Section 9:

     "Yahaa! Bow before me, groundings! For is is I, Queen Lydia The Unbeatable!" A young villager stood on top of a small hill which all the students in my class were playing around. The kids often played King/Queen of The Hill during free time, and the last few weeks, Lydia had been the champion of all the games. She, obviously, was being very humble about it.

     "Oh, great queen of this land. I humbly offer myself as your servant. What do you ask of me?" Gracie kneeled down before her class-mate, deciding to play along.

     "Come. Help me create a battle arena, where everyone shall fight for glory! It shall be called.." She paused for emphasis. "..The Mud Pit." With that, rose a smirk on her face. Nearly the whole class cheered at the idea, liking the idea of a new game, and followed behind 'Queen Lydia' as she lead them to who knows where! I, of course, didn't follow. I had only been watching from the sidelines anyway, since I still had plenty of free time after building that chicken with Drake. Yep, it was still that same Saturday. The day had suddenly become very long, each minute dragging out until it felt like an hour. I just sat lazily with my back to a tree, trying to find out which was softer: the human's dog, or the grass I was sitting on and was surrounded by. The dog for one's fur was very tough. Fun to pet, but keeping more of a gruff texture to it. The grass, however, had a very smooth texture to it, and my fingers glided across their green surfaces like my hand would across water.

     I watched as Quancie secretly slid out of the young group, turning to face me. I wasn't sure if I should scowl at her, or ignore her so she wouldn't walk in my direction. Feeling nice, I chose to simply ignore her, which became harder and harder as I heard her footsteps come closer to my current location.

     "Hh, what is it?" I huffed when Quancie was only a couple blocks away. She said nothing. Instead, she sat down on the other side of the tree I was leaned against, and began playing with some pulled gras in her hands. We both sat in complete silence for quite some time, until my rival finally decided to speak up; softly, for a change.

     "..Listen, I know we don't get along too well, and we never have.. but, I just want to tell you thst I am sorry about your parents." She spoke. My eyebrow furrowed, and I internally scoffed. I smelled the stench of a liar. Why did she even care all of a sudden? She never even seemed to know about them before.

     "Pff, why do you care all of a sudden?" I stated my query. There was a little more silence, before,

     "I.. Have been doing a lot of research lately, and, I can see why you hate the human so much now. I mean, I almost did too.. if it weren't for Hokeson's help through it. He.. he really is a nice guy.. I have seen him try to talk to you quite a few times too-"

     "What do you want? Me to be brainwashed or something? Me to switch sides, so you will win the debate? Na-ah. I ain't buying your lies." I grumbled. Quancie sighed; I could hear her as she pulled more grass out to play with as well.

     "No.. It isn't that.. Sorry if I made it seem that way. Just.. I... I lost my parents too, you know?" I tilted my head, but didn't turn around the tree to look at her after her speech. I just waited for her to say more. "I am guessing you heard about the drowned incident." She said. I nodded, even though I knew she wasn't looking at me. I heard a very small sniffle escape the fearless girl, as her walls were broken down right behind me. Quickly, I began to piece things together. Wait, we're they?.. "The two infected.. were my parents." Quancie answered for me in a strangled tone, forcing herself not to break down completely. I listened silently, still: remembering the few times I had to tell others of the unfortunate news of my parents' deaths; how small and helpless I felt in those times. How it felt like there was literally no one to run to. Finally, I spoke with a gravely voice. Apparently I too was having a hard keeping my voice straight.

     "..Then why don't you hate him?" Silence surrounded the small oak we sat leaning against, both deep within our own thoughts. Grass shuffled behind me, and I heard bark slip a little as Quancie used the tree to help her up. She then walked as silent as a ghost passed me.

     "Come on." She said stiffly. Guessing she wanted to show me something, I stood and followed. The human's dog stayed behind, knowing it was free to rest in the shade of the tree if it wanted to. I walked a couple blocks behind her in silence. We slowly headed fotward towards the river and a bit to the left. Finally we came upon two identical small cottages beside the river, right next to a beet root farm. The air around those two houses was much stuffier somehow.. and the background noises of cows, sheep, pigs, flowing water, splashing fish, etc, all seemed completely silent past a certain point. It was the part of the village, just on the outside, that no one visited. It was the part of the village that no one even talked about, and I never quite knew why. But, I began to get a vague idea as I felt my stomach tighten inside me. Between the two houses, a large stone had been placed. "There. Stand on that." Quancie stopped, pointing at the rock. I did as she said, and stood on top of it. I didn't need any further instructions, for on both sides of me were windows peering into the two twin houses on either side.

