Disclaimer: I do not own The Monkees, or the campfire stories told in this chapter.

Peter 22
Mike 21
Micky 19
Davy 17

Waves washed over a trail of footprints erasing them as quickly as they were being made by the eight feet of four young men. After over a week of non-stop practicing Mike had declared a day off and they planned a day at the beach, one of their favorite places to relax.

They'd spent the whole day there swimming, meeting new people, building a sand castle, and now they were going to have a small bonfire. They had been collecting dry wood for a while now and had an extensive pile going when they made their last trip letting the sea cool their tired feet. It wasn't dark yet but it would be soon and they used the last rays of the sun to light their way as they carried their armloads to the already impressive pile and deposited them.

"Finally." Micky said picking up a bag and popping one of the giant marshmallows it held in his mouth.

"Hey don't eat all those, they're for the S'mores and Davy ain't never tried one." Mike told the drummer as he watched him eat another one

Smiling around globs that bulged out his cheeks he put the bag down and held up his hands in mock surrender at getting caught.

Mike just rolled his eyes as he went back to lighting the fire. Starting with a small pile of tender it wasn't long before he had a nice roaring two foot blaze going, he put the now empty matchbox back in his pocket.

"Now?" Davy asked for what felt like the thousandth time. Ever since Mike had told him about S'mores that morning he'd been waiting to try one but Mike kept saying it wasn't time yet.

Mike sighed, ideally they should wait for it to get dark, S'mores should be eaten close to bed while telling scary stories so that you went to sleep with a small stomach ache that helped intensify the nightmares already brought on by the stories. Any other way was just no fun, this was tradition after all. Still, it wouldn't hurt for them to have at least one or more before then, it's not like they hadn't brought enough, even with Micky sneaking a few, something Mike could see him doing again out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah Tiny we can make 'em now." Mike reached over and grabbed the bag where it lay where Micky hastily discarded it not wanting to get caught again and pulled out a marshmallow. "First thing ya do is ya get a marshmallow and ya stab it on the end of a stick, like this." Mike told the captivated boy going through the steps. "Next ya put it close to the fire, but not too much, ya don't wanna burn it, well some people do." Getting the marshmallow just right was slow going and Mike could see Davy's patience waning but he didn't blame him, he'd waited all day and it was right there, it must be maddening.

"Hey Peter pass me a piece of chocolate and some grams." The blond bass player handed them over almost as transfixed on the process as Davy.

Mike put the chocolate on one of the two squares of graham cracker Peter had given him. He then took the perfectly golden marshmallow and carefully, as if it was as intricate as brain surgery, set it on top. He then placed and pressed the second cracker down on that. "See simple." He said as he finished and handed it to his friend.

Davy's large eyes lit up even more, something Mike wouldn't have thought possible, as he took the offered treat. He held it up in front of him for a second looking at it, this is what he'd been waiting all day for, he smiled bringing it to his opening mouth and bit down. Flavors exploded in his mouth as he chewed, different textures blending together. Finally he swallowed and looked at his friends who had been watching him take his first bite of the desert just as intensity as he'd done with it's construction.

"Well?" Micky urged when he didn't say anything.

"Smashing!" He said before taking another, bigger, bite.

The others laughed glad that he was enjoying it as they quickly set to work making their own. Mike's and Peter's came out okay but it looked like Micky had gotten his marshmallow too close to the flame as he was now blowing it off.

"You're not going to eat it like that are you?" Davy asked voice muffled around the last bite of his. It didn't look as appealing with the darkened former white glob in the center.

Micky stopped the S'more half way to his mouth but didn't answer. Instead he set it down, dug into the bag, pulled out another marshmallow and plucked it on his stick. He stuck it right in the fire just as he'd done before until it caught. He blew it out, inspected it and seemed to deem it not ready as he plunged it back in. This time it seemed to be good enough so Micky grabbed the other ingredients and assembled the small sweet sandwich.

