This is my first story on here so please review and let me know what you think. Enjoy.

Just another ordinary day at school, right?

The day started off well enough. I went to every class I was supposed to, even my science class. The thing is, I hate science, and the only thing I understand is what metals mix well with others and the periodic table. Everything else our teacher told us went in one ear and straight out the other.

This day, science was my last class, and I was determined to stay awake in it on the last week of school. Even if that meant listening to Mr. Stanton's lectures about life and why are alive.

After the bell rang I headed out the door from my English class, telling jokes with my buddy Matt. Matt was my best and only friend at high school. Everyone else just tried to ignore me. They probably thought Dyslexia and ADHD were contagious. Matt knew better of course.

"I'll see you tomorrow Areth," Matt waved at me as he headed a different way down the hall. That is another thing, my name is totally absurd. Can you name anyone off the top of your head named Areth? Didn't think so. A lot of the kids at my school just call me Adam instead when they are forced to talk to me.

I waved at Matt and walked into the science lab, taking a seat by myself at the back of the class. Mr. Stanton stared at me through his inch thick glasses. "Well, well," he smirked, "look who showed up."

I ignored him.

"You have missed three tests in the past month Mr. Johnson. Should I believe it is just coincidence that you get sick every day we have a test?"

"Not every day, sir," I really hated this guy, "I was here for the Periodic Table of Elements quiz."

"Yes you were, and you even managed to pass." Some of the kids in the class snickered at me and I sneered back at them.

Before I could say anything the bell rang and Mr. Stanton took a seat at his desk. His graying hair covered his face as he looked down at some notes on his desk.

"Class, flip to chapter six in your textbook and read the first four pages. When you have finished that, do the questions on page one hundred and seven."

I raised my hand as all the other kids got out their textbooks and started reading.

"Mr. Stanton?" I asked sheepishly.

"What now?" He did not even look up from his notes.

"I didn't bring a textbook."

"What a surprise. It looks like you will just have to do your work after school."

Like that was going to happen. "Sir, could I borrow yours?"

He looked up from his desk then and stared at me. "I already let someone else use it."

I looked to his right where a textbook was sitting on the side of his desk. There was no one within ten feet of it beside Mr. Stanton. "But-"

"No buts. Back to work with you."

I sighed and began doodling in the back of my binder. I was subconsciously sketching an image of the designs to a large, round arena that looked much like the places gladiators fought at in those old movies. How did I know what one of those looked like?

I spent the rest of the class trying not to draw attention to myself, but his was hard seeing as I had red hair (which everyone made fun of me for), and I was the 'weird kid', who no one wanted to be caught with. Not to mention I was really strong and people thought I was on steroids. So, instead of ignoring me they would throw paper airplanes with notes like "you suck" written in them.

I took one of the airplanes and began to fold it more, changing the shape until it resembled a jet and I threw it back. The girl who had thrown it to me looked at me funny and turned away.

Finally, the bell rang, and I bolted out the door, with my books under my arm. I heard Mr. Stanton calling out behind me.

"Mr. Johnson, come back here this instant!"

I didn't look back but just kept pushing through the crowd of people going through the halls until I got outside.

Naturally, I missed my bus and the next one did not come for another three hours.

A homeless man was sitting by the bus stop, watching me. "It's probably faster to walk kid."

This didn't strike me as odd at the time but when I think back on it, how did the guy know where I was going, or how far away it was?

"Yeah, it probably is." I turned away and began walking. When I looked back at the man he was gone, all that was left was a small cardboard box. "Okay…"

I walked for close to half an hour towards my house downtown where my Mom lived by herself with me. As I was walking I noticed the scenery begin to change to something I had never seen before in this part of the city.

The next thing I knew, the world around me blurred and I was walking down an old country road in the middle of nowhere, probably hundreds of miles from my house. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked around. Now, I am usually a pretty laid back guy but this creeped me out to say the least.

"Hello? Where am I? Is anyone here?" I tried running back the way I had come but it led nowhere. I started to get angry

I heard a rustle in the bushes and looked to the left side of the road where a large forest was. Of course, both sides had a forest. I was hoping it would be some boy or girl playing in the forest near their house. Maybe I could ask them for directions.

"Hello?"

The bushes rustled once more and something large leapt out, clearing the ditch on the side of the road. And landing on the road, leaving four hoof marks where it landed. It was definitely not a child. It was a boar, a massive boar with tusks and everything. Yeah, you could say I was scared.

I did the only that made sense. I ran for it.

I didn't get far down the road before I felt the ground shaking before and when I looked back the boar was right behind me, charging with its tusks lowered. I dove to the side and it flew past me.

"Come on, let's be sensible." But apparently the boar did not want to be sensible.

It charged me again and I was suddenly scared. I could die! Wait, I didn't want to die.

The boar got closer but suddenly I felt… different. I heard the sound of a roaring fire in my head and a circular wall of fire suddenly surrounded me, blasting out in every direction. After the initial shock I realized I may have just started a forest fire. Not the best thing to do in the middle of June.

After the fire wave washed over the boar it dissipated and then disappeared completely. The boar was gone entirely and all that remained was a smell of sulfur and a pile of dust where it had been standing. I gulped and ran as fast as I could back towards the road, screaming for someone, for anyone.

What had just happened? After running for what seemed like hours, but had in fact been no more than twenty minutes, I saw a sign advertising a strawberry farm. Finally, some sign of life!

I followed the road in the direction the sign pointed and came to a slightly wooded hill. I could smell the strawberries from here and my mouth watered. How long had it been since I last ate? It must have been a long time.

At the top of the hill I looked down into a beautiful valley and saw the strangest strawberry farm ever. I wasn't about to complain and I ran down the hill towards a large, three storied house. It was getting dark and no one seemed to be around. I looked around and saw a large group of people eating dinner farther up another hill.

I wandered over there and walked into the firelight.