If anyone ever tells you that the Backstreet Boys are camp savvy, they are clearly lying because watching three grown men and one wannabe one put up two tents was beyond comical. Seriously, I think at one point Howie accidentally got his afro caught in the rope of his tent which caused a mini drama culminating in Kevin taking out a pair of scissors to which when Howie saw them, screamed like a girl.
Our tent fell twice before Brian and Kevin managed to figure out exactly how it should be and finally after about an hour, we were in business. Well they were in business; you might notice that I mentioned four of the Backstreet Boys doing all the work. That’s because the youngest one was told to go ‘sit on a log.’ Yes in those very words. Now ask me what caused this tirade? Good question, the answer is not a damn thing. All I did was say, “Guys I’m hungry.” And Kevin looked over at me, pointed to the log which I was now sitting on and said “Go sit on the log!”
Okie dokie
Whenever AJ passed by I was flipped off, but it wasn’t my fault I wasn’t doing anything. Trust me, when Kevin tells you to go sit on a log, you go sit on a log. I kind of wish I had popcorn because I felt like I was watching a comedy. Really it’s when you see people try to put something together that you get to truly witness their personalities. That’s what my grandfather Carter always said.
The man lived his life as a carpenter and told me that’s how he figured out who to hire for his jobs, he’d give them something to put together and watch as they did it. I’m sure if my grandfather was alive today none of these guys would have been hired.
He would have hired me though because he liked me!
The rain started to come down a little harder and with it, I was beginning to shiver. Ever since being out in the woods, I just couldn’t stay warm, which was kind of funny since I tend to be the opposite. I could sweat in a snow storm.
I felt odd since we hiked down to this site. At first I thought I might be getting sick, I just was so tired and almost felt a little dizzy but luckily that went away while I was log sitting. The cold, clammy feeling still remained though.
“Are you guys almost done? I’m friggin freezing!” I swear all of them stopped what they were doing and looked at me.
“What?” I asked them when I saw the looks on their faces.
“We would go a little faster if you would get off your ass and help you know!”
“Howie, Kevin told me to sit on the log remember?”
“We’re almost done Nick.” Brian said just as he hammered the last pike into the ground.
The wind picked up just then and once again I heard my name, slow and steady Nick….come to us…
I suddenly turned around feeling like someone was sneaking up behind me but of course no one was there. Unless a groundhog was playing hide and seek with me. The rain started pouring down on us at that point to which Kevin uttered more than a few choice words.
Howie and AJ’s tent was just about done but since there’s was a bit smaller, everyone began to pile into my tent. I stood up just as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped and turned only to lose my footing and fall onto the wet ground. No one was there again just the sound of my name on the wind.
I got up off the ground and tore ass into the tent as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. The tent was a lot smaller than the picture on the box advertised it to be. It made it sound like a mini two room apartment. Yeah more like two boxes joined together by a rope. Brian and I claimed the bigger part of the tent while Kevin got the smaller part, but now we were all just kind of huddled together, riding out the storm.
I have to admit, that I was already ready to leave. Between hearing my name every five seconds and feeling phantom hands touching my shoulder, I was done. “Whose brilliant idea was this again?” Kevin asked rolling his eyes at the trip in general.
Right there I knew I lost my only window of opportunity to tell them I wanted to go home. If I did that now, I’d be openly admitting to them that this was a dumb idea and then they’d never agree to do it again. With them all in the same place with me, I felt safe and as long as we stayed that way, I guess there was nothing to fear right?
Then why were the first words out of my mouth, “So he never answered my question.”
“Who never answered your question” Brian asked taking out a Coke and passing one down the line to each of us.
“That Grim guy, I asked him if that little girl really existed and he never answered me.”
“Nick, come on, you’ve got to be kidding me. He was only joking. God you are SO gullible!”
“Shut up AJ.”
“Why don’t we see if she exists? Raise your hand if you think we should send Nick out into the woods?” Everyone but Brian and I raised their hands.
“AJ you know if you saw a ghost you’d shit a brick, hell you scream like a little girl if you see a spider!” Sorry but it’s true. Mr. Badass himself just about cried one night when he found a spider in his shoe and no, I didn’t put it there. I actually put it on his bed; it crawled into his shoe all by itself but that’s beside the point.
“You are such a friggin dork wad! Howie let’s go back to our tent, Nick is smelling this one up.” If you would allow me to translate… that means, Nick 1 and AJ 0.
I know it may seem like AJ and I fight all the time, but we really don’t. In fact, I love the guy with all my heart just when it comes to stuff like this, he was intolerable. He gets into little ‘I hate Nick’ moods from time to time and I guess I don’t blame him, seems like everyone does. When he is like that though he just gets flat out hard to deal with and outright mean and obnoxious and that’s coming from me, one of the most obnoxious kids on the planet.
Usually what sparks this is something going on at his house. He likes to lean on Brian when bad things happen and I don’t blame him because I do that too, but when Brian is spending more time with me he gets his panties all in a bunch. I mean who could blame Brian for picking me right? I’m irresistibly cute.
