Read Online New Pompeii by Daniel Godfrey - Free Book Online Page B

idiom of the graffiti on the walls of Pompeii. No, this was an earthy vernacular. Latin spoken as a man from the East End of London might speak Cockney.
    Nick listened to the tracks several times. On the first pass, he was just happy to hear the voices. On the second, he noticed the strange use of inflection and rhythms. On the third, he started to pick out common phrases.
    He suddenly needed another drink. A real one. Because it was true. McMahon had done it. And he was on his way to a place where there were real Romans. And not just any Romans. People from the heyday of the Empire. Nick searched for the stewardess.
    Where the hell was she?
    “I’m going to be a Roman soldier!”
    Nick looked round. The young boy had come to stand by his seat. He held a short foam sword in front of him. Nick leant forward. “That’s great,” he said. “Do you think they’d let me join the army too?”
    “Noah!”
    The boy’s mother was out of her seat. Her pale features were drawn tightly together. She didn’t even look at Nick. Instead, she took hold of the young boy’s shoulders, and started to pull him away.
    “Hi,” said Nick, trying to make eye contact. “Your boy seems quite excited about our trip.”
    The woman’s eyes narrowed. “You’re going to New Pompeii?”
    Nick raised his eyebrow slightly. The blood in his temples continued to thump. “Nick Houghton.” He held out his hand. The woman ignored it.
    “Maggie Astridge,” she said. “And this is Noah.”
    Nick smiled at the boy, letting his arm drop. “You’ve been listening to the recordings too?”
    The woman shook her head. “No – we don’t speak Latin. Robert and I will have interpreters.”
    “Robert?”
    “My husband,” she said, as if the fact was obvious. “The project architect.” She looked like she was about to say something more, but caught sight of his media player. “If you’re listening to those recordings you must be Professor Samson’s replacement?”
    Replacement? Nick shook his head. “I’m going to join Professor Samson’s team,” he said, suddenly uncertain. He needed to change the subject. “Do you know how much longer we’re going to be in the air?”
    “We should be almost there!” piped up Noah. He lifted his foam sword and pushed it into Nick’s shoulder. The action was too quick for his mother to prevent, but there was no force behind the blow.
    “Have you been there before?” asked Nick, smiling at the boy.
    “I had a preview before the rabble moved in,” Maggie replied, “but this is Noah’s first time. We were meant to arrive two weeks ago, but someone got a cold, didn’t he?”
    Noah suddenly looked as proud as his mother looked irritated. “Yes, he did!”
    Nick’s smile wavered as he tried to ignore the possibility that his own blood test might delay his arrival. Maggie started to look a little embarrassed. Like she wanted to stop talking and get back to her seat. Behind her, the stewardess reappeared.
    “Okay, everyone – can we all get back into our seats for landing, please!”

15
    “T HE INTERESTING THING , therefore, is that the Big Bang provided the first temporal momentum.”
    It was about ten minutes into the lecture, and Kirsten was already lost. As soon as her eyes had fluttered open, she’d left the bathroom and headed for the lecture theatre. Just as she had so many times before.
    She never knew how many months had passed between visits. If she’d be early, or years late. Every time she woke up she was in a different – well – time. But on this occasion, as she’d stepped into the quad, she’d seen the lights burning in the auditorium and had known she would make it.
    Yet she didn’t even know why she wanted to be there.
    Maybe she didn’t. Maybe it was just the promise of seeing some familiar faces. As it was, Octo Arlen was doing most of the talking.
    Kirsten smiled. Arlen looked uncomfortably at the large audience, his cheeks drained of colour. But whatever the reason