Chapter 3: Hissing While You're Dreaming

I remembered crashing my bike into a ditch when I was twelve. I had been looking behind me, wary of the oncoming car. The handle swerved underneath my hands, and I toppled violently into the trench. Pain had exploded on my knee and near my elbow, making my vision turn red. I held back tears as I struggled to my feet. I thought I knew pain then. Clearly, I was dead wrong.

My thigh felt like it was in a blazing fire. My vision blurred in a strange array of blacks, blues, and reds. I thought I heard the frantic screaming of my friends as something tugged at my arms, pulling me into the wooden shack. I heard the slap of wood as the brightness of the world dimmed. I honestly couldn't tell whether we were safe or not. My leg was demanding all of my attention at that moment.

I was faintly aware of a person shaking my shoulder, calling out my name. Tanner? No, the person was yellow, so it had to be Emmy. Her voice became more distinct as the ache in my leg lessened. My senses gradually improved, and to my surprise I was panting and shivering. The injury was reduced to a dull throb, and I let out a shaky breath.

"Samus!? Are you okay!? Oh, please answer me!" Emmy pleaded.

I turned my head towards her and offered a small smile. "Hey. Yeah, sorry, I kinda zoned out. I'm fine, I think. What hit me?"

It was then that I noticed Tanner groaning in the corner. He had his back turned, like he was scared to see me.

"I'm going to be sick." He mumbled.

Concerned, I attempted to rise. Pain shot through my thigh again, and I glanced down. I felt sick too once I discovered what it looked like.

An arrow was embedded deep within my upper thigh, appearing to penetrate the bone. Red was splattered across the entry point and the blocky arrow, and my mind rebelled against the idea that it was my own blood.

"Damn those skeletons." I muttered, striving to make myself calm down. I was never too good with human blood or anything medical.

"Here." Emmy said in a soft voice. "Let me pull it out."

"What!?" Tanner and I squeaked.

"It'll only bleed more if you do that." I tried to reason.

Emmy shook her head. "No. The arrow is the only thing obstructing the healing process."

"The what?" Tanner asked, keeping his eyes locked on her.

"Think about it." She urged. "Your character always heals in Minecraft. If we pull out the arrow, Samus' leg should heal by itself."

"So we're going off speculation here?" I fretted.

"What else do we have?" Emmy countered. Our gazes locked, and I could tell how much this frightened her too. I had to trust her. Emmy was an experienced Minecraft player, but most importantly she was my best friend. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my life.

I swallowed hard. "Go ahead. Just, please be quick."

She smiled tightly and grabbed the arrow.

"Oh god, I am going to puke." Tanner moaned.

"You go do that." I said through clenched teeth, for Emmy had started to pull.

The ripping sensation didn't even compare to the actual penetration of the arrow, but it still hurt. My hands clamped around the edges of my jacket as the agony once again flowed through my veins. A grunt escaped my lips as the arrow finally released itself. I glanced down at my thigh to discover that it was not bleeding. In fact, the laceration was glowing a faint green in the blackness. The light seemed to repair my torn skin until my injury had vanished. The glow diminished until we were left in the dark murkiness of the night.

Emmy and I shared disbelieving looks while Tanner asked, "Is it over?"

"Yeah," I assured. "Guess you were right Em."

She nodded, appearing pleased. However, her expression changed, darkening a bit.

"Samus, what were you looking at before you were shot?"

Trying to mask my apprehension, I replied, "What do you mean?"

Tanner rolled his eyes and took a seat next to me on the cold floor. "Don't play dumb Sam. There was something there. What was it?"

I bowed my head, splaying my hands in my lap. Trepidation built up in my chest as the words I was struggling to disprove bubbled to my lips.

"Herobrine."

Silence filled the tiny space, interrupted by the chilling moans of zombies outside. You could hear the rattle of skeleton bones as they patrolled the area, staking out prey. The sick realization that we were the prey at the moment washed over me, causing more desperation to leak into the air.

Tanner was the first to break the silence. "But, you don't believe in Herobrine."

Shaking my head, I countered, "I saw what I saw. Pure white eyes were staring at me, and the figure had a Steve skin. Unless it's another player, it has to be Herobrine."

Emmy sighed. "Great. Another freaking problem to add to the list."

"Speaking of which," I added, "We should probably make weapons. Tomorrow we can hunt the peaceful mobs for food and leather. I really do not want to eat any rotten flesh."