     In through the window, I saw two figures thst made me want to hurl. Torn robes were loosely draped over two green, standing corpses. They moaned inside their enclosures of houses. Even though the doors to their houses had been replaced with cobblestone, I could still smell the faint stench of their rotten forms. The two were miserable things to look at, and eventually I tore my sight from them, hoping I would not have any nightmares later that night. When my eyes met with Quancie's, I saw an understanding look upon her.

     "..There they are... My parents." She said softly. "They had been corralled into the houses, and blocked inside just before the sun came up to burn them... The human did that.. I could see it in his eyes, even though I was very young: he felt bad about it. The reason I don't hate him is, because.. he hasn't given up on them. I have seen them, nearly my whole life, visiting these two houses to check up on them, to make sure they are still there and at least still alive, in some form.. And, for that, I feel as if he deserves to not be given up on either... I just feel like, if we somehow were able to kick him out, and did.. we would be the bad guys here.. Not him.-" I jumped down from the rock and began walking away right then. Nice story, but I wasn't going to let this girl trick me out of the debate. I wasn't going to fall for any trick she was thinking of pulling. "Tim, wait! I am just trying to tell you what I think-"

     "Oh, save it for the debate, Quancie! I don't need to hear it now. I- I have work to do. And I can't have someone like you trying to convince me otherwise.-"

     "Convince?!- Listen, there is a difference between convincing and sharing a personal opinion!.." She waited for me to argue back, her arms crossed. I paid no mind; just walking off. "Hmf! Fine! But you are going to have to learn the other side's argument at some time! That is just part of the debating process!" With that, I listened to her stomp off in another direction. Eh, I needed to start getting things done anyways!

     I should have rested more, however, because I was going to need all the energy I could get.

Section 10:

     The remaining sunlight left a mixture of dull pinks and blues on the horizon that evening. There appeared to be nothing quite right about the day since I stormed away. The bees didn't buzz right. The carrots didn't crunch right. And the iron golems didn't walk around in their normal, careless attitudes. Things were feeling a bit off when night fell, and I could sense it. Something either had just happened, or was going to happen.

     "Drake." I poked my head into Drake's house, through his front door. He was in bed already, snoring his head off by the sound of it. "Drake!" I whisper-shouted, because I didn't exactly want to sound rude. He startled with a roll out of bed, falling flat on his face on the hard stone floor of his house. I cringed at the sound of his nose possibly being broken by that. But, he rose unharmed; looking rightfully so annoyed, however.

     "What is it, Timbo?" He quickly composed himself once fully standing, and walked up to meet me at the front door.

     "Uh, I feel like something is weong, but I don't know what." I told him, worry slowly growing in my breaths, squeaked out as I spoke in an elevating manner.

     "Hm. I have felt that way too, ever since we cut down that tree." He scratched his head. Meanwhile I tried to think of what that meant.

Kong-kong!.... kong-kong-kong-kong-kong!!

     One of the two bells in the center of town went haywire, and both me and Drake ran outside and around a few trees to see Tabby ringing the bell, her eyes the size of a watermelon!

     "What is it, Tabby?!" I asked, my own eyes darting all around for any possible threat.

     "Th- th- th-ZOMBIES!!" She screamed, before kicking her heels up and sprinting towards the library: her closest safe place. More screams of terror shook through the village as the last streaks of dull pink illuminating the sky faded into a deep navy blue.

    I and Drake both looked at one enter with the same idea in mind, and ran for that tree we had neglected to clear away. Sure enough, as soon as we reached that side of the village, zombies were pouring in, climbing over the branches of the tree and over the wall. Never before had I thought I would see an actual invasion take place before my very eyes. It was as if they had been waiting for a moment like this since the beginning of time!

