‘How are you feeling? Do you feel like you want to vomit?’ - said David Sterling

David was standing next to the time machine.

Fiona Hall was still sitting on the seat.

‘If you want to vomit, can you do it away from the machine’ - said David

‘What just happened?’ - said Fiona

‘Time jump. We are in Rome, 80 A.D.’ - said David

‘Time jump…?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes, time jump. Now if you are feeling okay, let’s get you off the machine and we can cover it up with the blanket’ - said David

‘80 A.D…?’ - said Fiona, being helped off the time machine by David

‘Yes. We are going to the Colosseum, for the games’ - said David

‘The Colosseum…?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes, Titus is holding games at The Colosseum. 100 days of games to inaugurate The Colosseum’ - said David

‘Titus…?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes Dr. Hall, Titus Caesar Vespasianus, the Roman emperor’ - said David

‘I know who Titus is’ - said Fiona - ‘‘And are we in Rome?’

‘Yes, I told you that back at your trailer’ - said David - ‘I said I was taking you to Rome’

‘And it is 80 A.D.?’ - said Fiona

‘That is right. And we are going to the The Colosseum to watch the games’ - said David

Fiona was off the time machine. David lifted the seat and pulled out a blanket that he covered the time machine with. Immediately the time machine disappeared.

‘Clever, hey’ - said David, smiling - ‘Now remember, no English. Latin only. We are dressed as nobility so no one will stop us or ask us any questions. If anyone does talk to us, let me do the talking. Are we ready?’

‘I am not sure’ - said Fiona

‘No point in traveling nearly 2,100 years back in time to Rome, and not seeing The Colosseum, is there Dr. Hall?’ - said David

‘Is this a trick? Have you drugged me?’ - said Fiona

‘My dear Doctor. Take my arm and walk with me. You are about to see sights and sounds like you have never seen before’ - David held out his arm, and Fiona put her arm through it.

They walked to the end of the alleyway, and turned onto the street.

The thing that Fiona noticed first was the smell. The smell of shit.

And then Fiona noticed the people.

The people were dressed in tunics, and capri style pants, with ropes tied around their waists. They were walking and talking in Latin and laughing. There were people looking at stalls set-up with fruit, and hanging meat.

There were dogs sleeping in the shade. There were children running and laughing.

‘Me adsequi non potes, te porcos’ - shouted a child at another child chasing them.

David and Fiona walked past a stall, and the shopkeeper stepped out and said - ‘Quidam delectamentum mali punici ita ut ad ludos, domine?’

‘Non gratias tibi aget’ - said David, smiling

Women were leaning out of windows and shouting to the men in the street.

David patted Fiona’s hand. They reached the end of the street and there it was - The Colosseum, in the distance.

‘What the fuck!’ - said Fiona

‘Latin only, remember’ - said David, smiling

‘Quid in irrumabo!’ - said Fiona

David and Fiona walked, Fiona gripping David’s arm harder.

The streets were more crowded, more people. Street vendors, soldiers, and crowds heading towards The Colosseum.

As they got closer Fiona was in awe, looking around at the buildings, the people - everything!

The giant baths of Thermae Titiane above the hill.

As they got closer to The Colosseum the crowds grew thicker. There were more soldiers. Inside The Colosseum huge cheers could be heard, and horns blaring.

David and Fiona walked the nobility entrance, and David said - in Latin - ‘A private box’

The official at the gate shouted at a group of men, and one of them hurried and bowed.

‘If you will come this way, my lord’ - said the man

David and Fiona followed the man, and climbed several wooden staircases.

They walked along a hallway, the cheering of the crowds louder.

‘Will this one do, my lord?’ - said the man

David peered into the box.

‘Yes’ - said David - ‘And some refreshments!’

David placed a few coins on the man's hand.

‘Thank you my lord’ - said the man, bowing

‘After you, my lady’ - said David

Fiona stepped into the box, and the sounds and sights of The Colosseum filled her eyes and ears.

70 thousand people. 70 thousand Roman people cheering, and singing, and shouting, and clapping.

