Core Life

Chapter 4: Foundations

So I was writing and then I realised that I was #7 on SolidarityGaming. The thing is is that I only put that tag because I thought I was posting this chapter immediately. He hadn't actually made an appearance yet... oops!

But thank you to the few that have started reading Core Life; it means a lot! :D

'At least one person each session will be eliminated? What even is a session?' Pearl was surprisingly unbothered by the new information. She was only curious.

'I guess a session is just a certain period of time that we don't know the exact length of yet.' Grian explained, truthful for once. The length of time in a session in third life and last life were different.

'Umm... I think I may leave.' Mumbo mumbled.

'You don't want to stay with us?' Pearl asked.

'I'm good. I'd prefer not to get killed.' And with that, Mumbo dashed off, into the birch forest. Grian tried to stand up to stop him, but he was already gone.

Grian didn't sit down there anymore.

'Well... what do we do now?' Pearl questioned the other two.

'Make a base for the night. It's mid-afternoon now.' Scott looked up to the sky.

'Okay! I'll build, could you two get some resources? Spruce, birch and some cobble should do just fine for a quick house!' Grian smiled. He'd always loved building. A game couldn't stop him from doing what he loved.

The three worked hard, and the small house was done by dusk. It was very plain, with cobble walls a spruce roof, and a birch floor inside, but it was rather practical.

'One more thing!' Scott rushed in, plant pot in hand. Grian and Pearl clambered inside to see him place the pot on a single spruce log - the only thing that was in the room besides 3 beds - before putting a red rose on top.

'There! Now it's a home!' Scott seemed proud, but it made Grian a bit sad. After all, Grian knew how much the rose meant to Scott, even if Scott himself didn't realise it.

BZZZ

The bittersweet moment was interrupted by the communicator.

<The Boogeymen will be chosen in 5 minutes>

'That's probably what will show who's gonna kill.' Pearl noted. Grian knew she was someone that caught onto these things quickly.

'Yeah...' Scott turned to look at them, a bit less enthusiastic now.

THUD. That was the door. Grian opened it to see a person almost fly through.

The person had cuts, nicks, and scratches all over them. Did they get attacked by the hostile mobs? Who would be so stupid to do that this early on?

'Seems like his name is SolidarityGaming.' Pearl had brought up the tab menu.

Ah.

'He seems to be at about half health. And unconscious.' She continued. 'If I was thrown through a door at full force, I'd also be unconscious. That thud was loud!'

BZZZ

<The boogeymen will be chosen in 1 minute>

'AH!' Mr. Gaming jolted up. He noticed the people surrounding him. 'Oh, hello!'

'You're an idiot.' Grian sighed. 'Eat this mutton.'

'Hey! That's mean to say to someone you've just met!'

Grian wanted to say that they had met before, but couldn't. After all, the person in front of him had no idea one of his closest allies from two games, as well as a past husband, was in front of him...

'You're 'Solidarity', right?' Scott smiled at him, still touching the flower pot.

'I'm Jimmy, actually!'

'And I'm Scott.' Scott walked over to help the clumsy lad up. 'They're Grian and Pearl.'

The other two waved as their names were said.

Thunder sounded for the second time since Scott initially woke.

<The boogeymen is about to be chosen>

3.

Scott looked at Pearl.

2.

Scott looked at Grian.

1.

Scott looked at Jimmy.

You are....

The group were relieved as they all got the same message. Not the boogeyman.

'Are none of you it?' Scott asked.

'Nope!' The three accidentally chorused, making Scott laugh.

'Well,' Grian watched them. 'We've got to make sure no one comes here to try and kill us. We should probably get some good supplies though, just in case.'

'There's no way I'm going where you're suggesting! I almost died out there!' Scott grinned a bit at Jimmy's over-exaggeration.

'Well, I'm with Grian. We've gotta go mining!' Pearl chimed in.

'Scott! Please can you say no?' Jimmy protested, much to Scott's amusement.

'Well... we will have to keep watch of our base in case someone traps it, soooooo....'

Jimmy punched the air. 'Yes!'

'It is smart though to split into two groups. We have much more of a chance like that.' The group could tell that Grian was speaking out of experience, but decided not to say anything on it.

And so, the newfound group was split into two: the mining team, and the lookout team.

Yet a question still lingered on Scott's mind. Who was the boogeyman? He hoped it wasn't someone that once knew him...

(818 words- the return of an acceptable word count!)