Away

My prompt: Write 2–3 paragraphs of historic fiction.

24.8.0076
Go, get out of here. Don’t hesitate, don’t think about anyone else. Padre will come, and so will Lexus. Run, my little Renata, run! Madre told me.
I noticed she didn’t say anything about herself. I didn’t want to leave her, I knew she would make it. Padre and Lexus need you, she said. She was right. They needed me more than Madre did.
So ignoring my instincts, I ran. I turned back and — NO! The roof collapsed just as I turned. The bakery crumbled down, taking Madre with it. A tear trailed down my cheeks, forcing myself to move as I remembered her words: Don’t hesitate, don’t think about anyone else.
So for her, I ran. I ran as fast as I could. I looked back to see the city in flames, Mount Vesuvius looming overhead. Mount Vesuvius was a wonderful sight… when it was not smoking.
But it was smoking. So I ran, away from Madre, away from Padre and Lexus. Away from Pompeii.