Gladiator
by Kitty Langdon
Fear rose like a wave inside me,
I closed my eyes tight willing myself to wake up,
Hoping, wishing it were all a bad dream,
The roar of the crowd echoed in my ears,
Filling my brain,
Drowning me,
They wanted blood.
I couldn’t do this.
Please o’ mighty Mithras,
Please father Jupiter,
Spare me from this fate,
To which I am condemned,
No help came.
The crowd were chanting my name now,
A rowdy chorus leading me to my doom,
It was showtime!
I stepped into the dazzling light and stifling heat
Of the great Coliseum,
My armour glinting in Rome’s hot sun.
The arena was packed.
Already my head was spinning from the noise and heat,
I glanced at the spectators.
High-born nobles clad in togas and cloaks,
Men, laughing and placing bets,
Drinking far too much wine,
Little boys clutching their father’s hands,
Stared, wide-eyed with excitement into the arena,
And beggar boys scampered around,
Begging dupondii off the rich men,
Everyone was in high spirits.
But my blood ran cold as my glance turned,
To the furthest box,
The royal box,
For guarded by shining soldiers
Sat a god-like figure,
Clad in purple and gold,
The Emperor.
And then the games began,
I whirled and slashed,
Stabbed and lunged,
It was like a high-powered dance,
I was filled with adrenalin.
Suddenly it was all over,
The arena was filled with blood,
Sweat,
Corpses of exotic animals,
The crowd were laughing,
Cheering,
Shouting my name.
I looked around at the destruction
I had left in my wake,
The adrenalin left me,
I felt sick,
Sick with blood and sweat,
Sick with fighting,
Sick with myself.
But it wasn’t over yet,
A young man entered the arena,
Barely out of boyhood,
His face white,
Taunt with terror,
His armous was too heavy for him,
I couldn’t fight him.
It was a tame fight,
Round and round we went,
The crowd jeered and booed,
They wanted blood.
Suddenly,
The boy rushed at me,
His sword clipping my shoulder,
In a haze of red fury,
I tackled him to the ground…
And stood over him,
My sword poised for the kill,
Then I stepped back in horror,
What had I done!
All eyes were on the Emperor now,
The god-like man clad in purple and gold,
I fell to my knees,
And stared up at him.
Pleading with my eyes,
Praying I would not have to make the kill.
I looked away fearing the worst,
But when I looked back his thumb was up.
I almost wept with joy,
And helping the young man to his feet,
We walked from the arena
Together.
My name is Brutus,
I am one of the Emperor’s gladiators,
This was not my first fight,
Nor will it be the last.
By Kitty Langdon, Age 11