Timeslip - page two

Wind of Change

Our body clocks were telling us that it was time for sleep, but we soon adjusted. It was almost midnight as we began to sweep our search heads over the darkened landscape. While John set off on his usual, round the perimeter route, I set off diagonally across the field. Three hours were to pass before we unexpectedly met up again.

All was quiet except for the occasional `clunk` as my search head hit a stone. The first half dozen signals produced nothing but pieces of iron, but the next a coin. Even in the dark I saw the glint of silver as I rubbed the coin between my thumb and forefinger. Illuminated by the beam of a small pocket torch I was able to see an elephant on one side. This told me that the coin was a republican Denarius of Julius Caesar "Yes!", I exclaimed, clutching the coin in a tight fist. Having filled in the hole, I moved on.

Over the next hour I found several Roman bronze coins and another Denarius, this time of Rutillius Flaccus, (yes, the name is genuine). Feeling that my efforts were going to be well rewarded, I resumed my search with vigour.

Having been so self-absorbed I had forgotten all about my mate, and was quite startled by a sudden, prolonged sound emanating from the darkness ahead of me. Remembering the beans we had consumed earlier, I laughed when I realized it was John experiencing problems of flatulence.

"Hiya, Col. Have you found anything?" he enquired.
"Yeah, I've had a few coins. You had any luck?"
"Seven coins and a fibula," came the reply from John.

All that trudging about had made us weary. Seeking respite from our labours, we flopped down on a grassy bank at the edge of the field. The steam from our cups of hot tea drifted across the field, as we gulped it down. We tore into our sandwiches like hunters of the night tearing into their prey, in order to satisfy our pangs of hunger.

At this point we had gone beyond tiredness, and were indeed feeling rather refreshed. We resumed our search, this time remaining in close proximity. Four artefacts were unearthed within thirty minutes, all obviously ancient. At the time, we could not determine what three of them were, but the forth was a Roman javelin tip - inscribed with the word `Nigel`, which had been crudely punched into its surface.

It was at this point that something happened. There was no Road-to-Damascus type experience, no sudden pall of green fog shrouding the site, just John saying: "Col, what's that noise?" I replied that it sounded like horses.

We both stood in silence as the noise grew louder...and nearer. The ground vibrated beneath our feet as the thundering hooves of many horses came straight towards us.

"Run, John, run",I shouted at the top of my voice.
We scattered in opposite directions as the horses, from the sound of their hooves, passed between us. Almost as quickly as it started, the noise died away.

"Col, where are you?" John shouted.
"I'm over here, John. Are you all right? Did you see anything?"
"No, did you?"
"Never saw a thing, John. But they could not have missed us by much."