Okay, this is the first real chapter in this story. It's written by me (Hazel's POV), but Hecatenna writes the point of view of Maya, and my other friend writes the POV of Aries.

Thanks!

~Lilie

"C'mon Stella!" calls Nina, "We're going to miss the bus!"

"Whatever!" I call back, "Its not like there's much to miss at school anyway."

"True." Nina calls back, but keeps on walking.

I watch as the bus pulls up ahead of her. She runs to catch it, and I follow her, my brown hair coming out of my short braid and blowing in the wind behind me. I storm is starting, and I look up at the darkening sky. Nina's already far ahead of me, and is only feet away from the bus. I sprint towards the bus.

Suddenly, I feel a hand on my arm. I whip around to see a man in a mask. Only his eyes are visible, and they shine a deep grey. I try to yank my arm out of his grip, but his grip is way too strong, and he yanks me backwards. I scream for help, but the bus is already pulling away. Nina's staring through the window, but I know she can't see me. The rain splatters the bus, as it passes me by. I fight even harder against the man's grip, but I know it's hopeless. I see a needle coming towards me and I…

I bolt upright in bed, the softly glowing torchlight on the wall illuminating the creepy painting on my wall. The painting, done entirely done in blue and black descripts the battle of between the mobs and the humans. It's really quite gory, and I have no idea why my mother put it in my room. I settle on my side, facing away from the painting, and try to go back to sleep. I don't succeed.

So, I lie awake, thinking about that weird dream I had. I mean, it had to have been a dream – right. My name is Hazel, not Stella, I don't have a friend named Nina, and weirdest of all, I didn't have a heart bar in the dream. I glance at my heart bar now, which is tattooed on the inside of my right wrist. There are 10 tiny red hearts representing lives, 10 little chicken drumsticks representing food, and 10 little water bucket marks representing water. I've never had my heart count fall past 6 hearts as Mom says that if it does, then the hearts will decrease rapidly. She's never proven that, but I don't want to take the risk.

More of her phrases echo in my head. Go to sleep and stay asleep or you'll fail school. She's very helpful that way. I glance at my little-kid school diploma sitting on my desk where my glowstone nightlight used to be. Mom took that away when I turned 7, because she thought it was too babyish. I was really mad at her after that. We didn't speak for days.But, this time, despite myself, I try to take her advice. Tossing and turning, I eventually fall asleep again.

In the morning mom forces me to get up. I cover my head with a pillow. But mom, yanks the pillow off and drags me (literally) out of bed.

"Get up Hazel! It's your first day of school." She yells.

I groan, "What am I, in kindergarten again? I've gone to the school of Notch all my life. "Get out, I'm going" I shut the door, and get dressed, pants, t-shirt, and boots. Mom always says I need armor in case the mobs come in. Personally, I don't think leather boots are going to help much, but it's better than having to look like an idiot when I wear a tunic. I open my door again, and go downstairs.

Mom hands me an apple, and I take it gladly. "Bye!" I call as I rush out the door. I see the bus just around the corner. I wave my arms, but it's already stopped. I hop on, and find a window seat near the back. Across from me is my friend Faith. I talk to her as I eat my apple. My food bar goes up from where it was down two marks from sleeping.

"So, are you ready for the videos today. You'd better pay attention this time, cause Mrs. Todd says we'll have a pop quiz on the different types of ore afterwards." Faith says brightly. I swear in my head.

"I totally forget about the videos! Please say it's a different thing than the guy getting repeatedly killed by the mobs. That video is scary. They really shouldn't show it to you on the first day back from school. Also, I have no idea how we're supposed to study the ores when that guy is getting murdered." I say and shiver just thinking of it

"Nope, same one. The teachers call it 'educational', but I agree with you. Well, see you second period." She says, and the bus stops. We both get off, and wave good-bye.

Walking up to the steps of the school of Notch, I look in awe at the tall iron building. Faith counted once and told me there are about 300 windows, 100 doors, and 90 teachers teaching all the classes. There is a sign out front warning about hostile mobs, and giving the history of the school, and a fun fact telling that _ tons of iron were used to build the school. I ignore the sign, having seen it at least 9 times (preschool-8th grade). I'd see it more (like every day), but we only use the front entrance the first day of school. The rest of the time we use the back. I walk past the giant embellished doors, and down the hallway looking for the welcome room. Everyone (except preschoolers) meet in this room to get their schedules. I hear many teachers shouting inside, and rush into the room.

All eyes turn towards me. I slam the door behind me, simultaneously apologizing and taking my seat near the back of the room. I sit next a boy, who was infamous in first grade for trying to eat the poisonous mushrooms. He stopped after he got into the hospital for a month, and respawned five times. Now he's staring raptly at the video screen. The teachers turn it on, I get ready to cover my eyes. Really, I know I shouldn't be afraid of seeing people die, 'cause they just come back anyway. But they always have this haunted look in their eyes afterwards. The boy too. I force myself to look at the video.

It starts off calmly, like always. The guy, wearing a black meta t-shirt and jeans carries a safety torch (which resembles an oversize flashlight). He enters the mouth of the cave, the camera pans and follows him. He crouches down, and drops off a ledge, then balances himself as e turns and smiles at the camera. He holds up his pickaxe, made of tough iron. I spot one crack in it. He drops onto another ledge, and skirts around the lava. He looks deeper into the cave, and sees the glimmer of gold ore. His eyes light up.

Suddenly, I hear a growling. I brush it off as the movie, as I know the zombies are due to come out any minute. The miner smiles again, and starts to tap at the gold ore. The growling starts again, and as I mobs come out I shield my eyes. I hear a scream, and open them again. That's not in the video. A teacher pauses the video and an electronic voice comes on over the speakers right over my head.

"This is not a drill. Please leave the all-school assembly immediately and proceed to the underground base. I repeat this is not a drill. The mobs have breached the gates."