Howie gave me wink, see? He even realized AJ was being a jerk, and then they got up to leave. “Guys why don’t you take this.” Kevin said handing them the walkie talkie.
“Kevin we are less than five feet away from you.” AJ rolled his eyes, hey better him than me.
“I know that but still, your tent didn’t seem to be holding up quite as well as this one and I’d feel better if you had it.”
Howie grabbed the walkie talkie from Kevin and smiled, “I think we are just going to take a nap, but thanks I guess better safe than sorry.”
When they left Kevin glared at me, yes ME! “Why are you giving me that look?” I asked kind of in shock, “Why do I feel like you all wish I were dead or something?” Okay was that over the top a little bit?
“Nick never say anything like that again!” I guess Brian just answered my question.
“Well sorry but I feel like ever since we got here all of you want nothing to do with me.” I admit right there I actually did have my arms across my chest as I pouted. I can admit it when I act like a baby.
“Nick stop being a baby.”
“I’m not being a stupid baby!” I know I just said I can admit when I am being a baby but not to Kevin! Uh…no way!
“Maybe you should take a nap.” In other words Kevin was telling me to go to sleep. At least he didn’t tell me to sit on a log again.
“I’m not tired.” I confessed.
“Well, I am.” He answered.
“So?” that was me.
“So that means you are taking a nap, both of you!” Brian and I looked at each other on that one. I was hoping that Brian would have it out with his cousin, tell him excuse me I’m 21 years old, I’ll nap when I want to!
“Sounds good to me, I’m beat.” Or he’ll say that instead.
Now maybe it was because the wind was calling to me or maybe it was because I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder before, but I didn’t much feel like sleeping in the creepy woods during a rain storm. How does one remedy that situation especially when one sees the Kentucky cousins lay down and close their eyes!
“Who wants to play Monopoly?” Hey it’s all I could come up with.
“Go to sleep Nick.”
“I’m not tired Kevin.”
“Then quietly read and let us sleep.”
“Quietly read what exactly?”
“Anything, your friggin’ shirt labels for all I care.” Then he sat up for a second, went through his backpack and threw a book at me, “Read this.” It was Camping for Dummies.
“Guys come on, we just got here, why on earth would you want to sleep now?”
“Because unlike you, we have been busy putting these damn tents together.”
“You told me to go sit on a log!”
“Now I am telling you to shut up and take a nap.”
“But I don’t want to.” He let out a sigh; one of what I guess will be many during this trip.
“Frack, we’re really tired buddy, can’t you maybe try to sleep or maybe play a video game?” I looked over at Brian who was already buried into his sleeping bag and half asleep. “I promise you when we wake up, we’ll go exploring or something fun…okay?”
“Sure, no problem.” I know it sounded as if I didn’t really mean it but…DUH I didn’t.
“Thanks!” He said as he reached over and tousled my hair.
“Now how come when he asks you, you say yes but for me you give me a hard time about everything?”
I shrugged at Kevin because what was I going to say? I like him more than you?
So, they both laid down and within a few minutes fell asleep, just as the wind picked up of course.
Nickolas….come to us….come to us Nickolas….
I had my knees drawn all the way up with my arms protectively covering them.
Nickolas…run….you better run when he comes….
I tore open my backpack and smiled with a great sense of relief when I found my CD player in there. For a second, I thought I had forgotten it but luckily I didn’t. The only CD’s I had with me were AJ’s craporama, but still anything was better than what I was currently listening to outside.
I threw in some random mix one and turned the volume as loud as it would go, trying my best to block out the sounds of the night. My heart was pounding in my chest and goose bumps had formed all over my arms as the first song played. It’s like no matter how hard I tried to calm myself down, I couldn’t.
Weirdest of all was the fact that I could see my breath, it wasn’t that cold outside. In fact, it was kind of hot. I’m not an idiot or anything and learned in about second grade that it’s cold air that allows you to see your own breath. The problem with this theory was the fact that it was about 86 degrees outside.
I pulled Kevin’s jacket tightly to myself and placed my hands inside the pockets. “I’m not going to freak out; this is all just my imagination…” I whispered to myself as I rocked back and forth.
I finally began to calm down taking deep breaths and blowing out like I have seen Kevin do so many times right before blowing up at me. “Well I’ll be damned, it really does work.” I smiled and was about to lie down on my sleeping bag when I saw him sitting there right across from me Indian style.
His eyes bore into mine and I felt as if he was staring right through me. My eyes bulged as he stared at me, his face sullen and pale and his look intense and strong. He was a little older than me, but I had no idea who it was. I couldn’t find my voice so instead I grasped for Brian’s arm.
“When he comes for you, you better run….” He said to me as he nodded.
Then just like that he was gone and I… screamed!
Instantly both guys sat up and in the process all but knocked over our tent, which was so sturdy to begin with. “Nickolas Carter what the FUCK is your problem?” Kevin screamed at me, no I mean seriously screamed. He echoed through the woods, I am sure of it.
