Part 1

I pour the water on the floor and set the bucket down to the side. Bending over I pick up the long handled brush and start scrubbing the dried blood from between the large flat stones. Bucco notices me and calls to me saying, "Hey Cato! Why are you doing woman's work?" He turns to the group of soldiers standing behind him, smiling at their laughter. I stop and lean against the long handle. "Bucco, if you didn't soil yourself every time a man comes in here I wouldn't have to!" This brings an even greater reaction from the crowd. Bucco's eyes grow dark as he tries to think of an adequate reply. I turn my back on the group and begin scrubbing again. I don't care that much that the floor is clean. It's just that the smell of dung, urine and blood seems to attack my stomach. It makes me nauseous. I like to get rid of the smell after the last victim of the day so I can eat my lunch without vomiting. I hear the hinges of the large wooden door as it opens. I stop scrubbing and look up to see a Centurion guard detail enter the room with another prisoner. Glancing quickly around I notice everyone is looking. Some of the guys are even standing on tiptoe to get a better look over the heads of their companions. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Captain Aculeo stand up from his desk. I follow him with my eyes as He walks over to the Centurion at the head of the procession. You can see they are discussing the prisoner, The Centurion is pointing at a written order in his hand while Captain Aculeo nods. After a few minutes Captain Aculeo takes the paper and walks over to his desk. Without sitting down he hunches over the desk to sign the paper with a quill. He then makes a note in the prisoner log. When he finishes he motions for me to follow him, and walks back to the Centurion.