by Terry Mayer
"Ok guys, get ready to jump when the boat touches the tower. DO NOT DELAY. Ok, get ready, jump."
All three launch themselves through the air and land on the tower steps. Nathan rolls when he hits the stone and falls over the side. Dropping onto the level below, he is sore but not seriously hurt. Looking up he sees Jack and Jay looking over at him.
"I'm fine, just mistimed my jump," he smiles, delighted to still be alive. "Let's go see who we have to thank for saving us."
Walking up the stairs the three happily come out onto the platform, but charging straight at them, with swords drawn above their heads are Jethro and Natasha.
*****
Watching the boat gradually move towards the tower, Jethro and Natasha wave franticly at the passengers, but they are either not paying attention or have other things on their minds. Watching them run below decks, Jethro says. "I hope they are quick, whatever it is they are doing, look." Pointing at the crumbling rock, the boat is starting to pull loose.
Placing another three blocks in front of the first block to secure it, Natasha looks at Jethro, who has an even more worried look on his face.
"Is it me or is the platform leaning?"
Turning to look, Natasha gasps. "The weight of the boat is dragging us over. This should not happen in Minecraft. Cobblestone is not subject to gravity here."
"I rather think we have changed the laws of Minecraft just by being here. It now seems to be a mix of Minecraft and human."
"So what do we do?"
"Cut the rope or the tower will collapse."
"But what about the people on the boat? If we cut it now they will die!"
"Look, they are getting ready to get off. The moment they are clear, we cut the rope and let the boat float away."
Drawing their swords, they stand ready over the rope, looking over the edge, as the three on board the boat are getting ready to jump.
Just as the three leap off, the boat tips upright, dragging the rope away from Jethro and Natasha. "Now," he shouts swinging his sword, but he encounters fresh air. The rope swings wildly and drags across the platform over to the stairs.
The sudden shifting of weight on the tower swings the platform over and they both tumble to the floor. Quickly rising, Jethro grabs Natasha and pulls her to her feet. "Quick the rope, it will drag the tower down."
Raising their swords, they dash towards the stairs just as the three survivors from the boat make it to the platform.
*****
"Wait, what are you doing?" screams Jay searching for his sword in his inventory as the two assailants bear down on them.
The other two dive to the floor, too inexperienced to defend themselves.
Dragging his sword free just as Natasha reaches him he raises it above his head in a blocking move but Natasha shoulders him aside and swings at the platform. A clanging noise reverberates as she makes contact with the stone.
Raising her sword, she does not get the chance to try again as Jethro charges up and makes a clean blow on the rope, severing it. As the rope whips free the platform swings upwards, throwing them all to the ground.
Jay is the first to his feet, bringing his sword around on Natasha, he prepares to strike when Nathan screams. "Wait Jay, they're not attacking us."
"Yeah right, she almost got me," he replies readying his sword against the prone figure.
"No, she was cutting the boat free. It was dragging the tower down."
Looking at Natasha, he asks. "Is that right?"
Nodding in agreement Natasha replies. "The boat was about to pull the tower over, we tried to cut the rope after you jumped but it swung over to the stairs, that's why we were charging at you when you got here."
"She's right Jay, let her up." Walking over to Natasha, Nathan holds out his hand. "Here, let me help."
Taking his hand, Natasha pulls herself to her feet. "Thanks, you can tell your friend to put his sword away. If we wanted to kill you we would have let the whirlpool take you."
Looking a little sheepish, Jay puts his sword away and replies. "Well, what was I to think? You guys charging at us like that."
Just then, Jethro jumps up and runs over to Nate. "Nathan, I'm so glad it was you we saved. I feel like I have repaid your kindness," he says hugging him.
"Jethro, cool! What are you doing here? Last time I saw you, you had a farm many blocks from here."
"Much the same as you. When the wave hit, I hid in my house but the water level rose so fast all I could do was make a boat and I floated here, and Natasha was nice enough to take me in."
