Barely updated on time. I had a lot to do today, so that's why I was cutting it close.

Barely edited. I'm tired. Time is an illusion that we all use as if it were real as it counts us down to our inevitable deaths.

K bye

~<>~

I could barely sleep that night. I tried to sleep through the first shift, but after much failure, I decided to take the second guard shift. And the third. Jake thinks I only took the third. I didn't tell him the truth.

When everyone woke up, we left after a quick breakfast that consisted of bread. This time, our group that was in the back was now in the front with Yuri. He was quiet for the most part, but mostly everyone else was as well.

So yeah. The trip was a little boring.

"Where will this tunnel lead?" I asked Yuri.

He shrugged. "Somewhere in or near Notch City."

"You're telling me that you brought us down here and you don't even know where we'll end up?" Jake looked mildly annoyed.

"Of course I know where we will surface." Yuri snapped. "Somewhere near or in Notch City."

Jake looked like he wanted to argue with the man, but with a glance from me, he decided against it.

"So it's just gonna be this the whole time?" I asked. I was completely okay with open areas like the tunnel we were in.

"Well, there are not going to be any hotels along the way."

"Ha-ha."

"I don't believe the whole way will be like this. There will be smaller sections like the one before this."

"Why?" Abby asked.

"Caves. Don't want to break into any." Jake guessed. "Plus who would dig out a tunnel this big this long?"

"Maybe they used TNT." Gordon suggested with a smile.

Yuri nodded. "Very possible."

"Yuri." I said his name to get his attention. When he turned my way, I spoke. "How did you know about these tunnels?"

Yuri's eyes drifted to the ground. "Reliable source." He looked ahead. "Nothing important."

"Cut the crap." Infinity spoke out, saying what I was thinking. "There's no need to be mysterious."

"Mysteries makes life interesting."

"And are also very suspicious." Jake then added, "No offense."

"No offense taken at all."

After a few minutes of silence, I assumed he didn't plan on answering my question. Instead, I went for a different approach. "So Yuri. What did you—"

"What is that?" Abby pointed ahead.

I wanted to ask Yuri about his past, but Abby's observation was more important at the moment. The air was quiet dusty, and it was dark. Therefore, we could only see less than a hundred blocks in front of us. So when a giant wall appeared in the distance, I was a little surprised. It had a simple one block wide and two block tall hole that had our tunnel continue into a smaller underground passage.

"The end of this tunnel." Yuri said.

~<>~

I'm making it easy on everyone by not explaining the first few hours of the trip. It was honestly just boring silence and awkward coughs. I'm pretty sure one of the resistance members had allergies, because there was a sneeze almost every five minutes.

ACHOO!

"Aaaand that's the twenty sixth." Gordon counted.

Abby frowned. "I got twenty seven."

"How is that possible?"

"Maybe I counted the one right before you said we should start counting."

"Ah."

"Hey." Jake popped up next to me. Well, it was a single file line, so it was more of just his head by my shoulder. "How have you been?"

"Fine." I exhaled.

"Really? Because you're breathing deep. Like I can hear it from back there."

Oh.

"And you keep darting your eyes around. Your hands are also fidgeting."

"I'm impatient." I covered up.

"Kat." Jake moved a little closer so I could hear him whisper. "Are you... claustrophobic?"

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Claustrophobia is an irrational fear of confined spaces. My fear is completely rational."

"So you are?"

"I had a few nightmares. I guess they just got to me."

"Oh Kat... Why didn't you say anything before? You just put yourself in a confined area where you're going to be for a week. Or more."

I shrugged. "There really wasn't another way."

"Yes." He said, slightly exasperated. "There is now. We can go to the surface and travel there. Yuri said the tunnel was straight. It would be easy to follow."

I was surprised. "But the mobs... and it would be easier for Herobrine to find us."

"We can fight the mobs. As for Herobrine... if he ever tries to hurt you, or anyone else again, I will destroy him."

"He's a god." I turned around and smirked at him.

"Are you calling me weak?"

"Maybe."

Jake laughed. "That's my girl. Now can we ask if we can go up?"

"We're seriously going to tunnel up and travel on the surface just because I'm feeling a little uncomfortable?"

"You can possibly have a panic attack."

"So you're a doctor now?" I wanted to add: like Jona? but I remembered it was a secret.

"It's common knowledge."

"Fair enough." I shrugged. "I'd just feel bad to have everyone stop and go up."

Jake was quiet for a second. Then, "Maybe it can only be a few of us going up. A smaller group would be easier to move, and less noticeable and noisy."

