Jedediah POV

Chapter 38: A familiar voice

"Jed..." I heard the voice and I blinked with my eyes a few times, so I could see where the voice came from. "Jed! Hey Jed, can you hear me?" I felt really disappointed when I noticed it was Larry who was calling me. Well, actually I should've known it wasn't Octavius. He never called me Jed before. "Hey Jed! Come on, answer me buddy." Finally I fully understood what was going on and I also noticed Theodore Roosevelt, who stood besides Larry.

"Gigantor," I replied.

"Finally," Larry said inpatient. "I hope you understand I was a little bit worried about you. You were gone last night and this morning I found you with two horses. And Octavius is still missing." I looked shocked back at Larry. They hadn't found Octavius yet? But he was right behind me, wasn't he?

"Jed?" Larry continued and snapped me out of my thoughts. "Do you know where Octavius is?"

"He-he has to be somewhere," I replied. "He was there, close behind me."

"So you two were together last night?" the moustachioed horseman asked me.

"They probably fought again last night," Larry sighed. "Why can't you just stop this war? What's wrong with peace?"

I almost couldn't hear Larry anymore, because suddenly I knew exactly where Octavius would be. He was some dust on the street or maybe even beyond that. He didn't make it.

"Jed, where's Octavius?" Larry continued asking, but I was only able to shake my head. Somehow I was unable to speak.

"Come on boy, what did you do to him?"

'I left him behind,' was the first thought that ran through my mind.

"Isn't it clear what he did," suddenly another voice said far beneath me. I looked down and now I noticed I stood on the counter in Rexy's hall and a group of Romans looked from the ground at me. "He killed Octavius!" There was a shock that went through my entire body. He was right...

"Come on, you don't know that," Larry said to the Romans.

"Last night both Octavius and the cowboys disappeared. The next morning the cowboy is found with the horse of our general," the unfamiliar Roman yelled angry. "It is obvious! He killed Octavius! And now we are going to kill him for it." I closed my eyes and I didn't care what they would do to me. They could kill me if they wanted to.

"Before you can even touch Jedediah, you will all be killed by us." I didn't open my eyes, but I still could recognize William's voice. I could hear the cowboys and the Romans yelling at each other and Larry continued asking me what happened to Octavius.

But my eyes were still closed. I thought about Octavius and slowly my thoughts brought me to another time and space. I dreamed about how we first met and when he first called my name. I remembered how we shook hands and decided to form an alliance. I thought back to all those times we fought against the giants and how we saved each other so many times. And then we walked side by side again in the snow, finally admitting to each other we were actually friends all that time. And with every memory that went through my head, I could hear how his familiar voice called my name.

"Jedediah." "Jedediah!" "Jedediah?"

Sometimes it sounded calm, sometimes alarming and sometimes indignant.

"Jedediah." "Jedediah..." Jedediah!"

Sometimes it sounded bored, sometimes surprised and sometimes even angry.

"Jedediah! Jedie! Jedie!"

But he didn't call me Jedie so many times before. And this time it sounded different... I opened my eyes and for a little moment I thought I was also dead. I saw Octavius running towards me and before I knew it he reached me and wrapped his arms around me. And almost immediately I hugged him back.

"I'm so glad to see you're still alive," Octavius said, while he still held me.

"Octavius, I'm sorry," I was finally able to speak again. "I shouldn't have left you behind by the road." Octavius let go of me, but still let his hands rest on my shoulders.

"Is that why you are crying?" he asked and for the first time I noticed I was indeed crying. But for once I didn't care about it.

"I thought you were dead," I replied. "And it would've been my fault. I shouldn't have left you out there."

"Honestly I have to admit I indeed almost died," Octavius said to me. "I ran towards the stairs, but I knew I wouldn't make it. But suddenly Sacagawea came running outside and she took me back with her. She saw me running, her good eyes actually saved me. I've been with her all day and she also brought me here." There appeared a smile on Octavius's face and it kinda annoyed me.

"This is not funny," I said to him. "You almost died because of me."

"I told you before we left it was a stupid idea. You should listen to me once in a while."

"I meant what happened by the road and wipe that grin of your face. It's still not funny."

"What happened by the road wasn't your fault. I was glad you finally listened to me for once. That's why I'm smiling."

For a moment I didn't know what to say. Sometimes I just can't believe this guy.

"Stupid Roman," I said after a while, but there was also a smile to be seen on my face. We embraced again and I can't describe how happy I was to know he was still alive.

But suddenly I remembered we were not alone.

Hope you all enjoyed chapter 38, even though it's a little sad.

Anyways, thanks again for everybody who came this far. I never dared to dream my story would be so interested for other people. So just thank you for being here.

I hope you all had an amazing day! ^^