All eyes turn to Natasha who kicks at the floor. "You're welcome."
"Natasha, uh, sorry I tried to kill you."
"Apology accepted. Now what is happening?"
"Guys, you might want to take a look at this," says Jack, standing at the edge of the platform, staring at the whirlpool.
Moving to the edge, they all look out at the scene.
"Holy Notch! What the heck?"
The whirlpool had grown massive, hundreds of blocks in diameter, swirling so fast it was almost a blur, sucking all the water down to who knows where, just like a giant plug hole.
"That's amazing, what's happening?" asks Jay.
"Looks like it's emptying all the water that just arrived. I guess a new trial is starting," replies Natasha.
"Zombie virus!"
All eyes turn to Nathan.
"You heard the announcement when we were on the boat. Mod pack The Infection," he replies.
"You're right. Has anyone ever played this mod?" asks Jay looking around.
Everyone shakes his or her heads, but Jack replies.
"Uh, I have."
Everyone looks at Jack, and then Jay asks. "You have? I didn't think you liked Minecraft."
"You know me Jay, anything with zombies I love. I downloaded the mod pack and played it a few times but I preferred Dead Rising, more realistic."
"So, what does it mean ,this mod pack?"
"Ok, you know I'm not great on Minecraft but the zombies can now infect anyone. If they bite anyone, NPC's, or anything they turn into zombies."
"Uh, what's an NPC?" asks Nathan.
"Jeez, you really are a noob!" replies Natasha sarcastically, looking at his name floating above his head.
"So, I didn't ask to be brought here. It's not my fault I've never played this game before."
"Chill Nate. You're doing fine. We would have been killed already if you hadn't thought of using the whirlpool to get us here."
"Thanks Jay, but what are NPC's. I need to know what's happening."
"Ok, NPC stands for Non Player Characters. They are usually villagers and you can interact with them. You find them in villages and you can trade with them. They are sort of people."
"Yeah right," snorts Natasha.
"What does that mean?" asks Nate.
"They are villagers all right, but they don't do anything. Some people, grifters, use them for fun. Slaughtering them just to gain XP points."
"What are XP points?"
"Oh man, do we have to babysit this guy?" she replies.
"Ok Nate, XP points are experience points. When you kill anything in Minecraft, a little ball appears after they die. If you pick that up, it gives you experience points which give you more, uh, power."
"Ok, so the more things you kill the better you get?"
"Exactly!"
"Ok, so the zombie virus infects everything, what about us?"
Everybody looks towards Jack again.
"In the game I played the zombie virus spread really quick. If you were bitten, you respawned, but I guess that won't happen here."
"Is there anything we need to know to stop it?"
Excitedly Jack replies. "Yeah, you can make a cure. You can inject it into anything and it turns them back to normal."
"How about players?"
"Don't know. Whenever I got bit, I just respawned, but NPC's who were bit just turned to zombies and wandered around until the sun came up and they b
urned."
"Right, so in theory, if one of us is bitten, we turn into a zombie. If we don't immediately die, and we don't know if we will, then we will still be here until sun up. Therefore, if we had a cure we could inject the zombie, uh person, and they would turn back. As long as it's before sunrise?"
"Sounds good Jethro, but like I said I only played it a couple of times."
"That's ok Jack. You did well. So how do we make a cure?"
"Right you need to make a syringe, then put seeds and infected zombie flesh in the syringe which turns it into a cure, I think."
"You think? All our lives might depend on it Jack," shouts Natasha.
"Chill Natasha, he's trying ok?"
"Whatever, but this is hard enough without dealing with a bunch of noobs."
"Hey, he's my brother ok, and he is the only one who's played this mod pack so take a chill-pill or something."
Huffing and kicking at the ground, Natasha walks over to the edge of the platform and stares out at the whirlpool, which, even as they speak is still growing in size.
"So, Jack is it?" asks Jethro, reaching out to shake his hand. "How do we make a syringe?"
