Emma interrupted. “This is the most lavish dinner I’ve ever attended,” she said as she pointed at the tables of pork chops, beef, chicken, carrots, potatoes, watermelon, apples, cakes, and cookies. “This is nicer than a holiday meal.”
Mia wasn’t concerned with the food. She wanted to find Steve to ask him if she could volunteer to work on the school farm. She noticed someone she didn’t recognize talking to Lucy, Henry, Max, and Aaron. Mia walked over to them, assuming it must be Steve.
Lucy said, “Mia, this is our new visiting teacher, Steve.”’
Mia introduced herself, explaining that she would love to be considered to volunteer for the farm.
“I thought you were an alchemist,” Aaron said.
“I am,” Mia replied. “But I’d like to increase my skill set, and farming really interests me.”
“I’d love to teach you,” Steve said. “It’s so nice to see someone who cares about farming. Tomorrow I’m teaching a class on farming.”
“That’s on my schedule,” Mia said.
“After the class, you can join me on the school farm. I’m looking for other volunteers, too, if you know of any students who might be interested.”
Mia didn’t have a chance to reply. Two block-carrying lanky Endermen made their way toward her. One looked at Mia and let out a high-pitched shriek. Mia cried out for help as the Enderman teleported toward her. Her heart was racing. She was trapped.
Chapter 2
DOWN THE HOLE
“Run toward the pond!” Lucy called out to a scared and frozen Mia.
Mia stared at the pond as the Enderman struck her. She was shaking and wasn’t sure she could make it.
“You can do it!” Emma shook as she lunged toward the Enderman with her diamond sword.
Mia was in utter shock. She looked down at her feet, which seemed to have a life of their own as they sprinted toward the small pond. The Enderman was on her trail, and she could feel the purple-eyed creature reach for her and she knew her only chance of survival was jumping into the water. The water splashed her face as the lanky Enderman fell into the water. The water instantly destroyed the block-carrying mob, and Mia was safe. As she stepped out of the pond, Emma and Julia stood on the grass.
“It’s getting dark.” Emma looked up at the sky. “Let’s head back before more hostile mobs appear.”
“Really? You never want to head home at dusk. Last year you used to stay up all night to see what mobs you’d encounter. You usually love battling hostile mobs,” Mia reminded her.
“Yeah,” Julia said. “Didn’t you destroy a chicken jockey on your own?’
“That was last year,” Emma replied as they walked back to the dorm.
“Is this because of the Olympics? I feel like ever since that competition you haven’t been yourself,” Mia said.
“I just helped you battle an Enderman, didn’t I?” Emma was annoyed. She didn’t want her friends analyzing why she wasn’t fighting.
Mia said, “Yes, but I just sense that you don’t enjoy fighting anymore.”
“Maybe I’ll become a farmer with you,” Emma said.
Students were leaving the First Night Back Dinner as the trio weaved their way through the crowd and walked across the great lawn in the direction of their room.
Mia said, “Emma, I’d love for you to farm with me. In fact, Steve told me he needs volunteers for his farm.”
“I’ll do it,” Emma replied.
“Me too. I’d be up for learning how to farm,” Julia said.
“Great. Tomorrow, we will meet Steve after class to work on the farm,” Mia said.
The girls crawled into their beds and said goodnight. In the dark room, Julia covered herself in a blue wool blanket and said, “I’m really happy we were able to get a room together.”
“Me too,” Emma said with a yawn.
* * * *
The next morning, Mia called out to them. “Wake up. We don’t want to be late for Steve’s Farming class.”
“Five more minutes,” begged a sleepy Emma.
“What about breakfast?” Julia asked. “Do we have time to eat? I’m starving.”
“No, we overslept.” Mia handed Julia and apple. “Eat this.”
“What about me?” Emma asked as she slowly sat up in the bed.
“This is my last apple.” Mia handed it to Emma. “We should pick some at the school farm. Are you guys ready?”
Julia and Emma walked alongside Mia to Steve’s class. Emma took a bite out of her apple.
“You have to finish that apple before class,” Mia said. “I want us to make a good impression.”
“Don’t worry,” Emma said. “We will.”
The trio entered the class. Julia knew Hallie was in the bedrock prison on campus, yet she still searched for her face in the classroom.
Steve entered the class and asked, “Has anyone ever built a farm?”
Shockingly only a few people raised their hands. A boy with orange hair said, “I’ve spent my entire life on a farm.”
“Great.” Steve smiled. “You will be very helpful to the class. What’s your name?”
“Nick.”
Another student with rusty brown hair raised his hand. “Do I really have to be here? Farming is so lame.”
“Lame? Do you like eating potatoes and having wheat?” Steve asked the student.
“Yes,” he replied.
“You can’t have any of those things without a farm.” Steve lectured the class on how farms are vital to everyone’s survival in the Overworld. He taught them the basics of farming. “Before anything you must have a seed stock.”
As Steve spoke, Mia took meticulous notes. She wanted to learn every aspect of farming. As the class came to a close, Steve announced, “I’m looking for a few volunteers to help on the school farm. If you’re interested, please meet me by the school farm following the class.”
Mia looked over at her friends and smiled. She enjoyed being in the class, but she was eager to get into the dirt and start planting. She also wanted to replenish her supply of apples.
Class was over, and Julia walked over to her friends. “What’s up with the guy who told Steve farming was lame? That was incredibly rude.”
“Yes,” Mia agreed.
The trio entered the school farm, and Julia was shocked to see the boy from class who dismissed farming, standing next to Steve.
Steve looked at the group of volunteers, which included Mia, Emma, Julia, Nick and the boy with rusty brown hair. Steve asked the boy to introduce himself.
“I’m Jamie.”
Steve held a pickaxe and dug in into a patch of dirt. “We have to start building an irrigation system.”
“Yes, crops can’t grow without water,” Nick said.
“Very good, Nick,” Steve remarked as he dug deeper, but paused.
“What is it? Can we not dig here?” Nick asked.
“No.” Steve stared inside the hole he had dug. “We can, but—“
“Then what is it?” Nick questioned. “Why did you stop?”
Steve leaned over the hole and pulled out a large treasure chest.
“Cool,” Jamie exclaimed.
Steve cleaned the dirt off the top of the chest and opened it. “Diamonds.”
Julia looked inside. “And enchanted books.”
“I wonder who this belongs to,” Mia said.
Julia assumed it belonged to Hallie or some other criminal that was hiding their treasures, but also wondered, “Do you think this could have spawned naturally?”
“Possibly,” Steve replied. “Since you were all here when we found it, I think everyone in the group should share the loot from the treasure.”
“Wow!” Julia exclaimed. “That’s awesome.”
As Steve picked up the first diamond from the chest, a powerful thunderous boom shook the campus.
&nbs
p;
Attack on Minecrafters Academy Page 7
