Vacation Under the Volcano - Mary Pope Osborne [3]
Annie let out a big sigh. “Okay, but we’d better find that story fast,” she said. Finally she climbed down the rope ladder.
The sun was bright and hot as they took off between the olive trees.
With Mount Vesuvius at their backs, they headed for the town of Pompeii.
“That’s weird,” said Annie. “I don’t hear any birds.”
She was right. The grove was strangely silent.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Jack. “Maybe they’re all at the beach. Come on—let’s go over that bridge.”
He led the way to a small wooden bridge that crossed a narrow stream. But when they got to the stream, they found it had dried up.
“That’s really weird,” said Annie.
“Don’t worry,” said Jack. “It just means there hasn’t been much rain.”
They crossed the bridge and stepped onto a busy street. It was paved with stone.
People were buying things in the open shops that lined the street. Some looked rushed and busy. Others moved slowly. Kids walked with their parents. Groups of teenagers talked and laughed.
They don’t seem very different from people shopping in Frog Creek, Jack thought. Except for the clothes, of course.
“How will we ever find the ancient lost library?” said Annie, glancing around.
“I don’t know,” said Jack. “Just be on the lookout.”
They walked past shops that had huge jars in them. When Jack looked closely, he saw that they were filled with grain, dried fruit, and olives. Meat hung from the ceilings of some of the stores.
They passed a noisy tavern where people were eating and drinking. A young man played a stringed instrument.
“See, there’s nothing to worry about,” said Jack. “This place isn’t all that different from our time.”
“It’s not that,” said Annie with a worried look.
“See, there’s a barbershop and a shoe shop,” said Jack, pointing.
A boy was getting his hair cut by the barber. A girl was trying on a new pair of sandals with her mother.
“It is kind of like home,” Annie agreed.
They kept walking, until they passed a bakery filled with freshly baked flat breads.
“That bread is like pizza,” said Annie, smiling.
“Yeah,” said Jack.
The good smells from the bakery made him feel even more at home. Jack looked at Annie. She was still smiling as they walked on.
Soon they came to a large square filled with people, carts and horses, and more shopping stalls.
“Honey cakes! Stuffed dates! Peacock eggs!” sellers called.
Farmers were selling grapes, garlic, and onions. Fishermen were selling all kinds of fish. A few people stood on boxes, giving speeches to small crowds.
“Hey, I bet this is the forum!” said Jack. He reached in his bag for his book. He flipped through it until he found a picture of the square. He read:
The center of a Roman town was called a forum. The forum was the main place where people met to sell goods and discuss politics.
“I was right!” said Jack. He pulled out his notebook. He wrote:
“Jack,” whispered Annie. “Jack!” She tugged on his tunic. “Look.”
Jack glanced up. Annie nodded toward an old woman who was staring straight at them.
She wore a black cloak. Her gray hair was tangled and wild. She seemed to be missing her teeth.
The woman pointed a bony finger at Jack and Annie.
“The end is near!” she said in a raspy voice. “Go home, strangers!”
“Yikes,” said Annie.
“We’d better get away from her,” said Jack, “before people wonder who we are.”
He put away his notebook. Then he and Annie hurried away. The old woman cackled behind them.
Jack and Annie hid behind a fruit stall. They waited for a moment, then peered around the corner.
“I don’t see her,” said Jack.
“Who was she?” asked Annie.
“I don’t know. But she looked nuts to me,” said Jack.
“What’s the book say about her?” said Annie.
“She won’t be in there,” said Jack.
“Just look,” said Annie.
Jack sighed and pulled out the book again. To his surprise he found a picture of the old woman. He read aloud:
In Roman times, there were people who could see into the future and warn others about what they saw. These people were called soothsayers.
“See? She wasn’t nuts,” said Annie. “She was giving us a