"I think you have to make two glass blocks and an iron ingot on the crafting table, which gives you a syringe, then add some seeds and infected zombie flesh and that gives you the cure."
"Ok Jack, you take a little time and see if you can remember anything else. So Jay, you in charge of this merry little group?"
"I guess."
"Right, well Jay, I've seen some of your constructions on YouTube, very nice I must say. So you were obviously invited, yes?"
"Yeah, I got an invite."
"Good, I myself also received an invite and so did Natasha so we have all played Minecraft long enough to know how to create, yes?"
"Yeah?"
"Good, so making a syringe of zombie virus cure should not be too difficult to work out. Now we know what we need, thanks to your brother, we can beat this. What I need to know now is what you have in your inventories, so we can use everything we have to survive."
Over the next few minutes, they each look to see what they had saved and make a list of all they could combine to use together.
"Ok, so we are five people here, two are dead so that leaves five other's. Have any of you seen anyone else?"
Seeing their heads shake no, he continues. "So, we have a zombie virus to deal with and five other players, who could be hostile, like Darknight," he looks at Nathan while saying this. "Safety in numbers is probably the best course at the moment so how about we make a pact. The five of us against everyone else?"
"Fine by me, how about you Jack?"
"I'm in, you in Nate?"
"Yep, I'm with you guys."
"Good, are you ok with this Natasha?" Jethro asks.
As all eyes turn to Natasha as she replies."Yeah, yeah, sounds good but you better come look at this."
Walking over to the platform edge, they all stare down into an abyss.
"Holy cow, how high is this tower?"
"240 blocks," Natasha replies absentmindedly.
"Straight up? That's cool," replies Jay.
Looking over she replies. "Had no choice, the water just kept rising so I built higher."
"Even so, 240 blocks in a 2 x 2 stair, I've never gone that high."
"Did you ever have to?"
"No, suppose not."
"Uh guys, I don't want to always sound like the noob, but what's a 2 x 2 staircase?"
"It's a self supporting staircase that allows you to go up, and down, in the most efficient use of building blocks. Not overly clever, but under the circumstances, it was inspired," replies Jethro.
"Why?"
"Because Nathan, if she had built a tower by simply jumping up and placing blocks underneath her then we would all be stuck here. The only way down would be for one person."
"Right, thanks Natasha. Guess you have saved us all."
Looking at Nathan, then at everybody else, she replies. "Guess I have."
Everyone nods their agreement then looks back at the scene in front of them. The water is disappearing rapidly, sucking down into the plughole of a whirlpool.
"How much further before it reaches the ground?" asks Nathan.
"Not long now, we should see what we are up against soon," she replies.
As she says this, the ground comes into view. The water continues to disappear leaving the floor dry, as if nothing had ever happened.
"Holy Notch. That is weird, even for this game."
"Sorry once again guys for being such a noob, but does Holy Notch refer to the game inventor?" Nathan asks, now really feeling like a noob.
"Notch, he's like the guy who made Minecraft."
"So he's responsible for all this?"
"Somehow I think not. He is the game designer Nathan, and to all of us who love Minecraft we hold him in reverence, but, I can't see that he had anything to do with this," replies Jethro looking out at the landscape below him.
"So who did this?" he asks, looking at each person in turn. "Come on guys, if we can figure out who put us here and why we might be able to survive this."
"Good question, but I have no idea who, or even how this is possible," replies Jethro.
"I think we should store all the questions of who or how until later," says Natasha. "For now we should just concentrate on surviving. Daylight is on our side so we should work now and discuss why later."
"Agreed," replies Jay. "So, what do you have in mind Natasha?"
"I built a small platform 160 blocks below us, I suggest we move down to there so we can take a better look at what it is we're facing, ok?"
All heads nod in agreement so they all proceed to descend 160 blocks.
"Uh Jay, can you stay a little closer?" asks Jack in a quiet voice. "You know I'm scared of heights and this is freaking me out."