They nodded, and we got to work on the crafting table. We decided that each of us should have a wooden sword and pick. Crafting was quick, just like it was in the game. The items magically appeared in the air after we placed the necessary materials in the slots. My skeptical brain struggled against such an idea, trying to find the logic in the situation. Right now, however, survival was my main focus.

In no time at all, we equipped our weapons. A sense of relief surged through me. We could protect ourselves now, and we weren't defenseless. That had always been one of my greatest fears, not being able to protect myself and others. The sword in my hand, however, proved that I could.

It was balanced and fit perfectly in my cupped hand. The wooden handle was surprisingly comfortable as I squeezed it. It was easy to maneuver, and a million battle tactics buzzed through my mind. It was almost as if instincts were taking over, and it felt amazing. I glanced at my friends, gauging whether they were at ease with their weapons as well.

Emmy had her eyes half closed in concentration as she attempted to lightly swing her sword. Her form was off-balance, and she struggled under the force of the movement. Tanner was having similar problems. His feet were too close together, and if he didn't protect his front, then… Wait. How did I know this?

Theories danced across my thoughts. My dad had studied martial arts when he was younger, and I remembered him using a wooden katana. However, I had never really studied martial arts, and I had never seen him use that katana. Maybe it was all of those action animes I watched late at night. But those were just drawings; I couldn't gain real knowledge from those, could I? I shook my head. Survival first, theories later.

"So," Tanner started, "What now?"

I shrugged. "I guess we could try to sleep. We'll take watches though, just in case something unexpected happens."

"I'll take the first watch." Emmy volunteered.

"Thanks." I smiled, glad I could catch a few hours of sleep. "I'll take second."

"Third." Tanner mumbled, already half asleep on the ground.

I walked over to the corner of the shack and sat down gingerly. I rested my back against the cool surface, bringing my legs underneath me. I forced my eyes to close and ignored the world around me. A few moments later, sleep found me, and I drifted.

I honestly didn't expect to dream. I'm not a big fan of them, since most of my dreams turn into nightmares. However, this was different. I was sitting among a brilliant myriad of flowers, ranging from roses, orchids, and tulips. Many more that I couldn't identify speckled the land, making it a truly beautiful place.

Standing, I looked around to see if anyone was here. A strong breeze dusted the land, and I threw up an arm to protect my eyes. When the wind vanished, I was left alone with a tall figure. Under closer scrutiny, I discovered that he had long, ginger hair and a beard that surrounded his chin. He had black glasses and a thin figure, making him undeniably familiar. With wide eyes I realized who he was.

"Jeb." I breathed, loud enough that he could hear me.

"Hello Samus. Can I call you that? I know only your friends really call you that." He seemed genuinely worried that he had offended me.

I shook my head. "No, that's fine. You can call me Samus. But, how are you in my dreams? Can you help me? My friends and I are trapped in Minecraft, as crazy as that sounds. Is there a bug in the code or something?"

He let out a laugh, holding up his hands. "That's a lot of questions. Always the inquisitive type. No wonder you were chosen."

I narrowed my eyes. "Chosen? What do you mean?"

He laughed again. "I'm afraid I won't be able to answer all of your questions. Now, I can help you, but my help will be limited. I can only communicate with you when you're sleeping, which means we don't have much time. There, well, there is technically a bug in the code, but that wasn't what brought you and your friends here. As for the meaning of chosen… ah, I can't exactly tell you that yet. You'll just have to wait."

I crossed my arms against my chest. "The more you talk the more you confuse me."

Jeb offered an amused smirk. "You've got fire, I'll give you that."

"My friends' lives are on the line. Of course I'm going to fight."

His eyes lit up, and he nodded. "That's fantastic! Well, I should let you go. We'll talk later. See you soon adventurer!"

"Wait!" I called to him. "Don't go yet!"

Jeb had already disappeared, but I thought I heard his chiming laugh ring through the air. The dream world was dissipating, and I was awoken.

I gasped as I escaped my dream. Emmy was kneeling tiredly next to me with a concerned look on her face.

"You okay?" She asked.

It took a few moments, but I replied, "Yeah. I'll tell you more in the morning. Get some sleep."

Smiling, she complied and laid her head on the floor. Seconds later, her breathing evened out, indicating that she was asleep.

I switched to my sword and sat in the middle of the small space. I was prepared for any mob attacks, my ears listening for any peculiar disturbances. My gaze lingered on the tiny window on the wooden door, attempting to see into the darkness. My nerves bristled and my muscles were tense. My thoughts were strangely calm and focused on the task at hand. The weariness that normally came with waking up was not there.

