Chapter 9

Large blankets are placed on the ground for all of us so we can sit on them and eat together. Everyone seems to be talking all at once, but I still hear Ivy ask Brit what her favorite memory of camping was.

"I loved to ride my bike. It was the one place where Mom and Dad would just kinda let me go off on my own. There were always other kids to play with on the playgrounds, and as long as I checked in every now and then, I was free to do whatever I wanted."

"Ugh, humans and the walking thing again. IfI remember this correctly, a bike had two wheels that you had to pedal it everywhere."

"RaZ, you don't know what you're missing. These were great moments for a kid."

"Nah, good moments are when your brother can't outrun you because of those puny legs of his and you beat him home and steal his dessert for last meal without Father catching you. Now that's a terrific memory."

XuLreaches up and smacks RaZ on the back of the head and the next thing you know they are both wrestling. I hear DaR let out a painful sigh. "Males, if you make me get up!"

Whenthe boys instantly settle back down. I don't know who is more shocked, me or Brit. Trying to bring us back on subject, I nudge Ivy next to me. "What about you, Ivy? What was your favorite thing about camping."

"Me and Mom only went a few times, but I agree with Brit. Riding my scooter or skateboard around the campground was awesome, but playing on the slides was the best. I always looked forward to the fire later. We were actually camping the first time I saw a shooting star. I was probably about five at the time."

SCOUTturns when Ivy says that. "A shooting star? I don't understand that analogy."

"I don't know the Scientifics of it, SCOUT, but I remember us laying back on an old blanket looking up at the night sky, when suddenly a bright light streaked across the sky. Mom was lying next to me, when we saw it, she told me to make a wish."

"Did this wish come true?" SCOUT asks her innocently.

"I honestly don't remember now, SCOUT. I was just a kid. WhenI got older, I understood that the random streaks we saw from time to time were comets, or small asteroids burning up in the atmosphere, but as a kid, it was the most magical thing I had ever seen."

"I will have to look into this further, my SAGE might possibly enjoy seeing that as well."

Hissincerity and the fact that SCOUT had genuinely transformed into a sentient being in love makes me smile. Imean how damn romantic is that? The evening carries on with more fun conversations and just as dark starts to settle in. I see the boys head towards the immense fire pit DaR assembled in the middle of all our tents. Alana has already made a cute little pyramid in the center of the firepit.

"OK, who wants the honor of lighting the fire on our first family camping trip?"

Isee Tordan hand DaR a fire starter and before I can say anything about the fact that we are supposed to be roughing it, the small bundle catches. XuL and Danny start feeding the small flame, making it larger quickly. I don't realize I am chilled until the heat flows around me.

SAGEwalks around with an armful of light jackets, handing them out to all the girls. "Thank you, sweetie, you always think of everything."

"You are most welcome, MistressKira. Are you now ready for the s'mores ingredients?"

"Yes, SAGE, go ahead and bring them over towards the fire pit. I will have one of the girls explain how to prepare them." I lean over. "Miya, do you and Luna want to tell the boys how to assemble these messy things?"

"Heck, yeah, Kira. I would be happy too. Luna, will you pass out the marshmallows?"

"I'm on it."

"Guys, gather around the fire, you're getting ready for a treat," Alana yells out.

Lunahands out the small sticks and several marshmallows to everyone. Then sits back down next to Tordan.

Alanagets up so everyone can see her. "Ok, take the marshmallow and put it on the stick just like this. Then stick it in the fire. Wait a minute RaZ, I don't mean stick it all the way in, you will get ashes all over it."

RaZsays, "That's what you said."

"You are not cooking it, just warming it up slowly."

Noneof them are listening to her.

XuLsays, "Mine fell off, can I have another one?"

AvXasks, "Why is it bubbling like that? Is it going to blow up?"

SoLcomments, "Mine is melting and is sliding down the stick towards me."

Tordansays, "I don't want mine; it smells like charcoal."

Tyberiushas a huge smile on his face as he roasts his expertly.

Allthe guys seem to be talking at once and I can't help but laugh when Alana yells out, "Would all of you stop for a minute and let me show you … Hell's fire." She puts hers on the stick and holds it just above the fire, turning it slowly until it browns lightly. Then picks it off the end with her fingertips, swallowing the entire thing at once.

"See it's not hard, I like mine lightly browned, but you might like yours darker or even burned. Fix several until you figure out what way you like it best before we give you the rest of the pieces to this puzzle."

DaRleans forward and just as he gets his brown Hugo reaches over and grabs it off the end, sticking it into his mouth with a huge smile on his face. "These things are incredible, have you had one yet?"

"No!" DaR growls out.

Ipat DaR's leg and laugh as I watch Hugo get up and walk over, gathering up the extra sticks SAGE had brought so that he can fix several at a time. RaZ and XuL are bickering back and forth about the proper way to prepare the marshmallows when Brittany leans over and grabs XuL's off his stick. "Hey, I was going to eat that."

"Snooze you lose."

WhenRaZ starts laughing XuL turns towards him, and if he had given me that look, I would have peed all over myself. Damn, he can be terrifying when he wants to be.

Agasp from Keida has all heads turning at once towards her and Danny, who at the moment is heating his marshmallow with a bright blue orb in his hand. He turns the stick slowly, just like you should over an open fire, but frowns when it bursts into flames, burning it completely black on the outside. Before anyone can say a word Hugo grabs it, swallowing it in a single bite. "OHHH, these things are amazing no matter how they are prepared."

Keidahands Danny another one and points towards the fire. Reluctantly, I see him lean forward, roasting his like everyone else. The boys messed up so many marshmallows that Victoria and Katherine get up and start fixing the s'mores themselves, handing them out one at a time until everyone has tried one.

"Here's yours, Kira."

"Oh, I don't want one. They were always too sweet for me. You can give mine to DaR. He has been patiently waiting his turn over here."

DaRtakes it hesitantly.

"Go on, take a bite you'll love it." Instead of biting it in half. He sticks the entire thing in his mouth. The look on his face after a few seconds is priceless, gagging as he sticks his tongue out at me.

"Ugghhh." He is trying his best to spit it out, but it's refusing to slide off his tongue. "Ugghhh." His poor eyes are watering, feeling sorry for him I reach up and scoop it off with my fingers, now I have this blob of chewed up mush in my hand. He starts spitting on the ground. "Oh, Lord of Light, that's the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted."

Stillholding it in my hand I act like I am going to smear it on him and he actually falls out of his chair trying to get away from me. "Lord, if your enemies could only see you now, oh mighty DaR."

"Get that crap away from me. Go wash your hands before it seeps into your skin. Ugghhh, I can't get the taste out of my mouth." Giggling, I walk over to the edge of the woods and flick it off my hand before heading to a wash basin SAGE has on the hover cart. Hugo is all in DaR's face by the time I return.

"DaR, I can't believe you wasted that."

"Hugo, how do you tolerate eating that nasty fracking shit?"

"That explains why you're so sour, you don't eat enough sweets. I have already had SAGE instruct AMI on the production of these delicacies. I can't get enough of them."

Miyawalks up and tucks herself under his arm. "Hugo, honey, you might want to slow down eating so many of these at once, you are going to get a tummy ache."

"Will you rub it for me?"

"Yes. You know I will."

"Then let's eat several more, this is a win-win situation for me."