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Going Camping - Chapter 1

Why? Why? And yet another WHY? Did I ever agree to this? Donīt I ever learn? Then on the other hand do I have much of a choice?


Nope!

Anyway here I am, fifteen years old, in the prime of my maleness, stuck in a small vehicle riding somewhere in the Norwegian mountains. Iīm on my way to a camping trip where I am going to sleep with my 4 "brothers" in a tent together with about one million mosquitos and ants. For 5 days without electricity!


Life couldnīt suck more, could it?


And the answer to the 20,000 dollar question is: Yes it can. Especially if your name is Nickolas Gene Carter!


I have a tendency to always pick the shortest straw and now I am seated in the middle of the car. You know, the place that has NO space whatsoever for any part of your body and the place where no one wants to sit. This, together with a car that feels like 100 degrees and a curvy road up and down these high mountain roads and deep valleys were making this trip very memorable. In a miserable sort of way.


Hey, you wanna trade places with me? Nah, didnīt think so either.


"Why do I always have to sit here. In the bad spot?" I whined as I shifted in the seat, trying to find room to place my legs.


"Be thankful that it isnīt the wet spot youīre sitting in," AJ, my buddy next to me said with a grin before he turned back watching the scenery with an uninterested look.


There was laughter in the car, esecially from the front where they were sitting much more comfortably than I was.


"Ha, ha, ha," I murmured, not in a mood to be joked with. Instead I continued a bit louder, "You always get the best seats while I, who have the longest legs, is stuck here not having any room to breathe or anything." Okay I was being a bit overdramatic with my words, but that was neccessary because otherwise they wouldnīt give me the slightest attention. Not that they did that anyway.


After the silence or should I call it ignorance continued for a while I felt obligated to tell them what I felt over this whole situation. In other words I wanted to go home. But that was not what I said, nooo how stupid do you think I am? Instead I told them in a whiny voice that this was a bad idea and that I wanted to get off at the next stop. This resulted in an unpleased grunt from the driver's section. But no vocal comments.


They ignored me on purpose!


Howie was the only one that wasnīt ignoring me, mainly because he was sound asleep, with his mouth open. Glaring at him I had to steer clear of a desperate urge to stick something in his mouth. Like a cd album or a mushed up banana or even better Brian’s dirty socks! I know the sock part is gross and I stopped my thoughts here even if it was tempting. There would be too much commotion.


This was something I did from time to time, especially when I was bored out of my skull. Like I was now. It usually cracked me up when sweet D' choked on whatever I had put in his mouth. Okay, I know that was a mean act, but if you saw the faces that Howie makes when he is in such situation you would laugh too. And that is a promise!


Glaring at my other side I saw that Alexander James McLean was watching me with a grin on his lips. He knew what I was up to and was daring me with his looks to see if I would do it or not. I shook my head and he instantly turned away from me, staring out instead. AJ didnīt think I was much fun if I didnīt screw up or something or make a prank and when he thought I was too boring or annoying he usually looked away, ignoring me.


To my surprise he said, "I think that Kaos is right."


What? Did I hear what I heard? That AJ acknowledged that I was right?


Thank you God, that I didnīt chew on a gum or I would have swallowed the gum down my throat. Choking to death and then we would have had to stop the car. And Kevin would have gone mad beacuse we would have missed our schedule and the management would have yelled at him and he would have been kicked out of the band. But then there would be no band since I would be dead and ..yeah you see what chain reaction it would be. Or what a screwed up imagination I have.


"Huh?" I wasnīt the only one that was surprised in the car.


Ignoring my stupid look he said, frustration evident in his voice, "Yeah, who came up with such a fucked up idea?"


To this I have only one thing to say: The management at Jive records together with that sweaty Lou Pearlman, notice the very high sarcasm in my voice when I mention Mr. Pearlman. Kevin who was always the designated leader as well as in charge of this expedition thought that it had something to do with that stupid motivational course that the management had been to in Hawaii.


When they had told us this "bright" idea, they said that we needed time off and was going to get to go on a small trip. There had been joy in the group, until we found out where we were going. Donīt take me wrong I LOVE Europe but somehow camping in Norway didnīt sound too exciting at all.


Iīll bet that they wanted to test our survival skills. The plan on this trip is that we are suppose to go canoeing in the small rivers and then stop in the wilderness to rest and sleep in tents. I shudder when I think about this. I mean how would I survive without my Nintendo for 5 days?


"Look," Brian said pointing out to a high mountain, "There is lots of snow." He sounded a bit excited. I wasnīt.


"Yes Brian," Kevin informed him like he was a kid, "We are actually at a pretty high altitude and the snow never melts away here."


Never melts away? I hope I don’t have to hike up there. After listening with much uninterest, I might add, to them talking about the beautiful surroundings I decided to make them known that I was sitting here, still in great discomfort.


"When are we going to stop?" I whined, fidgeting restlessly. "Accidently" I happen to kick AJ in his leg and instantly I was rewarded with a slap on my head.


"Ouch," I moaned, glaring at my him. "Why did you have to do that?" I said accusingly as I rubbed my sore spot.


"Because you always whine, Kaos." AJ said with distaste before ignoring me again.


"I do not!" Now I felt offended. "I just wanted to know when we are going to stop and.."


"Nick!" Kevin, the driver for this trip, interrupted with an authoritive voice. "We havenīt been on the road for less than an hour and already you are complaining and want to stop." He glared at me in the review mirror.


"Yes Nick, why?" Brian asked as he turned on the air conditioner a step further. Somehow the air managed to pass us and it was getting hotter by the minute. He on the other hand had the best seat in the car, mainly because it is a unwritten rule that whom ever Kevin choose to sit up front gets to sit there. This time it was Brian, mainly because he was experiencing a tension headache and Kevin was way too concerned for his health to place him beside me. This was another reason why AJ was pissed on this bright and shining Thursday in the beginning of July.


"Because there’s no space here and itīs hot and..and I have to pee," I blurted out, realizing in the same moment that this was indeed true.


A deep and annoyed sigh was heard coming from Kevin, "Man Nick, why didnīt you go before we left?" He made no attempt to stop the car.


“Because I didnīt need to then,” I whined, shifting once more.


“Well we canīt stop here, have you seen how high up we are and that there is no fence on the roadsides?"


That was NOT a wise suggestion to do since Brian gets something really frightened look in his eyes and he starts to coldsweat, holding the door handle in a death grip. As you might know heights are Brian’s worst fear and he goes absolutely crazy whenever he has to be at a higher altitude than standing on a chair!


Somehow that information hadnīt passed my buddy and now he was ready to turn back to Oslo, where we flew in from the states.


Deathly white he mumbled, closing his eyes, "We..we will fall." There was shuddering in his voice and I could see Kevin, who deeply regretted his choice of words, patting his cousin on his arm.


"No Brian, we will do just fine..see we are not THAT close to the road." He pointed with a finger and then said in a whispering tone, "I just said so because I didnīt want to stop for Nicky. He can wait a while."


Wait? It was clear that he didnīt know the Carter bladder! I felt upset. So Kevin decided that I wasnīt worth stopping for? Is that friendship or what.


I opened my mouth to object to this cruelness that I was a victim of when I felt AJ grab my arm. Looking at him I saw that he was shaking his head, silently mouthing, "Donīt!"

It was clear that Bone wanted to keep the peace torch a bit longer than just for an hour. With a shrug I decided to get back at my older brother later and instead opted to rest for a while. After all this was going to be a long trip!