"You're gonna eat one with me." He said holding out the freshly made S'more to his young friend who looked at it reluctantly before taking it.

The bite was slower this time, more hesitant "It was... Different, more gooey, messy." Davy said.

"But did you like it?" Micky asked.

"Surprisingly yes." Davy said.

"Which do you like more?" Peter asked curious.

Davy thought about it for a minute before answering. "Both." He said taking a big bite of the one still in his hand.

Micky grinned wildly at that as Mike groaned in disgust, he loved being able to corrupt the younger boy, it was the best part of being older. And if it helped drive Mike slowly insane... Well that was just a bonus he'd have to live with. When the two younger, more hyper, boys got going they could drive the older boy up the wall faster then a cat next to a vacuum, as Mike might say, he liked weird sayings like that.

By now Davy's face was covered in the sticky snack and he was licking the last of it off his fingers looking much like a messy child in need of a bath. Mike watched him thoughtfully, he sometimes forgot how young he really was, at only seventeen he was still technically a child and as such still needed someone to take care of him, guide him, protect him. Mike as leader of their merry little band of Monkees, somehow filled that spot. He didn't mind it too much, Davy was a good kid that never got into too much trouble. Still it could be hard at times, having someone rely on you like that, to always have to know what to do, to worry for them. Sometimes Mike wasn't sure he was ready for all that but figured at least it was good practice for when he had his own kids someday.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Mike laughed as he handed him a marshmallow. "Okay, now you get this next one, don't worry if it falls, we got plenty more."

Davy looked a little unsure as he took it but one look at Mike's encouraging face eased his doubts as he speared the sugary square and held the stick over the fire. He tried keeping it out of the fire but the stick was long and kept swaying and bobbing around. It dipped into the fire and Davy quickly pulled it out only to see it dip again seconds later, this time catching. "Shoot." Quickly blowing it out he inspected it. "Just as good." He shrugged, at least this way didn't take as long, he took the offered chocolate and crackers from his friends, stacking them all together.

Mike made another face of disgust watching his friends eat their blackened treats. He took his marshmallow away from the flame deciding it was done, Peter mimicking his moves moments later as his reached a nice golden color. In no time they were both eating freshly made S'mores alongside their friends.

"Hey we should sing." Peter said as they finished.

It was getting dark as the sun slowly set over the water basking the area in some of the most beautiful hues they had ever seen, the perfect setting for a song. The others readily agreed picking up the instruments that lay beside them. The moon had risen while they played casting them in it's pale glow. They started with 'Last Train To Clarksville', as a slightly chilled late October breeze blew against their backs. Still Micky who'd grown up here in California and never really known cold shivered putting a couple more sticks on the fire as Mike, the Texan, did the same across from him. Peter and Davy shared amused looks, Connecticut and England would be much colder right now and neither of them were prepared to complain about the extremely mild weather they'd been enjoying here ever since their arrival a few years ago.

They played for a while, some of their highlights being Peter's rendition of 'Laugh' which actually wasn't too bad but the others kept adding to it and cracking up making it hard for Peter to get through the song. Sometime after that Mike butchered his way through 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' changing lyrics and singing off key Micky got him back when he and Davy broke into 'Gonna Buy Me A Dog' but they didn't know it very well and had to improvise a lot. They finished with 'Midnight Train' each trying to out sing the others as they sang faster and faster the words blurring together until it just dissolved into laughter.

By this time it was quiet dark outside their little ring of light and Micky announced it was storytelling time. They each took turns pulling out their best scares. Each boy's sole goal was to make at least one of the others scream. So far they had definitely spooked themselves but hadn't yet reached full on scared level.

But it was Mike's turn and he had a good one.

