After crossing the next intersection, with Larry once again to be nearly run over by a car, I said to Roger. "Say, Roger you know what I was thinking? See if you like the idea."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Well, first of all, how long will you be here in the city?"

He looked forward and stuck his hands in his coat pockets. "A few days. Why?"

"I was thinking that we could all go with the rest of the Gang and go camping in the mountains."

"Sounds like an idea," said Larry.

"Sure. I love camping. Haven't done it in a long time. I'll be glad to join you guys!" he beamed.

Then Larry asked, "What kind of camping is it going to be? Because there's camping in RV's with A/C, Wi-Fi, and electrical equipment and running water. Then there's camping camping. With no gadgets, no phones, no video games, no bathroom, no showers, and you make your own food. And that one that the lassies won't enjoy."

Ignoring his stupid and chauvinist remarks, I said, "Camping as it really is. Hiking, fishing, telling stories by campfire light, cooking your own food, playing the guitar and singing with s'mores, sleeping bags, the stars as your roof and canoeing."

"So no phones, right?"

I shook my head. "Just me. I'll bring along a satellite phone in case of an emergency. But no smartphones." He nodded then stuck his hand into Roger's pocket. "Hey!" He ignored Roger's protesting and threw his phone at the street.

Only trouble was that it a delivery truck's windshield and cracked it. The truck stopped a few blocks later, then started quickly reversing. "Run for you lives!" Larry yelled. The three of us made a dash for it like there was no tomorrow. Larry got in the lead.

You know what the nut did? He took out four RPGs! That's right. Four. Two in each hand. He pointed them at me. "Hey, put those away!" I yelled while my arms and legs were still pumping.

"Stop acting like a darn fool and out those away!"

"Okay, okay!"

We kept running until the truck had lost us and were a few blocks away from the Palace. After catching our breath and with the sweat running down our faces, I said to Roger, "How…how would you like…to stay…over…for the night." I was almost without air. (I have a bad habit of doing that, don't I?)

"Sure. Sure."

We finally walked up the steps to the front doors. "I'll call my parents, of course."

"Sure, you do that. I've also got to call the others to see if they can all come. Then I'll call the park to make a reservation."

Roger suddenly had a puzzled expression. "Do you think you can make a reservation that fast?"

I laughed. "Roger. I am the King."

"Oh, yeah. It's just that…lookout, Spiny!"

Before I had a chance to even think Roger pushed me down on the ground. At that moment, Kathy came out the Palace with a ponytail. You won't believe what happened next. Right before my eyes, her ponytail was cut in half!

She jumped and stared looking in all direction. "Wha…what…huh…" she stammered. Roger jumped in the air with his hand open and closed it into a fist. When I got up to see what he had caught, my breath shortened.

It had the clear blade-like, aerodynamic shape of a ninja star. "Larry!"

He was staring as if nothing had happened. "Roger?"

"Kathy?" Roger said.

"Spiny?" Kathy said.

"Me-I mean…don't get me involved! It was Larry. He's throwing ninja stars."

Kathy groaned. "And I just finished making this beautiful hairstyle! It took me forever!"

Well, that was obviously an exaggeration, but I understood. Larry was crazy enough to drive anyone else crazy. I walked up to Kathy and put my arm around her. "Come on, sis. You know that this is Larry's way of expressing his love for us."

"I'd hate to see what his way of expressing hate is."

Believe me, I've seen that and it is not pleasant at all.

Anyways, we all stepped inside and walked to the living room. "Listen, Kathy. We were all thinking of making a camping trip and taking everyone. I can call right now to make the reservation and we can leave tomorrow. Roger's going to spend the night."

Kathy smiled. "Oh, cool. Sounds like fun."

"So, please tell Robert and Greeny. They have to pack by tonight but they can't bring phones, tablets, video games…"

At that moment Robert came in…carrying a shotgun?! I screamed and said, "What are you doing with that thing?"

"Oh, this? I found it in the Secret Arsenal."

"Put that thing back! It's loaded."

"It is?" Then he got an evil smile. ¬Uh-oh. He pointed towards the ceiling and pulled the trigger. POW! Fortunately, he didn't make a hole. But unfortunately for me, he struck a chandelier which I happened to be standing under and…

I don't think I have to explain what happened. The sound of crashing crash reverberated through my eardrums and I could see stars around my head. And bells. And birds and and mini-TIVs and I don't know what else. I couldn't stand to look.

It was also a shame that at moment, Larry got crazy again and started firing with a machine gun. We all ran for cover. But just as I was diving behind a chair, I felt a stinging sensation on my left cheek. It felt like a hot knife.

Roger, surprised by the whole thing also ran and accidently let go of the ninja star. And it managed to leave a cut on my left cheekbone. I mean, Larry's was going completely berserk! He was like Michael Jackson in his video "Smooth Criminal" the 9-minute version where he starts firing in all directions at the soldiers outside the nightclub.

Kathy crashed a vase on Larry's head and he fell to the floor. I took the chance to grab and unload the machine gun. Robert crawled out from under the coffee table. "See? See what can happen with a gun?"

"Yeah, but I'm not an idiot like Larry."

"I resent that remark!" Larry struggled to say as he got up.

I pulled Robert up by the hair and said, "Now you go put that thing back where it was, young man! I don't want to see anymore firearms near me.

Everyone must've been exposed to the Telepathy power. I say that because at that precise, exact moment Greeny came running out of the kitchen. With a minigun! "Greeny! Drop that right now!"

This was certainly not my day. He pointed it at me. I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst. Then I heard the sound of a bullet firing. All of the sudden I felt weak and my body went crazy.

I didn't dare open my eyes. I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of my loved ones' faces as I died in front of them. What would happen to them now? What would the world do when they found out? Who could take care of them? Would Robert be a good leader as I tried to be?

Just before breathing for the last time, I opened my eyes on instinct. Greeny's finger was not on the trigger. That was odd. Most guns only fire when you pull the trigger. But he hadn't. Then he did. And the end of the gun light up in colors and lights and bubbles came out.

Okay, I did exaggerate about the dying and all. But hey! When you see a gun and hear the sound of the bullet, it's only natural that…never mind. This is so embarrassing.

"That does it!" I grabbed Greeny's toy gun. "No more toys like this for anyone! We are going camping with our friends and that is that!"

Ugh…raising a family is…exhausting.