Prologue: Days and nights are the same length as normal life, not ten minutes. Minecraft physics. Hard difficulty.

Part 1: Freighport

CHAPTER 1- THE STRUGGLE

Charlie lived in a small neighborhood on a large island. The town was called Freightport because of the chest minecarts that came every Saturday to haul off the coal to the ports. Charlie's island was a historical place and besides coal mining, the other main industry was tourism. He was an average kid who didn't bother with dressing up in fancy skins when he went places, usually he just stayed as the original. Charlie was in the fifth grade and didn't have a lot of friends, his school wasn't very filled and there were only about thirty kids per grade. He was a smart kid but he only had one friend who's name was Brine, a girl in his class with red hair and a pink shirt.

This particular day there were a couple seventh graders teasing him and punching him into lockers. Luckily that morning Charlie made the decision to put on leather boots which decreased the pain of the kids punches. He hit one of the kids back right when a teacher stepped out of the nearest classroom holding a stick. "Charles Dittor enough!" Mr. Z shouted and all four students froze. Stepping over to them and looking at them who all had their heads pointed at their toes. They were all the same height which was normal after a kid left Kindergarten and hit their growth spurt. "Who started this?"

All three seventh graders looked at Charlie and the boy looked around at all of them. "They're lying," he mumbled hopelessly, "They were insulting my dad."

"What you want, another beating boy?" One of the boys asked before jumping back as he realized what he said. "I mean..."

"I think I've heard enough Mr. Arn, you three to the principal's office now." They moaned and started walking down the hallway punching their stupid friend. Turning back to Charlie who had had enough time to recover to full health asked, "You alright kid, sorry about accusing you like that. What were they saying about your dad that got you so upset?"

"They told me he must've been a coward to raise such a wimp like me. He died in the coal mine collapse four years ago, saved ten people then ran back in for more." Charlie was proud of his father more than any other aspect of his life. Many people died from Freightport that day so Mr. Z accepted and patted him on the back. School had just ended and Charlie was sprinting home hoping not to run into those boys on his way. Although the town was a main provider of coal for the mainland, the workers were never paid very much. All the money went to the mine owner who had a mansion at the top of the hill overlooking the town. The streets weren't even paved only made out of cobble placed by the original builders of the town. There was the occasional hole in the street but nobody bothered to patch them up. Finally Charlie reached his home and went to check up on his mom. Being an only child was hard on him but they had received a settlement from the coal mining company Coal Co. It was enough to get them by even without his mother working. She'd been diagnosed as a crazy person and she heard voices all day so Charlie didn't worry about her much, she had company. After he shut the fence gate and made the way down the dirt path he looked around. All the neighbor's yards were freshly mowed but his was covered in grass and flowers. He went to check the small garden they had behind their house but there wasn't much there, he harvested five wheat and replanted the seeds but didn't dare plant any more because he needed the money for his mom's medication.

Walking in the back door Charlie called out, "Mom I'm home." He walked into her room but she was sleeping, it seemed to be all she could do anymore. Tossing a loaf of bread at her it was placed in her inventory and fortunately didn't wake her up. Being the smartest kid in his grade meant nothing to him, he didn't want to go into the inventing business, or being a lawyer or businessman. He grabbed his wooden sword that he save up a lot of levels to name Gutter and went into the back to practice fighting. There were two saplings in his backyard so he couldn't hit them like usual which was probably better since Gutter had only a quarter bar left of durability. He spent long into the afternoon and it started to get dark but he still was swinging his sword around his backyard. Putting the sword back in his inventory he went around breaking the grass and flowers. Happy that he got a total of ten wheat seeds from his front and backyards, Charlie walked up to his backdoor but he heard something in his yard. Spinning around the first thing he noticed was that the trees grew when he turned around, the second was a pair of red eyes behind the tree. Oh no, the light! Charlie thought frantically, the torches placed in the backyard were close to the house and the trees obstructed the light. Springing up from the darkness was an eight-legged, red-eyed, monster. Switching back to his sword Charlie stood next to his back door. The spider was attempting to climb over the tree, it wasn't smart enough to go around and Charlie Dittor kept thinking the smart thing was to run to the police, spiders can't break down doors he'd be safe inside. "Uuurrggh, sss sss," the noises piled up but he definitely made out the sound of a zombie. I can't leave mom alone, that zombie will break down the door, so he made a decision, a decision that would change his life.

Drawing the monsters towards him he ran past the tree and placed a torch in the dark spot of his lawn. Getting hit by the zombie he heard a growl and started running. The hit hurt much more then he thought, much more than the punches from his classmates. Running into his front yard he took a look around, the spider was almost as fast as he was but the zombie was still pretty far back. The spider lunged at him and he bat it back with his sword, it didn't do as much damage as he thought it would and the spider jumped right back at him. Never having fought a real fight before Charlie blocked as he backed up towards the street, the zombie was getting closer.

