Lovers In Pompeii (Ian Hecox)

Chapter 16 - Losing Hope

*Lucia's Point of View*

It's been a week. A week of travelling. A week of looking for him. A week of being disappointed. A week of losing hope.

We've searched countless towns and asked every person we could get in touch with. Nobody knew where he was when the volcano erupted and if someone did know, they weren't around to talk about it.

I looking up at the ceiling of a hotel in a town I've never heard of. I felt a tear slowly run down the right side of my face.

"Where are you Ian?" I whispered and then sighed.

I wasn't giving up. He could still be alive. He's out there, I know he is. He wouldn't just give up. He'd fight until he couldn't fight anymore.

I let all thoughts slip from my mind for awhile. I focused on my breathing as I listened to my surroundings. I could hear yelling, talking and maybe even some crying.

I turned my head to my window. I looked out into the night sky and saw nothing. Ever since Ian and I have been separated, I couldn't see anything beautiful or pretty. It's like, Ian being gone has just sucked out every ounce of happiness I've ever felt. When he wasn't around, I didn't see any stars, or flowers, or anything. He was my everything. And now, he might be gone forever.

I was slowly falling asleep. I was just on the edge of falling into a deep sleep when one last thought popped into my mind.

My mother.

She's gone but her last wish is being fulfilled in a big way. She wanted Ian and I separated and she might have saved my life in the process.

I started to feel the coldness of floor, the humidity of the August air and the numbness of my body. I was falling asleep and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I might not wake up screaming for Ian.

*Dream*

I looked around me. I was standing in a green meadow. It looked like it was about mid-June. I started to notice the flowers around me and the heat of the sun.

This dream was unbelievable vivid.

"Lucia.." I heard a weak voice say.

I instantly spun around to see that no one was around me.

"Hello?" I asked aloud.

"Lucia.. Help.." I heard a cough and suddenly I noticed a man about a hundred yards away from me.

"Ian?" I yelled in happiness and began running towards him.

When I reached him, I noticed how bruised and beaten he was. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at me. He smiled weakly. I could tell he was in pain.

"Ian?" Tears started to fill my eyes. "Ian, what happened?" My voice broke and I knew I couldn't hold on to the tears anymore.

"It was bad Lucia.." He paused and let out a hard cough. "It was bad and it was bloody. Everyone we knew, every person who we were ever close to.. gone. Just like that."

He reached out and put his hand on my cheek. His touch was cold but I didn't care.

"Did- did you make it Ian?" I asked with my eyes shut tight.

"Lucia, I need you to find me. I'm in bad shape and I'm holding on for you. You need you to help me. I love you Lucia. Please." He lowered his hand from my cheek and slowly started disappearing.

"Ian! Where are you Ian!?" I yelled at him.

But it was too late.

*End of Dream*

I shot up from the cold floor. I looked out the window, it was still dark.

"Ian's alive.." I said to myself. He has to be. That dream meant something, it had to have meant something.

I sat up quickly and ran over to my map on the small kitchen table. I looked at all the red exes on the names of towns we've visited.

"Okay. Maybe, someone helped him escape. Maybe he got out of Pompeii and then someone brought him out of Italy for protection. But where?"

I dragged my arm across the table and all of its contents fell to the floor. I walked to my purse on my bed and pulled out a map of Europe.

"Okay. Where are you Ian?" I sighed.

---

"Good morning Dad." I yelled as I walked in his room. He was standing fully dressed by the window.

"Good morning honey. You seen awfully happy today." He chuckled.

"Ian's alive." I said bluntly.

He kind of choked and laughed at the same time.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I just- I have this feeling in my gut. I know he's alive but he's not in Italy. We need to explore further. I think someone may have helped him escape because he was in bad shape and they brought him outside of Italy." I explained.

"That's all very possible, I suppose. Where do you suggest we start looking?" He walked to his bed and pulled out a large map.

I pointed to where we are and dragged my finger to where I now live in France.

"We move upwards. We asked everyone in every town if they know anything. We can find him this way. I know we can." I stated confidently.

"That's a long trip, honey. I suggest we let Violet go back to France and take care of your home." He said kindly.

"That's a great idea." I nodded my head.

We sent Violet on her way and started our journey. It would take a few weeks and little did we know we would have very little success. The odd person would say they may have seen someone who fit Ian's description but that was the limit to our success.

We were on the border of France and all my hopes were lost. I looked over at my dad, who was siting across from me in the carriage. He knew exactly what I was thinking. I crawled over and put my head on his chest and started breaking down.

"I'm so sorry Lucia. I'm sorry that we lost your mother and I'm sorry we didn't find Ian. If I could change everything, believe me I would. I love you and I know it will take a long time to get over this and I can't blame you. I'm still in shock over your mother even though it's been almost a month. I guess, I just can't believe she's gone. I feel like one day, I'll drive over there and I'll expect her to be at home cooking some of her homemade bread, but I know deep down that I'll never see that sight again."

We sat in silence. Mourning our loses. Grieving.

"Ian and I, we had plans." I broke the sad silence. "We were going to run away together. As far as we could get with what little money we had. We were going to start a family. We were going to get a pet. He promised he'd never leave me. He promised and now he's gone." I cried into his chest.

"I know everything feels like shit right now, baby. But I promise, eventually our wounds will heal and we can start living normal lives again. I promise." He said.

"Pinky promise?" I stuck out my pinky and smiled weakly.

"Pinky promise, darling."