‘Oh my god!’ - said Fiona, in Latin

‘It’s impressive, isn’t it’ - said David joining Fiona

‘How…?’ - said Fiona

‘I am the cleverest man in the world!’ - said David, sitting on the lounger

Fiona continued to stare.

The man returned with a jug of wine, a fruit platter, and some meat snacks.

David gave the man a few more coins.

‘Thank you my lord’ - said the man

‘Enjoy, Dr. Hall - soak it up’ - said David, pouring some wine in a brass cup.

The six chariots came out into The Colosseum, the riders dressed in full Roman battle armor. The riders waved at the crowd. The crowd were shouting, screaming, and clapping.

Giant horns blared, and resonated around the inside of The Colosseum.

David was popping grapes into his mouth. Fiona stood at the rail and stared.

‘This is unbelievable’ - said Fiona

The chariots made a slow loop of The Colosseum, waving at the crowd. Women were throwing flowers. Men were shouting at the riders - imploring some to win, and others to lose.

The giant horns sounded again. Fiona was covered in goosebumps.

The six riders completed their ceremonial circuit of the track, and then stopped at the starting line.

The riders placed their helmets on, fastening the straps. Each chariot had two horses. The horses whinnied and stamped their hoofs.

Each rider took a draught of wine, and then readied themselves for the race.

The giant horns sounded again, and then the race was started.

The riders cracked their whips, and shouted at their horses, and the horses reacted.

The six chariots set off, and came to the first corner. The chariots the closest to the inside of the track came together, the riders screaming at each other. The chariots made the corner, and opened up in the straight. The rider on the outside was pulling ahead, and turned his horses across the rest of the field to make the inside track on the next corner.

The crowd screamed, and shouted, and clapped louder!

The rider made it to the corner first, his chariot sliding sideways as he exited the corner and made the next straight.

‘How many laps is it?’ - said Fiona

‘7’ - said David, eating more grapes and sipping wine.

The riders completed 4 more laps, and kept their positions.

The horses were sweating, the riders whipped the horses and screamed at each other. The crowd was frenetic.

The giant horns blared again.

‘Last lap’ - said David, joining Fiona at the rail.

Three chariots were vying for the lead. The chariot on the outside made a risky move, pulling his horses across the line of the middle chariot as they exited the penultimate corner. The horses tried to bite each other, the riders screamed and spat at each other.

The chariot's wheels were rubbing against each other, sparks from the iron rivets rubbing against each other flying behind them.

The final corner.

The rider on the inside whipped his horses and screamed.

The rider in the middle chariot gripped the reins and lent as they entered the corner, his horses and the rider on the outside’s horses shoulder to shoulder.

The rider on the outside again tried to turn his horses into the middle rider, and then his chariot flipped as it slid sideways around the corner.

The horses, pulled by the chariot, were turned, and they fell under the hoofs of the middle riders' horses. The middle rider’s horse tumbled over the fallen horses, and the rider was ejected.

The chariot on the inside left the crash behind him as he left the corner, straightening up and heading to the finish line.

The crowd cheered. The horns blared. Fiona was clapping. David sipped wine.

The rider crossed the finish line, hundreds of flowers thrown at him as he wept and waved at the crowd.

David and Fiona spent another two hours in Rome, watching races, eating fruit and sipping wine.

‘I would avoid the meat’ - said David - ‘Gave me an upset stomach last time’

Before they left The Colosseum, David bought a brooch for Fiona, that he pinned to her tunic.

It was a commemorative brooch of the Emperor Titus Caesar Vespasianus, and the 100 Days of Games at The Colosseum.

They walked back to the alleyway and uncovered the time machine.

They climbed on, and David set some dials.

‘Well David Sterling, you certainly know how to show a girl a good time. I will give you that!’ - said Fiona

‘This is just an appetizer!’ - said David, smiling

‘What do you mean, just the appetizer?’ - said Fiona

‘I will tell you when we are back in Alberta’ - said David, clicking some buttons - ‘We will be returning 1 second after we left’

The blue lights shot out the front of the time machine which then became a blue disc, which then became a hole. The time machine shot through the hole, and David and Fiona disappeared.