"Liam!"

"Wha-What?" I have got to stop waking up like this....

I open my eyes to my stepmother Gabriella, the worst possible person in history to be alive.

"You're late!" She screams at me.

I groan, "school doesn't start for hours though." I complain even though it was worthless.

"Your late for your chores!" She screeches in my ear.

"Fine..." I mumble in reply, feeling terrible, my stomach rumbles. Reminding me that I didn't eat last night. I rub my cheek where I got hit last night, remembering my dream.

"Give the stone." I repeat to myself. I grin, what a wacky dream. Of course it meant nothing.

I get out of bed avoiding my step-mothers glare, I get changed and take a shower. I go downstairs and get started on my chores, everything. I wash the clothes, clean the house and so on. It was tough work, but I was used to it by now. Since I have been doing it for 9 years, oh ya forgot to tell ya. I'm 12, my parents died when I was three.

Now I have to deal with the worst parents ever, Gabriella and Luke. Luke was a slob and did nothing but watch TV all day, he was a profesional at sleeping and not waking up, and I swear! That if I sedated him, he probably would never wake up.

I grab some cereal and chomp it down in two bites. I pour two more bowls of cereal and eat them too. Boy was I hungry! I get back to my work feeling a bit better. I sigh as I wash the windows. Wondering what life would be like without my step-parents. I look at the time and realize I'm late for school. I didn't really care though since my reputation was bad enough already. Before I leave though I walk upstairs to my room. I needed to check something. I open my drawer and look at my rock collection.

"Give the stone." I echo what the man said.

I started collecting rocks when I was seven, I only did it because my only souvenir from my parents was a smooth rock with some sort of rune on it. I never had the heart to throw it away though, and I couldn't find anyone who could tell me what the rune meant either. I grab the stone my parents gave me and studied it, something I never thought of doing before. Still the same old rock I used to carry around. I used as my good luck charm, It obviously was the opposite but that didn't stop me from carrying it around.

"He couldn't be talking about this rock..." I mutter to myself.

The one thing I didn't understand is why. Why did they give me this? Not even money, a house or anything useful; just a smooth rock with a stupid rune. I toss it in my pocket for 'good luck' and walk outside in the direction of the school.

I lived in a good neighborhood on the bright side, it was only a one minute walk to the school.

I walk through the side doors closest to my class room. I walk in and am immediately singled out. I realize it's one of my favourite teachers.

"Liam, what is the answer for question Two?" The teacher asks me, putting on her innocent face.

"Um... Three?" I guessed, knowing that was the teachers favorite number.

"Good job!" She applauded me as usual when someone gets an answer right.

A few minutes later the first period ended and as I exit the classroom. I'm shoved from behind in the hallway, I turn to see James standing there with over ten of his friends with him. One of them: most likely the wimp of the group. Looks down the hallways as if he was checking for teachers or grown ups, probably worried that he'll get caught.

"Now who do we have here?" James sneers at me, taking out his pocket knife at the same time. He wasn't afraid to use it, I had to learn that the hard way. I feel the scar on my arm start to throb. "Anything you want to say for yourself?"

Oh ya, James. The big guy with the knife? He's an idiot who doesn't know who he's dealing with. We're always fighting, getting into detention. Then fighting again.

"Back off James, shouldn't you be in class?" I really didn't need this right now. Not that I didn't care if I was expelled, it's just that if I am. They would tell my step-parents about it... I shudder at the thought of coming home to Gabriella, being ready to make my life miserable.

He scowls at me, "do you know what happend yesterday?"

"No." I did though, I should have known he'd be waiting for me.

"Elizabeth dumped me, because of YOU!" He shouts that last part, throwing his anger and hate into his words.

"What does it have to do with me?" I reply, keeping my voice steady. Already my temper was on the edge of flaring. Man do I need a therapist.

"You told her my grades, she didn't know them. She thought I was a A student, I could live with lying as long as I could be with her!" He spits out the words, trembling with hate.

"Wait a minute. You're not an A student?" One of James friends exclamed at him with a scowl.

James just glares back at his friend, "shut up Jeremy. Or do you want me to stab you too?" Jeremy wisely backs down; I catch a glint of fear in his eyes that he quickly hides. James turns back to me.

"So what? Why would you care? I was just helping her from a horrible life with you." I sneer, James's fists clench on knife even harder then before, his knuckles are white with strain. His face looks almost like an angry hippo. I giggle at his reaction. "That's right, you're a selfish, no good, idiot with no life. I was even surprised Elizabeth didn't dump you... In the trash!" My giggle grows into a laugh at my terrible pun, and even some of his friends suppress a small giggle.

He flashes a glare at his friends, I'll deal with you guys later. He turns back to me, "any last words?"

"Good luck getting married."

His face says it all. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" He screeches and charges at me with his knife, raised for the kill. I look into his eyes, I see no relent in there. Then it hits me, I never thought of it before.

Oh my god.... He's actually trying to kill me...