything but nothing at the same time. I was thrown into a pit of nothingness, which physically felt like I were somersaulting through space. Until nothing.

———

I woke lying on the ground next to the table on the opposite side to the temple. Did I just faint? I feel fine, like I don't have a headache or nausea or anything. Maybe I fainted from the blood? No I've seen plenty of blood interning at the hospital. Perhaps my irons low and the heat of the walk just took it out of me. Yes that's it, that's exactly it.

I stood up preparing to call it a day only to face a completely in tack temple, inside held both men and women praying and hustling around inside. There was a kept garden that wasn't there pre fainting as well as a running water fountain.

I'm not sure why, but I just had this sickening feeling over take my body and an intense urge to run, and to run as fast as I could. I turned and ran down the hill, without picking a path. At some point I had lost my flats, trying to keep on my feet whilst avoiding logs and rocks. With about twenty metres until the end of the hill I tripped over my feet and rolled down the hill, hitting every rock and stick on the way.

I came to a stop and pushed my hair out of my face and laid there dazed for a second, I think if it weren't for the adrenaline pumping through my body I would paralysed with pain and fear. I didn't give myself a second to even think about where I was, or how I was here or what had even happened. I just ran for the opening of trees ahead of me.