"Well ya see there was these two kids and they were neckin` in a car. After awhile radio comes on and says there's a mad man with a hook for a hand that escaped from a loony bin somewhere nearby. The girl's afraid and wants to go home but the boy doesn't and he convinces her to stay." Mike watched their faces looking for any reactions, Micky and Peter looked fine but he could see that Davy had picked up on the similarities between the story and his own dates, minus the escaped mental patient of course. He continued. "Well they get ta kissin` again and they hear something, outside, like metal scrapin` metal." That part was said slow, voice as deep and gravelly as it would go. "The girl's really bent outta shape now and this time she convinces him to leave. They peel outta there and soon he's droppin` her off at home. When she gets out and and goes to shut the door she starts screamin`." Mike's voice had gotten really low and gravelly again as he drew it out. "There punched in the side of the door is..." He paused for a second and watched the others lean in transfixed on his every word. "A bloody hook!" Mike cried out jumping them and succeeding in making Davy scream.

They continued, none getting any more screams but now it was Micky's turn. "Okay this is a genuine California ghost story. It's about this chick named Llorona. Now Llorona was in love with this sharp dressed cat and they had a thing for awhile. She ended up with four of his kids, all boys, but when she begged he refused to marry her saying the boys were a disgrace since they'd had `em outta wed-lock. So Llorona takes her kids and drowns `em." Micky paused, watching them, two of them looked alright, a little saddened by the news but not scared, yet. Peter on the other hand already looked very upset, he didn't like it when people got hurt, especially kids. He continued. "So she goes back to the guy she's in love with but he still doesn't wanna marry her. Now she's killed her kids for nothing. She can't deal with it and starts calling for the boys, mad with grief as she's walkin` along a river looking for them. When she can't find them she drowns herself cause she can't live with what she did. They say that she haunts all the waterways looking for her boys, calling for them. If she's spotted it means someone's gonna die, she's an omen of death but if she finds four boys together... She takes them and they're never seen again!"

"So by waterways...?" Peter asked looking over his shoulder at the ocean not a hundred feet from him.

"Oh you know, any old body of water." Micky said. "Lakes, rivers... Oceans." He smiled when Peter jumped up with a small cry and went to sit next to Mike on the other side of the fire so his back was no longer facing the water.

"A friend of mine once told me his cousin said that his friend told him about a friend that knew two brothers that saw her one night. They were driving home and had the windows rolled down cause it was hot out. They thought they heard a baby crying or something so they pulled over, suddenly a fog rolled up on them and coming out of it was a girl dressed all in white with long dark hair, she was crying and calling out but they couldn't quite hear what. When they realized it was Llorona they sped outta there fast as they could. They were local boys like me and knew the score, they didn't wanna get killed. Next day when nothing happened though they laughed it off with their friends, but later..." Micky leaned in a little. "When they were going to work on that same road, at the same spot she was standing, they got a flat tire and crashed into the biggest palm tree there, both were killed instantly." He finished.

Peter let out a small scream at that and looked around him almost like he wanted to cry.

"Don't worry Peter, it's just a story." Mike said putting his arm around the older, but in a lotta ways younger, boy's shoulders.

Peter nodded calming down a little from the safety Mike's arm brought. He then got a strange look in his eyes as he declared it his turn looking right at Micky. Mike and Davy exchanged looks, this should be good. Peter didn't usually retaliate and when he did it was always a sight to see. Micky gulped as Peter opened his mouth and the tale slipped out.

"Back New York there were a lot of stories about a strange creature that had been spotted in New Jersey. It's a horrible beast with horns, a tail, and hooves for feet, it has the wings of a giant bat, the head like a horse and sharp claws it uses to slash at it's victims. A few years before came here there was a couple, they had been parked at the Pine Barrens, you know on a date. Anyway, they heard this very loud screeching sound, it filled the air and hurt their ears it was so loud. The noise wasn't anything like they'd ever heard, it was eerie and bloodcurdling. All of a sudden the roof was caved in, and they sped out of there fast as they could. They went back the next day, convinced it'd just been the dark and their imaginations getting the better of them. But they heard the screeching again, this time even louder! When they looked up they saw it flying around the tops of the trees, it's wings were scraping them, peeling the bark in it's wake. People have been looking for it for years, since the 1800's, some said that it's a demon that was born to a woman who made with the devil. Others say she cursed the kid before he was born, saying she hoped he was a devil. Either way that's what she got and the Jersey Devil was born! Not much is known about him to this day but it's been tracked through the animal carcasses he leaves behind after his meals."