I considered it. I really wanted to be back on the surface. But I felt wimpy about it. I didn't want to change our plan just because of a little fear. But if I were to have a panic attack... that would not be good.

I nodded back at him. Then, I tapped on Yuri right in front of me. Somehow, he didn't hear our conversation.

I explained our proposition about a few of us going up.

"But why?" He asked after I was finished.

"To... scope out the area."

"That made no sense."

I groaned. "I'm feeling claustrophobic, alright? I tried to stay calm about it, but apparently I can get a panic attack if I continue on."

After a few seconds, Yuri stopped, making the whole line stop. Some people grunted as they ran into each other.

"Why didn't you say so?" Yuri exclaimed. He then cupped his hands around his mouth. "My comrades, a few of us are going to head up to the surface and continue there for personal reasons. We will continue on the journey as normal afterward! Pass it on!"

As the message went down the line, Yuri asked who was going up. I looked back at the people behind me. Our new old group, Mastermind, Skye, Jona, Infinity, Gordon, Abby, Jake and I.

"Everyone down to Mastermind." I said, looking at all my friends. No offense, Rebels.

Yuri nodded, and Jake explained it to Abby, who passed it on as well.

"Do you all have the equipment to make it up there?" Yuri asked.

"We should be fine." I answered. "It's just straight ahead, right?"

"Yes. No turns. We should arrive a little bit before you, since it will take some time to tunnel to the surface." He gave me a smile. "I wish you all luck."

"Thank you." I smiled back, and whispered to Jake without looking back, "You wouldn't happen to have a pickaxe, would you?"

He sighed.

~<>~

We broke surface in a forest. As I climbed out onto the grass, I breathed in the fresh air. It was certainly a change from the musty underground.

I put my hands on my hips. "Remember when we first left Jake's base and had to travel through the forest? Man, good times."

"I also remember being chased in the desert." Abby breathed out. Half of the people were out of breath from climbing up the staircase I made.

"And getting knocked out." Gordon pressed his hand against an oak tree for support. "That was extremely fun."

"I completely agree." Infinity dropped Gabriel on the ground so he could sniff around. She seemed in a better mood. Maybe getting her secret past off her chest really helped her. She stopped snapping at people and teased Gordon more.

I stared up into the sky. The breeze lightly blew against my hair. "Do you guys think Herobrine could find us?"

"If we move fast enough, there will be a worse chance." Jake said. "We have to go now."

I nodded. "Everyone ready?"

After everyone nodded and said "yes", we started our journey.

"Beware of mobs." I warned everyone. "It's still night, and this forest is dense. They can spawn close."

"I'll cover us." Mastermind said from the back. He definitely had night vision in his one eye.

"Did we even discuss sleep patterns?" Skye asked. "Like if they spend less time sleeping, we're going to arrive much later."

"No, but I can assume that our stability is the same as theirs, so our sleep patterns are probably the same." Jake answered, ducking under leaves.

"And it'll be okay if we arrive at different times." Infinity said. "As long as we all arrive."

"We will." I assured.

"Zombie." Mastermind announced.

I turned to the left and saw a zombie coming through the trees. He was about ten blocks away.

"Can I get it?" Abby asked.

We all looked at her. She smiled sheepishly. "Hey, I'm trying to learn."

I shrugged and gestured toward the zombie. She pulled out her sword, and walked forward. When Abby reached the zombie, she sliced at the zombie's face. After that, she stabbed it in the stomach, and the mob disintegrated. Simple maneuvers, but effective.

Everyone did a soft golf clap for her. She bowed.

"Not bad, my apprentice." Skye nodded in approval.

"All thanks to your teaching." She put her sword away.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Gordon furrow his eyebrows in annoyance. Wait, what even happened with Gabby? Did they just ignore everything? I was so confused with their relationship.

"The sun's starting to rise." Jona said. I jolted when I noticed him on top of a tree peering into the distance.

When he jumped down next to me, I asked him, "What the nether dude, are you some kind of ninja?"

"Just sneaky." He gave me the faintest of smiles. I remembered that he used to sneak around often when he was juggling between Skye and the hospital.

For the first time, I realized that the group had a lot of secrets. Jona was a doctor. Mastermind's past. Abby's past. Infinity's relationship with Shade. My whole half godliness (which I'm still not sure whether they know or not). We kept so many things from each other, yet we worked well together. I wondered how it would be like if we were all open with each other. If we felt closer, or felt like we could trust each other more. In all honesty, I trusted these guys more than I should have. But I couldn't help it. I basically trusted all of them with my life. Except that Jake fellow.

