The Roman arena on display with the blood of humans and animals on a scorching August day…
we see a massive iron gate rise and out strides two gladiators in armor with killer eyes, ready to find out which one dies…
the blistering heat from the sandy arena floor shimmers on their swords as they walk through the gore and stand before the emperor, listening to the crowd’s roar…
“We who are about to die…” is drowned out by the crowd’s excited cries from spectators with blood in the eyes…
the emperor gives a slight nod and sat down, and the combatants turned around until they faced each other in the open ground, weapons held high, both hoping the other would die…
metal rang against metal in the raging heat, as each athlete refused to retreat so that blood covered each from head to feet while spectators passed out in the terrible heat…
finally one of the men clove open the other’s head, striking him instantly dead, leaving the victor the champion for the day, a title he’d be forced to defend again and again until his last day
****
The Creative Chronicles of Dave Stancliff 