Offerings for Salome

Chapter 1

THERE WAS A loud rumbling and the earth under Salome’s feet trembled dangerously. She froze instantly and tried to hear where the sound was coming from and why the earth was suddenly as unstable as a fishing boat under her feet. The trees and plants around her shook. Through the greenery she glimpsed the gigantic walls of Pompeii, they still looked solid enough. Turning around she almost stumbled as her eyes searched the sea. The sea was as calm as always, but she saw fishermen who had stopped in their tracks glancing around questioningly.

Just as suddenly as the noise started, everything was deathly quiet again and her sea legs settled down. But on the inside the rumbling continued and she felt her whole body shaking.

She sat down next to the pathway outside the city. She was on her way to the sea, where when there was time, she liked to go and think about life and dream about things that can never be. Just that morning she had awakened with a song in her heart and an expectation of something great and wonderful. She smiled sardonically.

Was it an earthquake? She hoped not.

It can’t be, she thought. It was over too quickly.

Sixteen years ago there had been a great earthquake that changed her life radically. That rumbling and shaking had lasted much longer. The memories made her palms sweaty, she got up and quickly walked down the steep cliffs in the direction of the rocks. Whenever she struggled to get her emotions or memories under control she would make her way down to the sea. As if she could ever get away from them, for they were an integral part of her.

After the earthquake of 66 AD, Salome unexpectedly had to change from a carefree little girl into a responsible, solicitous young woman, always putting her father’s needs before her own.

During the disaster he had been in the temple of Venus painting a fresco. The wall he had been painting on came down and he couldn’t get away quickly enough and had been trapped under the heavy pillars and stones. It was a miracle that the rescue workers had found him at all. The priests and worshippers who had been with him in the temple that day were not so lucky and all had died. His back and left leg had suffered serious injury.

It had taken him months to learn to live with the pain, or rather, to pretend that the pain was manageable. In the beginning there had been friends who stood by him, but later on only Salome was left. Luckily she had escaped unscathed from the disaster. She had been with her teacher Dinah. They had been with a group of children outside the city walls, playing on the mountainside facing the sea.

Her mother had died when she was born, and her father raised her alone. He had enjoyed looking after her, painting or sculpting clay with her or just being silly. He had never remarried, but when the grown-up loneliness got too much he had gone to the brothels after putting his little girl to bed. He knew most of the people in town, and also knew where the best recreational places were.

The earthquake had taught Salome to be on alert from a young age. Her life had suddenly changed that day, and she had lived in constant fear of it happening again. The tragedy of that day had been totally unexpected.

Suddenly Salome was seven years old again and reliving the experiences of that ominous day. She was with Dinah and her friends playing outside the walls on the mountainside. The one minute they were playing hide and seek, and the next minute everything was rumbling, and boulders rolled from the city down the mountain. From far off she heard people crying, shouting and moaning.

Dinah called them all together, but it was difficult reaching the others as everything was a blur; the shaking and noise were nerve wrecking. It felt like an eternity for things to calm down, but the people’s whimpering didn’t stop. It was almost dark when the group reached Salome’s house.

The city was in ruins and with difficulty they managed to find a navigable path to her home. On their way they dropped the children off at their homes.

Her father was not home.

The house didn’t look too bad. They went in through the front gate and passed the atrium. Flower pots had fallen down and laid in pieces on the ground. The household god had also fallen down and looked as if it lost an arm.

She got in at her father’s studio on the ground floor and ran quickly through it up to their living quarters on the second floor, but found no one.

Salome, you are grown up, and it seems as if things are under control here. I’ll quickly take Julia and them home, and then come back here, said Dinah as she took the other children by the hand and hurried outside.

A dazed Salome stayed behind to wait for her father.

From her bedroom window she looked down onto the cobbled street. Their street was reasonably passable, but it was a harrowing sight. People were running to and fro. Some were calling out, looking in at places as if searching for somebody.

A bleeding woman was stumbling along while tears were running down her cheeks. A man with a limp child in his arms staggered around dumbfounded. The things happening in front of her eyes upset her greatly and she backed away, sat down on her bed gripping her pillow tightly against her little body.

I’ll wait here for daddy… He’ll be home just now, she whispered hopefully.

This was how her teacher found her early the following morning, her father still missing. Dinah fetched the little girl a bit of bread and some milk. She felt very bad for not returning the previous evening, but some of the other children’s homes were completely destroyed and because they were so much younger than Salome, she couldn’t just leave them, not until she had found some family, or at least a familiar face.

Have you found Daddy? she asked Dinah expectantly.

My dear, I didn’t have much time to look for him, as I had to take Julia and the others home, and things are so bewildering outside. She took the child into her arms rocking to and fro.

Salome pushed her away and got up. I am not hungry and I am not a child anymore. I am going to look for my father now. I know he was working in one of the temples. I’ll find him myself. You’ll see!

Dinah stared at Salome in astonishment as she rushed out of the room. This was not how she knew her. She was always cheerful and respectful, a very bright and obedient pupil. It must be the shock that made her behave in this way.

Salome, wait! I’m coming with you! shouted Dinah as she followed her down the stairs and through the door. She had to run to keep up. They ran in the direction of the Forum where the temple of Jupiter was.

Then she almost ran into the child as Salome had stopped in her tracks. Two Roman soldiers were approaching them carrying a man on a stretcher. The man looked terrible. He was covered in blood and grey with dust. Dinah could not make out his face or clothes. All that gave his identity away was the words he was groaning over and over again.

Salome? Hggh! No! Where is Salome? No! Hggh! You have to take me home! I have to find my child! Hggh!

Daddy! Salome ran closer. Her hands clasped his tunic as she walked next to the stretcher.

Salome, you are safe! Thank You! Hggh, he sobbed. With his one hand he held both of her little hands and closed his eyes. His other hand was tucked under his back where the pain was the worst.

The soldier talked to Dinah.

We found him underneath the debris of the temple of Venus. He was the only one we found there alive so far, said the tall soldier.

The shorter one added, Yes, it is absolute chaos! I wonder what made the gods so angry. And this one— he motioned to the man on the stretcher—is the worst patient! He refused to go to the baths where they are looking after the injured, but insisted we bring him home.

It’s not far. Look, in here- Dinah beckoned and lead them upstairs to Salome’s father’s bedroom. They struggled to get him onto the bed. Dinah was annoyed that he had refused to go to the baths, as it would be a battle getting enough water to clean him, and it was clear that this man was seriously injured! You two are lifesavers! she flattered them. You deserve the highest honour from Caesar. She took the shorter one by the hand. Won’t you pretty please get me two jugs with water from the baths so that I can take care of our patient? You two are so much stronger than I am. And please bring some massage oil with.

Romans loved flattery because it made them feel like gods. That is why it