"That's not that scary." Micky said even as he cast a nervous look towards the darkened sky. "I'll bet it not eve-"

An hooted in the distance causing Micky to jump and let out a short scream. "Okay maybe it was a little scary."

They had a good laugh at Micky's reaction and continued on. Now all of them had been scared except for Mike, and Davy knew just how to fix that when his turn came around again.

"Once upon a time." He started watching them roll their eyes at the not so scary opening. "There was a young girl who had a small child but couldn't take care of him. One day she put a little blue baby bonnet on his head. She then carried him two mile from home and left him in the woods. When she started walking back she hears, 'Blue Baby Bonnet Two Mile Away'." Davy spoke slowly keeping his voice low trying to build up the story as much as possible. " She made it to her house and heard. 'Blue Baby Bonnet, One Mile Away'. She's relaxing and trying to read a book when she hears. 'Blue Baby Bonnet, Coming Up the Driveway'. Runnin` up the stairs she goes in her bedroom and sits on her bed where she heard. 'Blue Baby Bonnet, Standing At Your Door'. Quickly she dives under the bed and hears..." He allowed a small pause there while he looked at his friends in turn. "Blue Baby... BOOO!" He looked at Mike on the last part as he made to jump at him.

Mike let out a scream, clutching his heart. "What are ya tryin` ta do give me a heart attack!?"

Davy got up laughing and took off running when Mike tried catching him. That prompted them to start a game of tag using only what the fire and moonlite offered to guide them.

They ran along the beach laughing and chasing each other, stories and fear forgotten as they tread the familiar paths they'd know even in their sleep. They'd been playing for a while and the game had been merged with hide and seek as well and it was Peter's turn to be IT and Micky was determined to keep away from him. He snuck around a small grove of palm trees near a rock wall and hid among them. Peter would never look over here. He was just settling in for the wait when he started to hear a weird noise. Curious he moved towards it, it came from another clump trees but Micky still couldn't see anything yet. Pushing through the grove he peered through the darkness.

He heard the sound again, louder then ever but it echoed off the trees and he wasn't able to find the source.

"Fellas?" Micky asked as he, after a few minutes of staring at it, finally found his voice but it came out squeaky and high pitched. "What- Was that?" He voice was barely above a whisper, he felt like he may have accidentally walked into the things lair and was now afraid that he had angered it.

No one answered and Micky realized they couldn't hear him from all the way over here, not unless he really shouted. He'd gone a little away from them not wanting to be IT. Gulping he slowly backed out only to hit a tree with a THUD. Micky jumped only to laugh at himself, stupid tree, he patted the bark going around it this time. Behind him, from up in the tree under his hand he heard, saw, and felt as a huge creature stepped out farther on the branches so that it was visible against the moonlite shinning down below, illuminating it's bat-like wings, large head, and size as it did so.

Micky paled, eyes fixed up in horror, it was the Jersey Devil, Peter was right! But what was it doing in California? He decided not to worry about that at the moment and instead on how to get around it and back to his friends. He tried to inch passed it but it started screaming at him and moving to block him off so he stopped and it returned to it's perch. He then tried to go at least try to step a few feet away from the thing. It allowed it and Micky breathed a sigh of relief as he started to think of a way out. Nothing was coming to him and the Jersey Devil was starting to move around, staring right at him the whole time. It was going to attack, Micky could see the thing plotting how to do it as it circled the branches. Knowing he had no choice and it would happen anyway, he started screaming no longer caring if the sound sprung the creature into action as he tried to dive for safety.

It didn't work, the thing was now on the ground in front of him and snapping at him. Before he could think of how to get himself out of his predicament he heard a shout.