     "Hurry! We need weapons!" Drake coaxed me to follow. I did; and ran after my green robed friend as he fled back towards his house. Once inside, he began grabbing things of all kinds: food, water, potions of healing, and best of all, the swords he had been enchanting. He hastely plopped several potions of healing in my arms, which I began carefully sliding into my inventory right away, wondering why I would be needing so many. "Potions of Healing can be used in three different ways. What you have are splash potions. Splash them on yourself if you need it, but don't waste them! I also heard from George that they hurt zombies, so splash them on a group of them if you can before engaging in combat!- "

     "Wait! What?!-"

     "-Also use the potions on other villagers if you see they are close to getting infected! It will prolong it hopefully long enough for them to escape and heal up on their own! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Drake's attitude was very different, his eyes blazing and heart pounding so hard I could hear it when he came to shake me by the shoulders. I quickly nodded quickly, my own heart racing. "Good! Now take this!" Then, he handed me a slightly smaller sword than the one he had put over his shoulder, so that I could hold it without it weighing me down. I nodded again, though I didn't need to, and practiced holding it, remembering how I had held that axe so that the sharp side hit the tree instead of the flat side. I would need to remember that lesson in this battle.. This... battle.

     My knees buckled at the idea, but I was outside and running into the village before I even realized what my little legs were doing. Drake was right beside me.

     "I will chop down the rest of that tree so no more monsters get in! You make sure no one gets infected!" Drake instructed, and I did as he said blindly, knowing there really was no other way. I ran aimlessly in circles around the village for some time, witnessing the chaos but forgetting I could do anything about it. The entire time I scolded myself. Why did we have to chop down that tree so close to the wall?! Why did we have to chop down a tall one!? And why, why, WHY did we not even think to clear it away before nightfall?! So- so stupid of us!

     I was literally knocked out of my self scolding when Lydia followed by Gracie ran right into me. "Zombie!!" They both screamed, and I straightened and turned to look in the direction they had been running from just in time to see a green blob pounce me. It was a baby zombie: just as fast, if not faster than us little villagers! Immediately, I felt pain as I was pushed down onto my back by the equally sized creature. It's fists began pelting at my arms, which were failing to protect me, with absolutely no remorse! 'So, this is the end, I guess.' I began to think, the baby zombie continuously punching me, finally getting to my face, where my nose felt like it was going to bleed.

     "YHAAA!!" A shout erupted from somewhere above me, and the weight of the baby zombie left me in an instant. The sound of a short tussle continued, before I heard the baby zombie give up to a final death, laying on the floor, lifeless beside me. I propped myself up with one, tired arm; the other gently rubbing my now bruised eye. "Get up, Tim! Zombies are everywhere!" I heard a farmiliar voice instruct, before the sound of more fighting and zombie groans continued around me. Slowly, I lifted my head and opened my eyes to see none other than Hokeson, who was fighting off two fully grown zombies at once with an enchanted iron axe. "That's it! Get up!" He coaxed when he had a moment to look over at me, after slaying the second of the zombies.

     "Hh.. Hokeson?." I questioned.

     "Yes. Yes. I know how to fight. The human taught me how a while ago. Now, do you know where all these zombies came in?!" He demanded. It took a moment to let that in. Hokeson?! Knowing how to FIGHT?! Taught by the HUMAN?! "Well?" He asked again, impatiently. I quickly blinked fully aware of the world I was in, and stood to my feet.

     "O- over there! Not too far from the horse exit!" I said, also pointing. I knew he knew where the 'horse exit' was, because I had seen him wishing the human a safe trip as he saddled up a horse to leave for longer trips. Hokeson quietly nodded a thanks, and ran off to meet Drake there, who hopefully was okay, now that I was thinking about that. More screams brought my attention into the now, and I spun around to see Lydia and Gracie were once again being chased by another baby zombie. Oh, would those two just go inside where it is safe, just for once?! I chased the chaser around for quite some time, that time remembering I had a weapon, and could use it. I.. however.. eventually gave up, not wanting to be tackled again, and threw a potion of healing at it. I had been throwing eggs at pretty much everything ever since I was a little tot, so my aim helped me out right then when the potion his the small zombie square in the center of the back. It immediately fell to the floor, crawling instead. Oh, great.. I was going to have to get close to it if I wanted to kill it. At least the small monster was already really weak and an easy target. I slowly crept up to the little beast, lifting the iron blade of my sword. It took a bit longer to build up enough courage, but, eventually, I stabbed straight through it's skull the moment the thing was turning around to look at me with a rotten snarl. Whew! That was surely not something I was ever going to get used to!