"No worries little brother," replies Jay as he lets Nathan go past him and positions himself next to Jack. "You know you did great back there, with the zombie thing and all, don't you?"
"But I can't remember exactly what to do Jay. It was months ago when I last played it."
"Doesn't matter Jack, any information is helpful. You did well."
"Thanks Jay," he replies smiling with a newfound jaunt in his step.
Descending to the lower level, they all stop to look at the surrounding terrain. Carnage and destruction is everywhere, as far as the eye can see. There is no movement or sign of life anywhere.
"Looks like total destruction," says Jethro.
"Nothing is total in Minecraft," replies Natasha.
"So, we all agreed, keep going down?" asks Jethro.
"Keep moving, there's nothing here for us," replies Jay.
Continuing down towards the tower, they proceed with utmost caution. As they approach the entrance to the tower, Jay says. "Move aside, if we have zombies below us, I'm going in first." Drawing his sword, he moves cautiously towards the top of the tower. "Everybody ready?" he asks, looking over his shoulder. With everyone drawing their swords and nodding agreement, he moves into the tower level and looks around. Amazingly the torches are still burning, even after being under water. Advancing down the staircase he slowly rounds the last turn and walks out onto the top of the castle tower. Shouting over his shoulder that all is clear he looks over the landscape below him.
As the other's shuffle onto the platform, they gasp at the view before them. Where before the landscape was bare, it is now a scene from hell. Bodies are laid across the whole scene, some whole other's torn apart with body parts hanging off the battlements and surrounding trees.
"What the heck happened here?" asks Jethro.
"The whirlpool Jethro, all the NPC's were just picked up and dropped. It's horrible."
"But where did they come from? I never saw any NPC's here before the flood."
"That means that they are new to the area, so I'm guessing that we have zombies," replies Jay.
"So what now?"
Even as he asks, the bodies start to move, a groaning noise envelopes the castle and the undead begin to rise.
"Here we go everyone. Let's secure the castle." Rushing down the staircase Jay glances over his shoulder and is reassured to see the other's, swords out, following him down the staircase. Making it to the lower level Jay moves to where the door should be and finds stone blocks instead.
"It's sealed Jay, I blocked the door when the floods hit," shouts Natasha.
"Ok everyone, stay in groups of two, search everywhere, and make sure there are no zombies inside. We're losing the light so look out for mobs, not just the zombies. Jack, come with me, everyone else spread out."
Jay and Jack run off to search their assigned area and Jethro and Natasha run to the other side of the castle, leaving Nathan standing on his own.
"Uh guys, I'm on my own, what do you want me to do?" he asks, standing out in the open, sword in hand and feeling very exposed. Silence, or not quite as he hears groaning coming from the room opposite him.
"Guys, I think we may have a zombie here. Guys!"
With no response, he edges forward towards the groaning noise. "Hey guys, a little help here please?" As he reaches the opening, a zombie stumbles out towards him. "Help, guys. Zombie attack!"
*****
Moving through the castle Jay and Jack steadily advance around each bend, looking for threats but finding none. "You know Jack, we might have got lucky here, Natasha sealed up the castle pretty well before the floods hit. As long as we all stay in groups we should be ok."
"Uh, Jay? You said we should all pair off, yeah?"
"Yeah Jack. What's your point?"
"Well, there are only five of us, so who is on their own?"
"Nathan! Back to the courtyard."
Turning, they both run back in the direction they just came. As they round the corner into the courtyard, they see Nathan defending himself against a zombie.
*****
"Help, someone, anyone, zombie attack!" he screams again as the zombie lunges at him, driving him back into the courtyard. Raising his sword to deflect a blow from sharp claws, he exposes his left side just as the zombie lunges forward and bites into his wrist. Screaming in fear, he swings his sword down on the back of the zombie's neck and severs its head from its body.
Just as the body hits the floor, Jack and Jay rush to his side. "Nate, you ok?" Looking at Nate's arm, with the zombie still attached, Jack jumps back. "Oh Nate, he got you."