"HEY!" His friends shouted tossing rocks near the thing trying to get it away from the drummer.

It worked! The thing flew off, screeching at them the whole time, it took several minutes for Micky to finally calm down and when he did he found that he couldn't stop talking.

"Oh man did ya see that thing? I didn't think it was real, I thought you were just making it up, but it was and I saw it, it almost got me!" Micky rushed to them at this enveloping them each in a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Micky."

"I was just hiding, uh, right around here I think." Micky said giving the area a quick scan as he continued rambling, barely registering Mike's voice. "When I heard a noise, I went to see what it was when the thing just came outta no where! I don't know what I would've done if you guys hadn't gotten here when you did. I was almost a goner!"

"MICKY!" Mike was finally able to get his attention by the eighth try and the younger boy looked up at him with lips now pressed together, a sheepish look on his flushed face.

"What do you mean you were almost a goner?" He asked at the incredulous notion.

"Well it was the Jersey Devil, the thing could have ripped me to shreds!" Micky said dramatically.

"The Jersey Devi- What?" Mike couldn't believe his ears, he started laughing wishing he could stop. "That wasn't the Jersey Devil Mick."

"It wasn't?" Micky asked.

"No man, it was a condor!" Mike continued to chuckle.

"Oh." Micky didn't know how he felt at Mike laughing at him, on one hand he guessed that if it was a just a condor then thinking it was the Jersey Devil of all things could come off as kind of funny. On the other hand he'd been really scared and wasn't sure if his already frayed nerves could handle the merriment at his expense at the moment, especially not from their leader/big brother.

Mike quickly stopped laughing at the soft sound. "Hey now, it ain't nothing to be embarrassed about. I probably would have thought the thing was the Jersey Devil myself it I had been the one to come across it like you did."

"Really?" There was a hopeful gleam in Micky's eyes.

"Yeah, sure." Mike knew he probably wouldn't have but a white lie every now and then never hurt anybody.

Micky seemed to relax more after that and Mike decided that it was time to go back over to the fire. "Let's go guys, no sense in standing around here in the dark when we gotta nice fire just over this here wall."

With that he started headed back knowing the others would be right behind them, as always.

When they got back they each laid down in their respective sleeping bags that were set up in two tents that they had brought out with them. They moved them a little closer to the fire, each not wanting to admit that the condor had scared them.

"Get off!" Davy said pushing Micky away, the drummer's larger body pressing him into the ground as he reached over to once again grab the now almost empty bag of marshmallows.

"Whah?" Micky asked through a mouthful of the sticky treat. "Wanh ohun?" He held out the bag as a peace offering.

Davy looked at it for a second before snatching it out of Micky's hand grinning. "Don't mind if I do!" He then rolled over so his back was facing Micky as he reached in the bag and grabbed one.

He didn't give the bag back, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by the other boy who watched as Davy plucked a second one from the rapidly diminishing bag.

"Um Davy?" Micky paused as Davy withdrew a third. "Hey, you gonna eat all of those?"

"Mahbeh." Davy said his words muffled by a mouthful of marshmallow.

"Hey!" Micky wasn't about to have that, he made a grab for the bag only to have Davy moved farther away from him.

"Gonnah have ta do behter then that!" Davy said words getting clearer as he continued to keep the bag away from his friend.

"Oh yeah!" Micky got a mischievous look in his eyes as he looked over at Mike and Peter, who were watching from in their tent, not even bothering to hide their smiles or slight snickers.

He quickly got out of the tent dragging a surprised Davy with him. The younger boy was already out and slung over his friend's shoulder before he knew what was happening. And by then he had a firm grasp on him and Davy found it impossible to get free no matter how hard he tried. The much fought after marshmallow bag lay on the ground in front of the tent, forgotten.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" Davy shouted. From his spot with his head behind Micky's back he was able to see Mike and Peter exchange slightly nervous looks before following the younger boys down the beach. Davy didn't know where Micky was taking him, he wasn't afraid, he knew he'd never do anything to really hurt him, but he was nervous. Micky was known for his pranks and it was always disconcerting when the usually talkative musician went silent, like he was doing now.