Charlie's next door neighbor Mrs. Flynn had her husband run to the station as fast as possible when she saw the monsters appear in the Dittor's backyard. She was currently hiding behind her door watching as Charlie got hit again and again by the spider. Her daughter Brine was in the kitchen eating dinner while it all went on. Knowing her daughter to be friends with the boy, Mrs. Flynn decided not to let her know what was going on. A minute ago however, the zombie's noise was heard through the wall and Brine stood up fast, her bow was instantly on hand having it always ready with the only two arrows she owned. Running next to her quivering mother at the door she froze as the sight of her friend since childhood appeared in front of her.

Now on the street Charlie swung his sword again hitting the spider knocking it back. Suddenly wishing he had eaten some bread after practicing, his health wasn't coming back to him, in fact he was starving, getting exhausted from the fighting. Hitting the spider a third time it came right back and hit him again breaking his boots. The surprise of them breaking caused him to loose a grip on his sword. As he stepped towards it to pick back up he saw a green foot step on it. Looking up he saw the zombie as close as it could be without touching him in front of his face.

Charlie didn't feel good, he was hurt more than he'd ever been and he knew it. Checking his health he saw that he only had three hearts left. The watch that told him this was invented by the ancients, one of their earliest devices. Next to his health was his hunger and half of one drumstick was remaining. Swinging his sword he knocked back the zombie only to get hit again by the spider. It's all over, I hope someone takes care of you mom when I'm gone. he thought and closed his eyes.

"Charlie look out!" he spun, opened his eyes and saw the spider flipped on its back, an arrow sticking out of its head. Knowing Brine was there with him Charlie found a newfound confidence, his hunger was at zero and the last one and a half hearts he had started going down but he was in a rage. Taking his sword he yelled out a war cry and hit the green mess of flesh picking up the spider's silk the spider dropped as he walked over it. The zombie wasn't as fast as the spider and he hit it again losing half a heart from starvation. He hit it again and again and again and again, the zombie was still moving slow and he was down to half a heart. Another arrow flew past him and knocked the zombie back but it still wasn't dead. In a last ditch effort Charlie jumped towards the zombie and hit it sending impact lines flying out of the point where it hit. The zombie was thrown backwards falling on the ground dropping some of its flesh. In victory Charlie walked over and picked up his trophies before collapsing on the street. His last sight as his eyes closed was Brine running towards him followed by the entire six man police force in full leather armor with stone swords. About time they got here, Charlie's eyes closed and he passed out.

After spending a night in the hospital Charlie awoke drowsily wondering where he was. Brine was sleeping on an armchair next to his bed while her father paced back and forth around the room. Telling from his face it looked like he'd been there all night and hadn't slept a wink. Mr. Flynn was like a father to Charlie since his father had died. They'd worked together and Mr. Dittor saved his life that day; he was trapped under a collapsed part of the area without a pick and Frank smashed his way in pulling the trapped man out with him. Charlie sat up, not feeling any pain unexpectedly. "Mr. Flynn?" he asked getting out of bed.

"Charlie!" he yelled in relief walking over to the boy and embracing him. Although they were the same height and looked similar, Mr. Flynn had spiky black hair and orange clothes, it looked like he was a prisoner except for the words on the shirt that read 'Every day is fun day.'

Brine jumped out of her seat and stepped between her father and her best friend. Looking Charlie in his black square eyes she smiled and he smiled back as they embraced in a long hug. Tears started to well up in her eyes and Charlie said frantically, "Don't worry, I'm fine look," he stepped back so she could get a good look at him.

"Your fine?" she asked waiting for a nod. After seeing one she frowned and punched him in the shoulder, "What were you doing? You could've been killed! You should have ran to get the police," Brine paused waiting for an answer.

"Maybe you weren't paying attention in monster evolution class but zombies learned how to break down doors hundreds of years ago." The boy looked into her eyes that were softening as she realized his mother kept him home fighting. A smile broke onto her face feeling proud of her friend who went into his inventory and pulled out the string. Seeing the pieces in his hand, Brine's eyes grew wide, "Oh you want these?" Charlie teased, "well you did get the kill shot so here," he tossed the pieces to her and she jumped for joy then bent over in happiness.

Mr. Flynn was feeling a bit out of place and went to tell the doctor that the boy was okay. When he shut the door he noticed two men in police officer skins wearing leather helmets and recognized them from the previous night. "Hello officers, what seems to be the problem?"

The one on the left replied, their positions were the only way to distinguish them from each other, "Mr. Flynn I presume? Before we get started I'd like to thank you for notifying us as soon as something happened."

"Not like you were any help in the matter spending over a minute putting on all that armor, if you had come earlier you could have actually helped." Usually Mr. Flynn was a friend to these men, it was a small town and there weren't more than a thousand people living there, but he was still upset from the night before. "Now a boy is in the hospital, he could've died had my daughter not stepped in."

"Yes we deeply regret not being there to help but we had no assurance that the boy lit back up the area like he did," the man on the right said. "Had there been any more..."

"I'm sure the six of you would have been able to handle it," Howard Flynn replied, "even without your armor."

The left man spoke again, "As we were saying we're sorry, but that's why we're here Mr. Flynn." Howard looked confused but allowed them to explain themselves, he was never one to interrupt a cop and highly respected them aside from his outburst a minute before. "Those two kids showed bravery where many adults wouldn't have. Or didn't. Many other of your neighbors hid inside when they saw young Charles fighting a spider."

