Jonty and Choc are best mates - one Pakeha, one Maori. The story opens with the boys on their final day of primary school, totally in tune with each other and pulling pranks on their teachers. They go to the beach and find a mysterious lump, which Choc is inexplicably drawn to. The lump causes him to have dreams of ancient times, but also seems to have an adverse affect on his personality. It makes him angry. Intermediate school starts; Jonty and Choc are put into different classes and their friendship is threatened by social and cultural differences that become more and more apparent as the story and the influence of the strange lump unfolds.