He finally found out where he was being hauled off to when the sound of crashing waves grew distinctively louder. Surly he wouldn't. They were all still wearing only their swim trucks, it'd been so nice out there had been no need to change, but that didn't mean he was too keen on going for a swim this late at night! Davy lifted his head as much as he could, yes there was the ocean less then five feet away and Micky was still walking towards it. Now he was stepping in it. When the water got to just above his knees he shifted his hold on Davy, bringing the younger boy in front of him before rising him as high as he was able, going quickly to use the momentum as he pushed the smaller boy higher.

Davy's pleas rang out but they were cut off as he sailed through the air, having only a split second to take a deep breath and hold it in as the icy ocean water washed over him. He came up seconds later sputtering, he hadn't quite succeeded in getting his breath before he'd been submerged.

Micky helped him to his feet, a task that prove difficult with the force of the waves that seemed to pull him back. "Wanna go for a swim?"

Mike watched from his spot still on the beach beside Peter as Davy looked up at Micky, it seemed he was about to get mad before he suddenly broke out into a grin that turned into a half laugh half yell as he jumped on the older boy bring them both down beneath the waves. Mike shook his head in astonishment as he met Peter's eyes, the older boy had a wild gleam in them as made a mad dash into the water. Not wanting to be called a wuss he steeled himself before he too joined his friends for a midnight swim in the cold dark ocean.

They didn't stay in for very long, barley an hour, but they had plenty of fun dunking each other under the water, coming up beneath and pulling someone down, or just tossing each other in. Davy was a favorite for this last one, due to his small size they were able to launch him higher then the others and got huge smiles from him after he popped up some twenty feet away. They finally got out when Peter accidentally swallowed some water and had come up coughing and thrashing around. It had taken both Mike and Micky holding onto him before he calmed down enough to realize he could now reach the ocean floor, the others having dragged him back from where he'd strayed just a little too far from them.

"'Kay looks like that's our cue." Mike said as he and Micky practically carried a still shaken Peter from the water, Davy trailed behind them watching for any signs they may need help.

"T-thanks." Peter's voice was a bit shaky and rough but he was started to breath better and had all but stopped coughing.

"None required but you're welcome." Mike said hugging the older boy to him for a second before he and Micky set him down once they had gotten back to the fire.

"How you feelin'?" Mike asked a few minutes later, they were all gathered back around the fire, trying to dry off before crawling back into their sleeping bags.

"I'm good, my lungs don't hurt at all and I'm not coughing any more." Peter declared.

"You sound better too." Micky said putting a few more sticks on the dwelling fire.

Peter leaned in towards the flames watching them as they rose higher and higher. "Hey we should do this again, but for real."

"What do you mean?" Davy asked. Sometimes Peter had a strange way of voicing his thoughts and it wasn't always easy to figure out exactly what he was saying.

"Camping, we should really go camping."

This was met by stunned silence, here he was just recovering from almost drowning and he wanted to go camping. But that was Peter, he didn't tend to stray on the bad things for too long and choose instead to fill his mind with as many happy things as he could.

"With S'mores?" Davy asked eyes wide at the prospect of more of the delicious snacks, especially while off on an adventure.

"Yeah and I even know this great spot!" Micky said getting excited. "Me and my folks used to go there all the time. It's kinda hard to get to though, it can actually take days just to get there, a little by raft and a whole day's hike through the woods."

"Really?" Peter loved camping and couldn't think of a better sounding site for it.

"Hold on, hold the phone! Are we really gonna go camping?" Mike wasn't sure he liked this idea, on the beach was one thing, but the woods were something different. In the woods there were more bugs, wild animals, more bugs, no help if anything should happen, more bugs, no shower, and had he mentioned more bugs, he really hated bugs. He wasn't scared of them or anything, they were just so danged annoying, kinda like his friends were being right now as they started pestering him into going once they realized him reluctance.

