The hug dissolved slowly, reluctantly.
It felt like letting go of something warm in a cold place.
The sun hung low now, dipping toward the treeline.
A deep orange bled across the sky—
but the skybox flickered, once, like a frame dropped in a video.
Everyone saw it.
No one commented.
Faye rubbed the back of her neck. "Alright. We need a shelter before stuff starts spawning."
"Yeah," Griffin agreed. He sounded older suddenly. Tired. "Together this time. No wandering."
"Especially not you," Tessa added, pointing at Marlow.
Marlow raised both hands. "I accept my fate as a supervised minor."
Hopper clapped him on the shoulder. "Good choice."
---
Collecting Blocks—Closer Than Ever
They all started gathering blocks again.
But nobody strayed more than five blocks from the next person.
It turned their little expedition into an awkward, shuffling cluster of twelve.
Hadrian broke a tree and announced, "This is officially the worst multiplayer spacing I have ever seen."
"We love social distancing reversal," Oliver said. "Zero meters recommended."
Ren, kneeling dramatically beside a crafting table, whispered,
"The darkness gathers… and the heroes remain clustered for warmth…"
Faye flicked the back of his helmet. "Is that what your stick told you..?"
Ren whispered louder, "The lore grows stronger."
Faye groaned.
Melina quietly collected logs, her eyes flicking nervously over the forest horizon every few seconds.
Flint stood beside her, bow already drawn even though there was nothing to shoot.
"Just… being ready," he said.
Melina gave him a small smile. "Thanks."
---
The First Strange Sound
A faint noise drifted from the forest.
A zombie groan.
But… wrong.
Too long.
Too low.
Like someone stretched the sound file.
Tessa froze mid-swing. "Did… did anyone else hear that?"
Griffin did.
He swallowed. "Yeah."
Cyrus lowered the block he was holding. "That's not the right pitch. The game doesn't… it doesn't do that."
Sterling stared into the trees, calm but stiff.
"It's probably just audio distortion. VR does that sometimes."
Faye's voice sharpened. "Does VR also trap you here?"
Nobody answered.
---
The Shelter Decision
Hopper clapped once, forcing enthusiasm.
"Okay! Shelter time! Massive ultra-base! Let's build a—"
"No," Sterling said firmly.
"We build small. Simple. Fast."
Faye nodded. "We don't know if the world will stay stable long enough for something big."
Hadrian raised an eyebrow. "We're scared of building too big now? Oh man, we're doomed."
"It's temporary," Griffin said. "Just enough to survive the night."
Oliver held up a stack of planks. "How about a classic SMP starter shack? Box. Door. Roof that leaks. You know. The vibe."
Marlow gasped. "Vintage!"
Tessa pointed a finger at him. "You're helping build it. No cliffs."
"No cliffs," Marlow promised solemnly.
---
Building the Shack
They all worked together, forming a messy circle around a 7x7 square of dirt.
Stone axes chopped into oak logs.
Planks stacked in messy piles.
They fought over who got to place the door.
Griffin placed a torch inside, watching the light spread across the walls—
and then flicker, almost imperceptibly dropping to zero brightness for half a second before coming back.
He didn't mention it.
Faye installed the roof.
Her hands moved fast, precise, practiced.
But her avatar's fingers trembled slightly.
Sterling made a furnace… then made another… then another.
"I don't know why," he muttered. "I'm just… making furnaces."
Hopper patted his shoulder. "Furnaces are good. We like furnaces."
Sterling nodded, though his breathing was uneven.
Ren placed a sign above the door:
"HOME(?)"
Oliver laughed nervously. "Love the question mark."
"It's important lore," Ren said gravely.
---
The Shadows Break Again
As the final roof plank clicked into place, the sun touched the horizon.
Their shadows stretched long across the grass—
and then froze mid-animation.
Like someone paused them.
Flint's voice cracked. "Uh… guys?"
The shadows twitched.
And snapped into correct position.
Cyrus took two steps backward. "This world… it's unstable. The lighting engine is actually—"
"Cyrus," Griffin said softly.
"Not right now."
Cyrus shut his mouth, trembling.
---
Everyone Gathers Inside
"Okay!" Hadrian announced loudly. "Everyone inside! Pack it in! Cozy family sleepover!"
Melina giggled despite herself.
"It's… kind of cute."
Tessa pushed Marlow through the door. "You're the first to die if a creeper spawns, so go."
"I accept this role," Marlow said proudly.
Flint crouched in a corner, bow drawn still.
Faye stood near the entrance, hand on her iron sword—she'd found enough surface ore for one.
Sterling sat against a wall, staring at his hands.
Griffin sank beside him with a gentle shoulder bump.
Oliver and Hopper argued about who placed the ugliest plank.
Ren narrated all this in a dramatic whisper until Faye told him to shut up again.
Hadrian stood in the center of the room, rotating slowly like a nervous lighthouse.
---
Full Darkness Falls
The last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon.
The world outside the shack turned black instantly—
too instantly.
No gentle fade.
Just—
BLACK.
The torchlight inside flickered violently, just once.
Everyone stopped breathing.
Faye whispered, "Did… night just… snap in?"
Griffin answered, voice barely audible:
"…Yeah."
They didn't move.
Nobody dared look out the window.
The world was dark.
Perfectly, unnaturally dark.
---