Hey everybody! How's it going? How is everybody feeling? Just checking in.:) Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. I'm just going off of things that pop into my head, as usual, so tell me if I should change anything or any ideas you might have. And this is just a filler chapter, so it'll be really short.

ENJOY, PLEASE!

"Gah!" I sputtered, bolting straight up in bed. My dream was gone before I could remember anything of it. All I could remember was that it was cold, dark, and damp. I shuddered, falling back onto my bed. My forehead had a sheet of sweat on it, and so did the rest of my body. I looked at my clock. 3:24. I sighed and swung my feet out of the lump of sheets that had once been my neatly-made bed. My tank top and shorts were old and worn and fitted to my body, so they were the most comfortable to sleep in. But now they just felt sticky and itchy, so I changed into other clothes. It was a Friday yesterday, the day after Drew came over, so I didn't have to worry about school in the morning.

I went into the hall and to the bathroom that Ella and I shared, turning on the light. I blinked and shut my eyes, since the light was too bright. After they had adjusted I inspected myself in the mirror. My eyes were droopy and red, and I had a weird spot on my neck. It was red and a little swollen, and the shape was disfigured into some sort of a pear-looking thing. It was bumpy to the touch, and it felt a little overheated. There was another one on the other side of my neck, and I decided I would ask mom in the morning.

I was still feeling a little drained from my dream, so I grabbed a washcloth from the drawer and washed my face with warm water. My heart was racing for some reason, but I didn't know why. Suddenly my back was hurting, and the rest of my body aching and sweating more. I ran cold water over the washcloth and put it over my face and the parts of my body I could reach. I did that a few times, then returned to my bed.

But I couldn't fall asleep. Some picture kept flashing on the backs of my eyelids, but it would disappear before I could recognize it though. I did see a glimpse of one picture though: 7 kids standing in the woods by a tall tree, with some wolf-ish type animals standing across from them with their teeth bared. Suddenly, the kids jumped up and spread out wings and took off flying. Then it went black.

That vision in particular set me on edge. I could feel my blood pumping through my veins and myself becoming overheated and sore again. I got up and sat on my window seat, staring into the pitch-black night. I saw the white of a bird's wing as it flew from one tree to another. I saw a squirrel scatter up a tree and perch on a branch, eating something. The bushes and the trees rustled and swayed with the wind, and I couldn't help thinking of the other night when I felt like I was being chased and saw the bushes move. I was convinced someone was stalking me, for some reason or another, but I had no idea what those reasons were. Who would want anything to do with me? And why? I wasn't anything special. I had no talents or special properties about me. I was just… Max. Nothing more and nothing less.

I sighed. If anybody was after me, it was for some completely unknown reason. To me, at least. If it was some serial killer, or something like that, I just hoped they would leave my family alone. They shouldn't have to suffer on my behalf. And Drew, for that matter, too. Even though I had only known him for a matter of days, he felt like family already. Perhaps even more. I was still completely confused about why he had almost kissed me when he was over. He had barely spoken to me on Friday afterwards, but maybe that was because he had some test he had to finish. I apparently got out of it, since I was so new. But he kept sending me these looks, when he was in class, and I couldn't interpret them. It seemed like maybe… longing? Hope? I couldn't understand them. And as soon as I would look, he would put his emotionless mask back on. He was really starting to make me go insane.

I sat there on my window seat, thinking about serial killers, stalkers, and Drew for about as long as I could. And finally, I fell asleep.

So…do you like it? As I said, this is just a filler chapter, so its short. The next one will be on Monday back at school, and I have something special planned…:D Hehehe… you'll just have to wait and see!! I'll update as soon as I can. Until then, REVIEW!!! And any ideas you have, please feel free to tell me.:)

BoOk-NeRd38