"Mike, can't we go? It'll be fun, you'll see." Peter told the Texan even as he shook his head at the plead.

"No, no way. It's cold, muddy, fulla bugs, and all sorts of other things. No way, not gonna happen." Mike was firm leaving no room for argument, not that that ever stopped them before, and it didn't now either.

"Please Mike, we don't wanna have to go without you." Micky begged.

"But we will if we have to." Davy said knowing this would make their leader cave, there was no way he would ever let them venture into the woods for days without him along to make sure nothing happened to them.

Mike glared at him knowing he was caught, sighing he nodded. "Fine! But I'm the only one here that's an eagle scout so I'm in charge." He paused at that. "Just like always." He wanted to make sure they didn't forget that, despite being able to talk him into something he really didn't want to do.

"This is great!" Micky said pumping his fist into the air. "I haven't been back to that camp site in years!"

"Just how long does it take to get there, how good do you remember the way, where are we supposed to get a raft, and when do you plan on leaving for this little adventure of ours?" Mike wanted a few answers before they got too carried away.

"Um, well it's been a while I guess so I probably don't really remember the way." Seeing Mike's face Micky quickly added. "But there's signs and stuff all over the place, plus they give you really good maps of all the trails at the station before you head down the river. It's impossible to get lost, even Peter would be able to find it."

"Hey!" Peter looked a little hurt by that.

"Sorry Pete, but it is true. You're not exactly known for your directional skills." Micky said shrugging but looking apologetically.

"Well I at least don't, I don't..." Peter trailed off, not that he couldn't think of anything but that he didn't want to use any of the things he thought of because he knew they might hurt the other boy's feelings. That was the difference with him and the rest of the world, he could think of nasty things to say, but he could never say them. Not that he was saying Micky was being mean or anything, he was his friend and was allowed such teasing, he knew he didn't really mean anything by it. Still he could never bring himself to be the same way with them, it just wasn't in his nature.

"And how long does it take to get there?" Mike asked bringing Micky back on topic.

"Well it's like I said, you travel down on a raft for almost a day, then you make camp at this site close to the water and from there it's a full day's travel to the real site, which is near lots of trails and some really good climbing spots. But we'll have to hike to get there. That will probably take about two days altogether, it'll only take about few hours in the car to get there. We're lucky though, it's actually closer here then when I was living with my parents, we had to spend the entire day in the car, starting from like, five in the morning and then we had to make camp before we even went downstream!"

By the time Micky was done Mike had a headache just thinking about the trip but he had already agreed and couldn't back out out, not when they all looked so excited. "And the raft?"

"We rent that when we get there, they're not very expensive." Micky was quick to add.

"And we'd be going...?"

"Um, well." Micky exchanged glances at the others who nodded enthusiastically. "Uh, since we don't exactly have any gigs lined up at the moment and we did just finish that string of gigs for all the festivals that's been going on lately, so we do have some extra money laying around..." Now it was Micky's turn to trail off, letting the pieces of his statement kick in.

"You wanna go now, don't you?" He made it sound like a question but it really wasn't, still Micky nodded, the others following his lead. "And now means tomorrow don't it?" Again not a question, they didn't nod this time, just looked at him with the three most pitiful puppy-dog-eyes they could muster. Mike felt what was left of his resolve crumble into dust at their stares, he sighed deeply. "Okay, okay, tomorrow we're heading out and going camping for a week, are ya happy now?"

Three cheers rang through the night before Mike made them quiet down, no sense in waking the neighbors when this time tomorrow they would be deep in the woods where they could make all the noise they wanted. Just the thought of that had him groaning. He decided it was time to go to bed and directed the others to follow his example, if they were really doing this they needed a good night's sleep. With that they turned in, each boy lost in thoughts of what their adventure might hold, even Mike found himself thinking about some of the things he actually liked doing on a camping trip and soon they were fast asleep.