The (extremely goofy) adventures of Max

Entry 21: The Last Day of Camp and the Grand Return

Sunday, May 12

It's hard to believe, but today was the last day of camp. I had this weird mix of feelings about it—kind of sad because camp was a blast, but also a little happy since I missed my bed and, weirdly enough, my mom's over-the-top pancakes.

The morning was chill. We packed up our stuff, making a game out of who could shove the most junk into their bag in the least amount of time. Spoiler alert: Leo won by breaking the zipper on his backpack. Classic.

As we were getting ready to head out, guess who decided to grace us with her presence? Yep, Alyssa. She walked up to our group, holding her hand like it was made of glass. "My hand still hurts, thanks to you idiots," she hissed, her glare intense enough to fry an egg.

All we did was laugh. Ben, ever the comedian, said, "Pretty sure that's on you, Alyssa. Maybe don't punch a bed next time." She huffed, rolled her eyes, and stomped away, muttering curses under her breath. The satisfaction was sweet, and we shared a round of high-fives.

The rest of the day breezed by. We did a final check of the cabins, grabbed lunch, and then sat through the instructors' farewell speech. They wished us safe travels and threw in some last-minute cheesy advice about "carrying the spirit of camp" with us. I'd probably remember it for about five minutes.

Finally, it was time to board the buses. The ride back felt longer, probably because we were all tired from days of non-stop action. We chatted, shared snacks, and reminisced about our favorite moments until we pulled into the school parking lot.

Mom, Dad, and Sammy were waiting, and they might as well have been holding a giant "Welcome Home, Hero" banner with the way they reacted. Mom nearly crushed me in a hug. "Oh, my baby! How was it? Did you eat enough? Did you sleep well?"

"Mom, I was gone for two days, not two years," I mumbled, trying not to smile.

Dad ruffled my hair. "You're alive. That's what matters," he said in his joking-serious way.

Back home, everything felt both familiar and strange after the chaos of camp. I dropped my bag, flopped on the couch, and sighed. School starts again tomorrow, and the thought made my stomach sink a little. It was back to assignments, boring classes, and the endless countdown to summer break.

But for now, I had one last evening of freedom, and I planned to make the most of it.