As for the Rebels... they did take us in, but I didn't know a lot about them. Especially Yuri. If I had to, I would trust them. But I needed to get to know them better.

"So." Gordon said after a few minutes. "Anyone up for I Spy?"

~<>~

Two days. Two days since we left Bladville. I was on the surface for about one and a half of those days. In all I slept maybe eight hours. We rested multiple times a day for a few minutes. In those times, we ate. It was rough work, but we didn't waste any time. It would be worth it once we got to Notch City.

Through that time, we crossed the rest of the forest, a taiga, an icy plains, and a forest. It was actually really fun on the ice plains. Someone tossed a snowball and it hit Gordon's face. He suspected Skye, and threw a snowball at him. Skye ducked, and it hit Jona. Jona retaliated. Soon, it was an all our snowball war. Alliances were made. Friendships were broken. Families were torn apart.

Okay, maybe not that intense. But it was still fun.

I also think Infinity was the one that threw the snowball at Gordon. Just a hunch.

Now we were in a birch forest. I actually consider birch wood to be my favorite kind of wood because it was just so bright. Apparently, Abby agreed.

"I used to make my beginning houses out of birch planks with oak wood at the corners. It really works wonders. Just looks so natural." She ranted on.

And of course her and Gordon had their usual talk about explosions and whatnot.

"But how much TNT would it take to blow up a regular birch house?"

"Depends on how big the house is."

"At least 15 by 15."

"A lot. If two story, I'd say around 30 pieces. But you really got to get lucky with the blasts—"

"Changing biome." I interrupted him. To be honest, I just wanted to shut the two up. I loved them, but they talk on and on and on.

We stumbled upon a swamp. The air was thick and warm. Bogs and ponds were everywhere. Lily pads covered the waters, and vines covered the trees. It made me really appreciate the physics of the Minecraft biomes. One minute you're in a light and cheerful birch forest. The next, you're in a gross swampland where the air is as thick as rabbit soup.

"Guys." Jake said. "Do you see that?"

I peered into the distance. It was slightly foggy, but I could make out a shape of a house. It was two story, but that was all I could make out of it.

"Shelter." I exhaled. "Let's go see if anyone is home."

~<>~

It took us about ten minutes to make our way to the house. It was difficult to maneuver through the swamplands without having to go through the water or get stuck in the mud. Jona fell into some, so he was walking with his arms and knees muddy. He also had a mud spot on his cheek, but no one mentioned it to him.

Finally, we reached the house. It was a dark oak two story house. There weren't really any decorations, like the person didn't care (I'd like to see Abby spark up a conversation with him). The windows were fences, and the door was an iron door with a sign on it so no one could see in. The sign said, "KEEP AWAY".

"Charming." Infinity noticed. "Think they'll allow a group of muddy teenagers and a dog into their house?"

Jake nodded. "Definitely. Who wants to knock?"

After no one said anything, I sighed. "I'll do it."

"Great idea!"

"Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you volunteered."

"Yeah yeah." I waved them all away. I went up the porch steps. They creaked, but held my weight. I got up to the door, hesitated, and knocked. I stepped back.

Nothing.

I knocked again. This time, I heard footsteps from the other side. I stepped away again as the door opened.

In the doorframe stood a man in his late twenties. At first I gasped; he looked just like Herobrine. Same short brown hair, same light blue shirt and jeans. He too had a shadow of a beard. However, his eyes were a faded shade of indigo. Not white.

The man's eyes widened as he saw me. I knew he recognized me. Either that or I had a muddy face as well.

"Hello." He said in a deep voice. "Can I help you?"

"We're just lost teenagers looking for directions." Jake said from behind me.

The guy looked at him, then back at me. He noticed I was staring. "Are you okay?"

"You look familiar..." I squinted my eyes slightly, trying to remember his face. It was like I saw him in a dream before. But I don't recall ever dreaming about him.

"Well, I suppose I could be familiar." He leaned against the doorframe with an emotionless expression. "I'm Steve. Notch and Herobrine's younger brother."

~<>~

:0

So Kat and the new old group split off onto the surface. Thank god I did that because it would've been boring if they stayed in that tunnel for forever. And who expected me to literally skip two days? Not me.

Also, they found Steve. Who is apparently the third brother. What is going to happen? Why is Steve living on his own in the swamp? Will Jona ever learn about the mud on his cheek?

Question: ^ all of those. I really got nothing. Can someone suggest questions for me to ask please.

Rock on, my little rebels.