It was a Saturday afternoon, and Jake had just settled into his beanbag chair at home, headset on, ready to spend the next few hours peacefully grinding through levels on his favorite game. That peace, however, didn’t last long.

“JAKE! Get dressed! We’re going to the movies!” his older sister, Demitra Kalogeras, yelled from the hallway.

Jake groaned. “Why? I’m in the middle of a boss fight!”

Demitra popped her head into his room, already wearing a creeper hoodie and holding two movie tickets. “Because the Minecraft movie just dropped today and you’re coming with me. Duh.”

Jake rolled his eyes so hard he nearly saw the back of his skull. “Why do I have to go? Can’t you take one of your friends?”

Demitra grinned. “Nope. They’ve all seen it already, and you’re the only one left who understands Minecraft lore enough to listen to me scream about it afterward.”

“That sounds like torture,” Jake muttered under his breath as he begrudgingly stood up and started throwing on a hoodie.

Thirty minutes later, they were in the theater, popcorn bucket between them, slushies in hand, and the previews starting to roll. Jake slouched down in his seat, praying the movie wasn’t two hours of pixelated nonsense. Demitra, on the other hand, was on the edge of her seat, eyes wide and ready.

When the opening credits started and blocky landscapes filled the screen, Demitra gasped like she was witnessing history.

“Shhh,” Jake hissed. “People are trying to watch.”

“Jake, that’s the desert temple!” she whisper-shouted. “From 1.20!”

Jake groaned and tried to disappear into his hoodie.

About halfway through the movie, it happened.

On screen, a baby zombie riding a chicken charged toward the camera in slow motion. Jake already knew what was coming.

“CHICKEN JOCKEY!!!” Demitra screamed at full volume, jumping halfway out of her seat and spilling popcorn everywhere.

Several people in front of them turned around.

“Sit down!” Jake whisper-yelled, embarrassed as he tried to cover his face with his cup.

“That was a real chicken jockey! They never spawn when I play survival!” Demitra said, beaming.

Jake sighed. “I swear, next time I’m making you go see a math documentary with me.”

“But then I wouldn’t get to scream ‘hypotenuse!’ in public,” she replied smugly.