Narrative
"Today is the day," I sigh to myself, today I head of to my assigned camp
to prepare for war against the Romans.
This war originated when the Senones, a single tribe of the Gauls,
settled on land help, the Romans then sent three ambassadors, the Fabii Brothers
to try and negotiate with the Senones. When the negotiations didnt work out the
Clusiems sent an army to try and force the Senones out themselves. At that point
the Roman ambassadors broke the Law of Nations, the oath of neutrality as
ambassadors, and took arms against the Senones. From that the
ambassador,Quintus Fabius, and a member of the Patrician family killed a
Gallic, Gaul, leader. The trust of the ambassadors broke and the Senones sent
their own ambassadors to Rome for justice. The Senones demanded for the Fabians
but the Roman masses refused. Since then the Senones promised war again the
Romans.
I was too busy staring into space that I didn't realize that I was going
to be late I ran out of my home
and began to head for my camp. I finally arrive to the camp but where was
everyone?
"Son, the meeting is over there," a large bulky man grunted while
pointing to a fire about a couple hundread feet from where I was.
"Uh, thank you sir," I respond slightly out of breath, due to the
running. I then proceeded to the fire.I finally arrive before the meeting began
and boy was it crowded.
"Good evening everyone, I'm Brennus. As you know all men of Gaul are
preparing for war against Rome. Tonight I will be telling you men about what to
prepare for and when we will leave tomorrow. Brennus continues to talking about
strategey and so one.
"Psssst Thomas," A famaliar voice whispers. I look around to see who's
calling me but I can't tell there's so many people here. " To your right," the
voice continues, I look as directed by the
voice.
"Benjamin! longtime no see," I exclaim. Ben has been a buddy of mine
since we were kids but soon enough as we got older, Ben headed to a different
tribe of the Gauls and I haven't seen him
since.
"Where have you been? What have you been up to?" Ben
questions.
"Well, you know..." but before I could finish my sentence, a voice
hollered
"Will you quiet down! We're trying to listen to the meeting unlike you
two!" an aggitated man around his mid forties yells. Embarrased Ben and I quit
our conversation and listen back to the
Cheif.
"We will leave tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the Gauls and attack
shorlty after. Have a good night, we leave at six in the the morning and the
meeting is dissmissed," Brennus instructs, everyone leaves at once to find a
place to rest for the night. I find an area near the campfire and drift off into
a fast sleep.
"Wake up! Wake up Tom or you'll be late!" I open my eyes wide to see Ben
shaking me awake, what's with me always being
late?
"Uh... thanks," I yawn as I get up stretching. Ben and I then catch up to
the rest of the group.
" Now, it'll take us a couple days or so to meet up with the rest of the
Gauls, don't stay behind or we will leave you understand?" Brennus states, and
with that we began to march miles and miles to reach the new camp. We walk for
what seems like forever, my feet are aching and I'm sure so is everyone elses.
The only positive side to the walk is seeing the views of the mountains and
breathing in the freach air.
"Look over there!" A man shouts. At last we finally reach the camp about
a mile from Rome. As soon as we reach the camp I get food and water,and it's
begining to get dark.
"Oi, everyone must head to the fire over there for a meeting containg
information about the battle tomorrow," he yells while pointing to a fire within
the distance. I hurry along with Ben and others in time for the
meeting.
"As most of you know we are about a mile frome Rome and tomorrow we will
fight," Brennus says and there are yells from the crowd of the soldiers
bursting with spirit. "Some of you men will die, but you will die doing what is
best for us. Better get as much rest as possible and I wish you all the best of
luck," Brennus ends the short meeting and everyone dashes off to bed and soon
the camp is filled with silence except for the sound of the crickets
chirping.
"Hey Thomas, you sleeping?" Ben
asks.
"Yes I'm sleeping and that is why I'm talking to you," I reply
sarcasticly.
"Haha very funny," Ben states. "Are you scared about tomorrow?" He
questions.
"Yeah, a little, but I'm sure everyone is," I
return.
"I guess you're right." Bem agrees. " I miss my family, my wife and son."
" Can I ask you something?" he asked.
"Yeah sure." I said a little
confused.
"If I don't make it, can you go to my wife and son and tell them that I
love them?" he requested.
"Of course, good night Ben," I answerd and I fell
asleep.
I wake up to the sound of clanking armor and men talking about, for once
I actually didn't wake up late but never before Ben, he's always been and early
riser.
"Hey Tom, you actually woke up on time," Ben
teased.
"Yeah I know, I'm even surprised," I
respond
"Better get ready though we're leaving in about fifteen minutes, so find
something to eat and drink. Today is the day," Ben
instructed.
Ben and I leave with 12,000 other men heading for Rome, or at least as
close to Rome to where they have their army at. We march up to stream called
Allia, you can see the faces drop on everyone. The Romans were there waiting for
us with double the amount of men we had. My heart was racing, I don't think I
can make it alive through this.
"I wish all you men luck," Brennus shouts. "To see another day," with
that soldiers from both sides run towards each other screaming and yelling.
Before I start to fight I take one last look at Ben and smile hoping that once
this is all over, I'll see him again.
Men fall from left and right, blood spills everywhere, I just feel the
adrelinen in my veins with my heart racing out of my chest. This may be the last
time I see light or the last breath of air I breathe. All of the sudden
everything is a blur and I feel myself hitting the solid ground and I black
out.
I wake up shocked, and i jump up but them fall back down due to pain on
my side.
"Careful now," a soldier of the Gauls
says.
"Am I.. Am I dead?" I ask. The man laughs shaking his head no. "Well what
happened to me? And the battle?" I curiously ask
impatiently.
"Calm down, You just got stabbed and passed out nothing too big but
you're fine, and the battle, we won." He states. I'm over whelmed with happiness
that I actually lived. " However," the man begins,"We lost many lives as well."
"What about Benjamin O'Connor?" I ask hoping that he survived, but I just
see the smile on the soldier slowly fade and I break
inside.
"Sorry," was all he had to say and I began to sob. " We are cremating as
much of the soldiers that we can identify and giving them to their
families.
"Can I get Ben's, I need to give it to his family," I
command.
"Very well," the soldier replies and he leaves. At that moment I cry even
more letting the tears stream down my
face.
The rest of the soldiers that lived and I returned back to our homes.
However before I went back to my house I had inform Ben's wife of the incident.
I arriver to his home and I see Mary rushing over to me embracing me into a warm
hug.
"Oh thank goodness you're okay!" Mary exclaimed. "I heard we won......
where's Ben?" She questions already knowing what the answer woeld be. I hand
her the vase like container that holds his
ashes.
"I'm so sorry Mary but Ben didn't make it, I'm sorry," I say with my
voice shaking while Mary begins to bawl into my
shoulder.
"It's okay Tom he died doing what's right," she said between her sobs.
I'll always remember this day as a victory for us Gauls but a tradgic day for
losing a friend.