     The next few what felt like only a few seconds were just me throwing potions of healing on hordes of zombies and hurting villagers. Every now and then I would stab a couple to death, but only the ones that were literally about to kill someone or looked like an easy target. What I really liked seeing was that through the last third or so of the event, I saw more and villagers helping out. Many just beat the already wounded zombies to death with sticks, while others tried using sharper things like shovels, hoes, and even fishing rods as weapons. Fighting back had risen into such a movement, that by the end of the attack there were more fighters than hiders. I was relieved in thst last bit, watching the numbers of green walking corpses finally vanish entirely from existance.. only their final dead forms laying about on the village streets.

Section 11:

     Finally.. after the tree had been chopped completely, and the last of the zombies had perished, there was an uproar of cheering from everyone! Excitement and joy broke through the sky from us villagers, as we all hopped and danced all over! Even I couldn't help but jump around happily. Drake finally joined the commotion of joy, sweat dripping from his brow. Hokeson was following not too far behind him, in the exact same state.

     "Is everyone alright?!" Drake asked me, even though I knew just as much as he did.

     "Yes! I am proud to say that there were NO casualties! All thanks to our fine warriors who stood up and fought in a great time of trial!" Justin, one of the oldest, and also one I had seen hiding inside the whole time came to answer Drake, resting a friendly hand on his shoulder. Not too welcome to it, Drake brushed the hand off, but happy about the news, and turned to talk with Hokeson a little more. Noticing a little hushed tone over their conversation, I decided to see what they were talking about.

     "Hey guys, what is going on?"

     "Oh, nothing!" Drake popped up quickly, hiding a small sliver of iron behind his back. Half my brow raised, knowing it wasn't, 'nothing.'

     "Oh, come on!.. Just tell me." I said. Drake sighed after a moment, knowing there was no point in keeping anything a secret.

     "Hey.. bud?.. Remember how the iron golems fight to keep our village safe?" He asked, crouching down to my level as if suddenly speaking to a child. I may have been a child, but he never spoke to me like one before.

     ".Yeeahhh?" I said, wondering where this was going. "Now that I think of it, I don't remember seeing any of them in the village?. Do you know why?" I asked, watching as half of Drake's face cringed in that moment.

     "Well, that was because they were all fighting where it was really tough: at the entrance the tree had made.. Most of them only got took a good beating, but..." My eyes began to soften a little as my brain began picking up the little hints left behind.

     "..The old one?.." I asked, my eyes beginning to water.

     "It.. it-" I didn't let him finish. Instead, I pushed past him to go see for myself. The old iron golem was the one I remembered the most: the one who's head wasn't on just right; who's left arm was just a tad too short. That one was the oldest. That one was the wisest. That one was the only one who had been there all those years ago, to comfort me soon after losing my parents. Sure, it was just just a golem. Many would argue it didn't have emotions, but I had felt as if it had every time I stared into those wise eyes of it's. My feet slid on gravel when I halted at the stone wall
I looked along it quickly, eyeing all the beaten golems, finally relaxing enough to begin wandering again. One, however, was not moving like the rest. My fists tightened when I saw the golem's state. It was not dead. Thank goodness for that! But, I feared that in the end things might be even worse, for the dear old one.

     The golem no longer stood tall and proud. Instead, it kept itself standing in a low, hunched stance. It's legs were battered beyond repair, and looked like it would trip over it's own legs were it to try and walk. A massive dent in the side of the golem's face had taken away it's ability to see out of it's right eye. The poor, droopy form slowly looked up at me, it's remaining eye appearing to express relief and joy together. I looked back, not sure what to think. Wanting to stand up tall for me, the golem attempted to straighten up. I had to cover my ears when the ear piercing sound of metal scraping against metal erupted from it's back. It finally gave up, and I walked closer to it with tears in my eyes.

     How.. in all of existance.. could such a powerful golem take such a beating? How hard did it have to fight in order to earn injuries that severe? Just thinking made the water in my eyes fall, and I leapt forward to hug the battered leg of the broken golem. I felt it's right arm slide behind my back, gently holding it there to supply comfort. It's left arm, I saw, had to take all the weight it's legs could no longer hold up on their own.

     There, I cried. I cried about the entire day: my stupidity for not thinking of the consequences that tree would bring, and my inability to do more. I was, truly.. flawed...