Chapter 3: Bedtime

Night was settling over the house. The lights were dim as Mist rounded up her sons from the main room to take them to bed. The boys were happy playing together, showing no sign of the end to the end. Mist herself wore her exhaustion like a stuffy scarf.

"Come on now," she said softly, so not to wake up Ben, "its time for bed."

She swore all the ears of her sons perked at her words.

"Tell us a story!" Tanner begged, he jumped from foot to foot.

"Please," Asher said clutching his shirt in his hands.

Mist smiled slightly at them, "fine," she said, "but you'll have to get into bed first."

The only one not smiling was Kaden, he stood with his feet apart, "I don't want to go to bed yet." Kaden crossed his arms and stomped his foot causing all the others to glance at him.

"Can we leave him here?" Lucas suggested.

Mist shook her head.

She gathered Kaden into her arms, "I'll tell you your favourite story." She touched a finger to his nose.

His expression wavered, "Fine."

She set him back on his feet.

She guided all of the children to their beds. Asher still needed help climbing into his bed. Once they were all settled they waited.

From his bed Lucas leaned forward keenly.

"What story would you like to hear?" she asked.

"I get to pick," Kaden grumbled.

"Tell us the story about Herobrine!" Tanner shouted then covered his mouth.

They all froze listening for their father. But Ben was fast asleep already and he didn't stir, still Mist cautioned them, "you mustn't shout in the house, never."

"Sorry..." Tanner said, he rocked back and forth not meeting her eyes.

"It's okay my love," she soothed, she sat on the edge of his creaking bed and smoothed his hair back.

"So you want to hear about Herobrine?"

None of them spoke, waiting for the story to start.

She took a deep breath and started. The usual stuff first, "Long ago, when Minecraft was new there was a boy called Herobrine...."

She continued through the story, the boys getting more and more excited. When she finished though they all looked a bit perplexed.

"I thought Herobrine was a bad guy?" Lucas said.

MIst shook her head slowly, "I don't think so."

"He's a monster though! That's what I've heard," Tanner chimed in. "Noah told me he ate kids like us for breakfast!"

"Noah is trying to scare you," Mist shook her head and smiled, "I saw him once."

"You did?" Asher said, his eyes went wide.

"I did," Mist replied, "far, far underground when I was mining."

"What happened? What happened?" Kaden bounced on his bed, forgetting to be mad.

"I was walking through one of my tunnels and he was there. I looked at him, and he at me," Mist said.

"He didn't attack you?" They all said at once.

"No. We stood there for a moment, I myself was shocked and I'm not sure what he was thinking. He said something but I didn't hear it, then he was gone again."

"Woah," Lucas said, he fell back on his bed.

"I never saw him again," Mist said, "but if Herobrine is a monster then, me, all alone in a mineshaft would have been an easy target. But he left me completely unharmed."

She closed her eyes picturing it again. The cool air, the smell of lava mixed with the tang of redstone. Turning the corner those bright, bright eyes barely 25 blocks away from her. The moment they were frozen, and something she didn't mention, she could have sworn he smiled, though it could have just been a trick of the light.

The boys sleepy. Mist tucked each of them in and planted a kiss on their foreheads.

"Good night my loves," she said softly.

She treaded through the house tidying as she went. But when she reached the window she paused, it was a beautiful clear night out. A sigh escaped her lips and she pressed her head to the cool glass. Outside a flash of movement, she jumped knocking into the furnace in the room with a clang. When she looked back nothing was there.