Jedediah POV
Chapter 5: The long years
20 years later
Like every night I came back to live. I blinked a few times with my eyes and saw how Girl came towards me in a trot. I jumped in the saddle when she reached me and in a gallop we rode up the hill, then right towards the water well underneath the tree. I let Girl stop when we got by the well and got of her again. I looked behind me, just to be sure that no one followed me. After that I picked up the pickaxe I hid behind the tree. I stroke Girl through her manes and over her noise. Then I walked to the mountain, looked behind me for one last time and then crawled in the secret tunnel in the wall.
The last twenty long years I worked at this tunnel. It started accidently. One night I was pretty annoyed when we noticed that, not only our pistols, but also the dynamite didn't work. Out of frustration I took a pickaxe and hit the hills. With one simple hit I got through. I still don't know what the outer layer of the mountain is exactly, but it's no stone. The first part was pretty easy, but then I walked against a hard wall of stone. Still I kept digging and every night my tunnel got bigger and longer. If you bend you can walk through the tunnel without a problem.
~Jedie & Ockie~
A few days ago I finally reached the end. Again I hit the wall hard but suddenly I flew entirely through it. For a few seconds I was too amazed to do something, but then a great smile appeared on my face. After hitting the wall again I could see some light shining through. I was very enthusiastic, but I was still thinking clearly. I looked through some holes and looked at the place before me. I saw a wonderful fountain on a little square. There was not a living soul to be seen, so I broke through the wall and stood on the place.
I knew where I was and therefore very carefully. Imagine what a Roman would do when he saw me walking in the Roman Empire. That stupid Roman would think the worst and immediately send his entire army at me. I walked closer towards the fountain, but I kept on my guard. Maybe it sounds a bit strange, but I felt save there. I couldn't say it felt like I walked through the enemy territory, while I really did. But at least I'm sure the giants don't bother me there.
They are the only ones who get older here and the boys became men, but they are still as cruel as they were. How they older they get, how worse they get. They still want me and the Roman as bait for the lions and we still refuse. They lost their patient after a few months. Most of the nights they lock us up into those boxes. It's terrible to be locked up like that, but it's even worse when I get out. They lift me up and manhandle me. Mostly they take the Roman after me. They let us fall on the brown mountain, who appeared to be a couch or table or whatever. And then they always start with the same question: "Are you two going to help us?" I always answered with no and the Roman also did, fortunately.
It's kinda weird, but when I'm there on that table I feel a little bit allied with the other man besides me. Most of the time when I see him I want to call him names or even attack him, but when I'm standing there I just don't feel like it. I just ignore him and try to defend myself against the giants who stand before me. Because after we say no they get angry. They start to yell at us and even when I know they are lying, it still hurts. They say we're mean nothing to the world anymore. There is nobody who cares about us, because we already death. And they keep persisting we don't have feelings. They think we don't feel pain and we don't have any emotions at all. I always try to ignore them, because I know when I say something back they can't compete with my cleverness and they will get really mad.
Sometimes they even try to hit us. Way too often they push me against the table and sometimes they almost hit me off the table. But that would be the prove that they don't have any honour at all. Nobody with just a little honour would fight against somebody who is smaller then you're own hand. At least I'm not capable to do such things. I always try to fight back and I won't stop fighting, but it's worthless. What can you possible do when someone takes your foot and lifts you up above the ground. You can't fight, you can't defend yourself. There is nothing you can say or do. The only thing you can do is wait for the moment it's over. And that's just the thing I hate the most, there is nothing you can do, just waiting.
No, I rather fight against that Roman. I absolutely don't like that guy, Octavius. To be honest, I hate him and I distrust him with whole my heart. But when I'm truly honest I also have to say I feel respect towards him. Just like me he refused to work for the giants and he also keeps on fighting. And when I'm staying before him in a battle he fights honestly. Our men just pounce themselves into each other, without devious trick like diversions or a group attacking from behind. It's like we agreed we don't do things like that. But what strikes me the most is that Octavius always looks so calm and determined. I keep asking myself if he really is so determined as he looks like. I mean most of the time I'm very convinced too, but even I have my doubts sometimes. Everybody hesitates sometimes, so that Roman has to hesitate sometimes too. Right…?
~Jedie & Ockie~
Anyhow, this night I was at the fountain in the Roman Empire for the million time when something very strange happened. I laid on the edge of the fountain with closed eyes and my left hand in the cool water. If someone would've seen me he would've thought I laid in my own garden, when I was actually in the garden of my greatest enemy. I know I should've kept my guard, but how could I know this would've happen…?
Clift hanger! ^^
But I know, this chapter is pretty boring... =S But I don't think you will understand the rest of the story without this one, so I still hope you enjoyed this one! ^^
And I promise, next chapter will be better (much better in my opinion! =D)