Setting
The 24th of August, 79 AD, Pompeii
Characters
MARCUS: A 19 year old aspiring artist living in Pompeii. He is tall, strong, with shoulder length brown hair and green eyes. He is not concerned with the frequent earthquakes and wants to focus more on his artwork than his sister’s worries.
VITA: Marcus’ 12 year old sister. She is small, smart, with long, dark brown hair and eyes that match. She becomes more worried with each earthquake and wants to leave Pompeii before something worse happens.
CAPTAIN: A gruff yet wise and kind old seaman. He is the captain of one of the merchant ships leaving Pompeii, abetting people to get away.
~Scene 1~
(MARCUS is sitting, staring out the window at Mt. Vesuvius; the ground violently shakes)
MARCUS: 3-2-1-Here she comes.
(enter VITA rushed with a look of panic)
VITA: Marcus! Marcus, did you feel that? That was worse than before and more and more of them have been happening and-
MARCUS: Please little sister, don’t worry. It’s just the ground shaking. We are completely fine.
VITA: But Marcus, there have been too many earthquakes lately. I think (pause) I think we should leave Pompeii. I feel that it would be the safest choice for us.
MARCUS: Leave Pompeii? Vita we can’t just leave. I mean, we have no living family here but- Pompeii is just so inspiring; it’s great for an artist like myself.
VITA: (rolling her eyes) I knew it would come to that. It always comes down to what’s best for your art.
MARCUS: It doesn’t always come to that.
VITA: Yes it does, but this time I do not care. I am leaving Pompeii with or without you.
MARCUS: (smiling and nodding) Alright sister, we will leave, but not just yet. I want to sketch one more thing before we leave.
(ground shakes again)
VITA: (reluctantly) Alright, but it won’t take long will it? The boats will be leaving soon and I want us to be on one.
MARCUS: I promise we will be on one of those boats before the end of the day. Now just sit and try to relax. Everything is going to be alright. (VITA sits looking out the window; MARCUS smiles and begins his sketch)
~Scene 2~
(The ground shakes thunderously)
VITA: (looking around nervously) Aren’t you finished yet brother? I want to get to the boats before they start leaving.
MARCUS: (Carefully sketching) What I am doing takes time and patience. I thought I told you that earlier.
VITA: You did, yet I still don’t see why you can’t finish your pastime later. You know, when we have more time. I do not understand why you even started it now when we-
MARCUS: (Interrupting and offended) Pastime! How- How can you call art like this a mere pastime?! Plus, we have more than enough time, in fact, we have nothing but time. (Ground shakes more; they look up)
VITA: (Visibly shaken) Please brother! Your art can wait! We must leave Pompeii now!
MARCUS: (Nodding and packing) Alright, alright! Get what you can, but leave what we don’t need.
VITA: We need it all though! All of our things belonged to our parents!
MARCUS: (Calmly) I know. I know. (Sighs) But I also know that they would rather have the two of us alive and together more than any of these objects. Please understand and take only what we need.
~Scene 3~
(Running through the busy streets)
MARCUS: Vita please hurry! The boats are starting to leave. (Holds tighter to her hand)
VITA: (stopping abruptly) We forgot it! I can’t believe we forgot it! You-You were supposed to pick it up! Marcus how could you forget?
MARCUS: Forget what?
VITA: The painting of our family. You said you were going to get it. It’s all we have left of them. We need it! (Frees herself from his grasp and runs back)
MARCUS: Vita! Vita come back! (pushing through the massive crowd; with desperation) Vita! (pushed onto a boat; ground shakes)
CAPTAIN: Alright everyone stand back; we’re getting out of here!
MARCUS: Please sir, we must go back, my-my little sister is still on land. Please turn the boat around!
CAPTAIN: Sorry boy, I got a lot more people to worry about than a girl. (he leaves and the boat pushes off)
(MARCUS scans the land for his sister, but sees nothing. Other boats shove off. The ground shakes, then suddenly BOOM! A black cloud bursts from Mt. Vesuvius sending a rain of ash, stones, and cinders to the city below. The people on the boats watch in horror)
CAPTAIN: (looking at MARCUS) There is no way anyone could survive that. I- I’m sorry for your loss. (pats him on the shoulder and walks off)
MARCUS: (regretfully) I am so sorry Vita.
~Scene 4~
(several hours later; boat arrives in a new town)
CAPTAIN: Wake up everyone; we’ve arrived in Naples! Everyone be ready to get off! (nudges MARCUS) Come on boy, time to start anew.
MARCUS: (getting up; drying his eyes) Thank you Captain for the boat ride. I have no money to-
CAPTAIN: Don’t worry ‘bout it. You’ve been through enough, just like the rest of these people. Now go off and live your life.
(MARCUS, the last to step off the boat, gazes at the city of Naples. He finds an empty corner and sits, feeling all alone. He stares at the other citizens of Pompeii, each one as lost as he. MARCUS then reaches into his coat and pulls out his sketch from just that morning; it’s VITA, sitting in the corner, deep in thought. He holds the picture close)
MARCUS: Oh Vita! I’m so sorry I left you. I never meant to spend more attention to my art instead of you. I am sorry that I didn’t get the picture! I’m sorry that I let you go back, instead of going myself. Please, Jupiter, King of the Roman Gods, I would do anything to get her back; even give up my art for I have no inspiration or happiness without my sister. She was too young; please bring her back to me. (sighs) It’s no use. I’ve lost-
~Scene 5~
(suddenly MARCUS hears a girl’s voice calling his name)
VOICE: Marcus! Marcus is that you?! Marcus!
MARCUS: Vita? (gets up and turns around) Vita is that you?! (sees VITA running towards him with tears in her eyes; he pulls her in for a hug) I- I thought I’d lost you. How did you get out?
VITA: (wiping away tears) Well, when I let go of your hand, I started running towards home when I remembered what you said; about how our parents would rather have the two of us alive and together. So I turned around to find you but you were gone. I searched and searched, when suddenly a nice Captain invited me aboard his ship. He said you might already be on another one, so I came and then- and then Pompeii was gone. (wiping away more tears) When I didn’t see you here, I thought maybe you-
MARCUS: I know but it’s alright now. We have each other and we’re both safe. (holds her close) I promise you Vita, I will never let anything come between us. Not even my mere pastime. (both laugh and the CAPTAIN comes by)
CAPTAIN: I see the two of you are going take my advice and live life, huh?
(MARCUS and VITA look at him and exchange smiles)
MARCUS: (putting his hand on the CAPTAIN’s shoulder) Thank you friend. Once again I am not able to repay you.
CAPTAIN: And once again don’t worry about it. It’s my job to keep my passengers safe. You just look after this lovely young lady, keep her safe, and most of all keep your promise. And remember boy, time is a valuable thing. (smiles) I’ll see you two around. (turns to walk off)
VITA: Thank you! Goodbye! Such a nice man, don’t you think Marcus? Marcus? (turns and sees MARCUS staring towards Pompeii)
MARCUS: (deep in thoughts) I was wrong you know. (the CAPTAIN stops and listens)
VITA: (curiously) About what, brother?
MARCUS: About time; having plenty of it. I realized that on the boat. It was only a matter of seconds until Pompeii, our home, was gone. A matter of seconds and I thought I lost the last of my family.
VITA: (smiles and grasps his hand) That is true, there is never enough time. That’s why we cherish the time we’re given. For instance, I am still here with you and we should be spending it exploring our new home. (starts walking towards the city; MARCUS smiles and follows behind)
CAPTAIN: (looking at the two smiling) Time is a funny thing. It’s free, but also priceless. You can’t own it, but you always use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. And sadly once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. (fade to black)