Within seconds of his screeching, Howie and AJ made their way into our lopsided tent. Did I mention it was still raining?
Even though I was bellowed at, I was so scared and shaken up, I hardly cared and I think instantly they all picked up on that fact. Brian had his arm around me and was staring at me with great concern, “Frack, what’s wrong?”
I wanted to talk but I still couldn’t, instead I just shivered. “He’s freezing, hand me that blanket Brian.” Howie said softly taking the flannel blanket and placing it around my shoulders.
AJ and Kevin were standing and staring at me, both with a mix of worry and annoyance on their faces. “I need to fix this tent, AJ come outside and help me.” That was Kevin’s way of getting away from me before he said something he’d regret I think.
Now both Brian and Howie were sitting next to me trying to calm me down, I think I was scaring the bejesus out of them, if one can have something like a bejesus scared out of oneself.
“Talk to us Nicky, what’s going on?”
I finally allowed myself to look up at Howie and when I did, I started to cry, “I want to go home.” Both of them seemed surprised by this revelation since it was me that wanted to go on this little trip and also that I wasn’t, I don’t know….um…five?
“What happened Nick?” Brian had his head tilted slightly as he stared at me, he looked scared now.
“I just want to go home please?” I was being more than pathetic but you know what? I didn’t care.
“I’ll be right back,” Howie stood up and walked out of the tent leaving Brian and I alone. I’m sure he went to go tell the troops that the young blonde one had officially lost his mind.
Once it was just the two of us, Brian moved to sit across from me, “Nick are you feeling okay? You look pale and frankly you are worrying me.”
“Brian, I just want to go home.” He reached his hand out and placed it on my forehead.
“You don’t seem like you have a fever or anything.”
“I’m not sick, I just want to go home.” But I guess the combination of me being pale and the shivering was enough for him to not buy the whole, I’m not sick thing.
Seconds later the other three guys came walking into the tent which was now unlopsided. I know it’s not a word but you know what I mean right?
Kevin sat down beside me and took one of those deep breaths I had tried before, and then he placed his hand on my forehead. “What’s wrong little man? Howie told me you wanted to go home?”
I nodded at him still shivering.
“But we just got here Nicky and I think we should just stay, unless you are feeling that bad?”
“I’m not sick.” I managed to squeak out.
He seemed to be quickly growing more impatient with me as he took another deep breath. If I had been paying closer attention, I would have noticed Brian give his cousin a look.
“So then why the sudden change? You were just excited as anything to be out here.”
“I just want to go home.”
“Stop acting like a baby Nick.” All eyes went up to AJ, well except mine. I thought it best to keep watching the ground, praying that at any minute it would suck me up and make the embarrassment I felt go away. “He’s doing this for attention….AGAIN!”
Okay I feel the need to explain what AJ just said, see he seems to think that from time to time I purposely act like this to get all the guys concerned and caring about me and sometimes he would be right, but not this time.
It may sound a tad but immature of me to do that I know, but I can’t even describe what it feels like to have older brothers suddenly. It’s like Santa finally gave me what I wanted for Christmas, so yeah occasionally I took advantage of that. AJ did too…just for the record.
“Leave him alone AJ, I’m sure he has a good reason for wanting to leave…you do, right Frack?” I finally looked up to see all eyes on me, waiting for my answer.
What the heck was I supposed to say to that? Well see this odd guy was in here and told me to run when he comes…yeah that’ll work.
“I just feel like something bad is going to happen.” That’s what I decided to go with.
Kevin stood up and shook his head, “For the love of God!” Maybe I picked the wrong thing to say?
“I just….Kevin I know I tend to be overdramatic at times but please believe me. I think we should go home.”
“Nick, I’m going to go outside and collect firewood in the RAIN so I can make a fire and we can roast our damn weenies! Then you are going to come out, stick your weenie on a stick and eat it. We will all have huge smiles on our faces and will have a fabulous time. I do NOT want to hear you talk about going home; I do NOT want to hear you scream, screech, or cry about doom and something bad happening, we are here for the weekend and we are going to have the best freaking time of our lives! Do you understand me?”
This is how out of it and scared to death I was, I missed out on the perfect opportunity to say something smart about the roasting the weenies comment! That should have told him how bad off I was. Seriously… we can roast our weenies? I should stick my weenie on a stick and eat it? I could have had a field day with that one, oh to get a moment in time back. Instead, I just nodded at him, slow and steady as he crawled his way out of the tent, leaving me with the rest of the guys.
“And Brian you’re coming to help me!” I meant, leaving me with Howie and AJ.
“Have I mentioned how this trip is off to a grand start?” AJ said being the sarcastic ass he is.
Howie however looked at me and pat my back, “Everything will be okay Nicky, sometimes I get those creepy feelings too but they will pass. Let’s just enjoy ourselves for now okay?”
Once again I nodded, because what else was there to do?
Thanks for reading :O) I'll be back next Wednesday with another chapter!