Mr. Flynn muttered something about cowards under his breath and the right man continued again. "We brought six of the seven officers to fight two monsters. In a town of one thousand two hundred and rising we need more men. Unfortunately in the last ten years nobody has joined the force. Kids follow in their parents footsteps and almost every man in this town works in the mines and every woman stays at home. It isn't like this in the rest of the world but these kids are the first I've seen in a long time with ambition, a spark."

Inside the door to their room, both Charlie and Brine had their ears pressed firmly against the door. They kept mouthing to each other things like, 'Oh my God,' and 'Awesome.'

"We'd like to ask you if we could invite them to become junior policemen on the force." Seeing the look of reluctance on Howard's face that any father would have sending his children into a dangerous line of work, the left man reassured him, "I know you must be hesitant before making such a huge decision but I'd like you to know that coal mining is in fact a far higher risk job with all the cave ins, lava falling from the ceiling, and high drops that could kill you. And your daughter, she could grow up and marry a coal miner and live a life like so many before her, but you can see if that's what she wants to do." Finally the officer stopped hoping that he had convinced the man.

Mr. Flynn looked back at the door and to the officers, "It won't come into conflict with their schoolwork?" The two men shook their heads and the kids inside the door grinned to each other. "Well you'd have to ask them, I don't know if..."

The door was thrown open as both fifth graders jumped out screaming in unison, "Yes yes yes yes yesss!" Both officers and Brine's father smiled at the kids who were beaming.

Having been fully recovered, Charlie left the hospital and raced his neighbors home on foot. They were taking the minecart subway that went underneath most streets to a couple of depots. The one closest to their house was still pretty far away so as Brine and Howard Flynn got off of their car they started sprinting for home. Reaching their door they didn't see Charlie anywhere and panting Brine cheered, "Yeah we beat him!"

"Think again," a voice said from behind a tree on the Flynn's front yard.

"I don't know how you do it kid, you always beat us." Mr . Flynn said ruffling Charlie's short cropped hair. Brine pouted and walked inside upset she'd lost, again.

Charlie left their yard and went inside his house, "Mom, guess what." He ran into his mother's room but she wasn't there. Walking over to the bathroom he knocked on the door, "Hey mom you in there?" Pushing the wooden door open he stepped inside and noticed the floor was covered in water, Damn that's the second time she's fallen asleep in the bath this month, I thought I told her not to take one when I wasn't home. Shielding his eyes so he wouldn't see his mom's undressed body, Charlie stepped to the side off the tub. As he thought it was filled to the brim with water, "Come on mom wake up, I don't want to have to carry you to bed like last time." Moving his hand away from his eyes he looked into an almost empty tub. On the bottom sat a couple roses, daisies, some wool, and a loaf of bread. Fearing the worst, Charlie stepped back and slipped on the water falling to the ground. More than he'd ever been during the fight, Charlie was afraid, thoroughly scared. He started to cry, not remembering when the last time he cried was, probably back in first grade when his father died. Finally he snapped and screamed, "Mom! Mom where are you!" Maybe she just dropped her entire inventory in the tub, he thought. Running around his house and backyard he searched everywhere for his mom. Hearing his screams, Dorothea Flynn came over with her daughters and husband. Brine's older sister Alice tried to calm Charlie down while the others looked around.

"Howie," Dorothea whispered as they searched the woman's bedroom a third time, "you heard what Charlie said, his mom's stuff was in the tub. It wasn't the first time she fell asleep in there she drowned and we all know it." Howard dropped the bed back down pretending to look under it for no reason except to hold onto the small but of hope his wife extinguished. "It's time to tell him, and you'll have to do it," they both knew why. While Charlie's dad was dead he could get close to Howard, but as long as his mother was alive, he would never get close to Mrs. Flynn, it would have been like giving up on his mom.

Charlie was told the truth. He already knew it, in his heart, but hearing it out loud made everything so real. That night Charlie dug a hole and the Flynn's called over some friends of Mary's but there was no family left to mourn. It was tradition to bury a person's inventory in their grave as bodies were never recovered. On the occasion that the person's bones are dropped they are turned to bone meal to grow a small garden of grass and flowers over the grave. When rotten flesh is dropped it was incinerated as burying either of those things caused a skeleton or zombie to come back. Many people try to bring back loved ones like this but end up scarred from having to then kill their hostile family member or get killed themselves by it. Charlie wordlessly waited for all the mourners then ungracefully tossed them one by one in the grave. Two roses, a daisy, two pieces of white wool and one brown - she had been meaning to make Charlie a sweater out of it for weeks. Finally he held up the bread he'd given her upon returning from school a day ago. After one last look he dropped it in with the rest. The hole was three blocks deep but only one on either side and Charlie filled in the two top spaces of the grave so to belongings wouldn't be exhumed. Having one remaining block of dirt in his inventory he put it in the top right spot and swore to never remove it.

A/N I wrote the entire first part out already and I'll upload each of the four chapters once a day. I love to get reviews and feedback to help me improve my work and let's me know you enjoy the story. Hope you enjoy.