Why was my body prepared for battle? True, action movies were my favorite, and I spent my childhood pretending to be an intergalactic bounty hunter instead of a princess, but those weren't valid answers to my question. There was no certifiable answer to why I had a warrior mindset.

"You've got fire…"

"No wonder you were chosen."

"See you soon adventurer!"

Jeb said we had been chosen. Maybe in this world, certain skills are revealed that we never knew about. Those skills might be needed, so we were chosen. It still didn't make complete sense, but Jeb had helped clear some things up.

Outside, I heard the vile hiss of a nearby Creeper. I rose to my feet, pacing towards the door. My sword was raised in front of me, protecting most of my body. I peered through the door to discover a bright green Creeper staring back at me. Its black gaze was bottomless, and my instincts told me to run. It showed no signs of movement, not even a hiss. I glanced across the land, searching for any other mobs. There were none.

I'm not sure if it was stupidity or curiosity, but something urged me to open the door and fight it. I threw a look over my shoulder, making sure Emmy and Tanner were sound asleep and safe. Then, my hand reached for the door, and I stepped into the dangerous night.

After I closed the door, the Creeper hissed appreciatively. It seemed pleased at my courage (or my lack of self-preservation), and walked towards me.

I tried to remember the best strategy for killing Creepers. I should quickly stab it, and then retreat. Repeat until it died. Seemed straightforward.

Taking a calming breath, I charged at the Creeper. To the Creeper's surprise, and mine as well, I moved quickly. Too quick for normality. My sword tore through the creature's skin, and I backed away instantaneously. The Creeper expanded, and I retreated a little farther. However, he reverted to normal size, and I attacked once more. I repeated the same process four times until the Creeper fizzled and collapsed. He graciously dropped a few gun powders, which I collected before I returned to the shack.

My adrenaline was still pumping by the time I sat down. I was on high alert. My chest was filled with something strange, a new type of fear that wasn't normally felt. I deduced that it might be from battle, seeing as I felt the urge to move around. It was the thrill of danger, and it scared me. However, it made me feel alive. That scared me even more.

I breathed deeply for a long time, trying to return to my normal state. The sun glowed faintly on the horizon, bathing the land in orange hues. The cries of zombies could be heard as they burned, and the skeletons struggled to find shade. I looked away. I didn't enjoy suffering, even if these creatures were vile.

But I killed that Creeper. Why?

"Soon." I heard Jeb's voice. "Soon."

I sighed and put my head in my hands. A situation with more questions than answers always frustrated me. I supposed that I'd have to wait.

"Sam," I heard Tanner's groggy voice.

I turned to look at him. "Morning."

"Why didn't you get me up?" He questioned.

I simply shrugged. "I forgot, I guess. I'm not one for sleep anyway. It's fine."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "If you say so."

"You two are too loud." Emmy complained. "I want more sleep."

Tanner laughed and I giggled slightly.

"I know something that will get her up." I whispered to Tanner as I moved towards Emmy.

He smirked, knowing I had a good plan in mind.

"Emmy," I said in a sing-song voice. "There's a freaking spider in the shack!"

She let out a shriek and shot into the air. Her sword was equipped in her hand and she flung it around desperately. When she saw that I was joking, she turned to glare at me.

"Thanks for that, Samantha." She muttered sarcastically.

"Anytime." I answered with a cheery smile. I was secretly cringing on the inside for the use of my full first name though.

"So," She began, "How was your watch?"

"Oh, you know," I replied hesitantly. "Just fought a Creeper, watched the stars, heard some zombie moans…"

"Wait, what!?" Tanner asked. "What was that first one?"

I rubbed my arms defensively. "Fought a Creeper?" I offered.

My friends stared at me with wide eyes. I began to feel chagrin as they continued staring, and I quickly turned away.

"It's nothing bad." I said. "I wasn't hurt."

"Sorry," Emmy quickly apologized. "Let's just go hunt for supplies. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

I nodded, and we headed for the door. However, there was a strange feeling in the air that told me this trip would not be easy. In fact, it felt like a storm was brewing.

A/N Hello everyone! Massive thank you too those who reviewed, followed, and favorited. You guys keep me writing. I hope you enjoyed chapter 3, and look forward to chapter 4 sometime next week! See ya guys soon!