Episode 2: "The National Park Disaster":

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Chapter 4: "The Campfire Conundrum"

The group walked for what felt like an eternity. The woods seemed endless, and despite Dwight's apparent confidence, the family was starting to feel more like characters in a survival horror story than a cross-country road trip. The trees closed in around them, and the only sound was the occasional rustling of leaves and Maxie's endless chatter.

MAXIE (cheerfully, as he tripped over a branch): "Okay, so when we find the ancient treasure... do you think we'll get like, free tacos for life? I bet the treasure chest is full of enchiladas and churros!"

TESSA (rolling her eyes, whispering to Greg): "What is with him? I swear he's more excited about food than actual treasure."

GREG (sighing, equally exhausted): "It's like he's got an endless energy supply. If we could bottle that enthusiasm, we could solve world hunger."

LINDA (smirking): "Or world chaos."

Meanwhile, Dwight had his back to the group, focused on the path ahead, but Maxie had no problem sidling up next to him with yet another pressing question.

MAXIE (enthusiastically, almost like he was interviewing Dwight): "So, how did you become a ranger? Did you have to fight bears or like... wrestle a moose? Or was there an initiation ritual involving spiders?"

Dwight didn't look bothered by Maxie's persistence. In fact, he seemed to find it amusing.

DWIGHT (chuckling): "Wrestling a moose? That's a first. But nah, no initiation—just a whole lot of nature-loving, and an even larger amount of paperwork. Not as fun as fighting bears, but a lot less dangerous."

Maxie nodded seriously, as though this information was life-changing.

MAXIE (grinning): "Okay, so no bears. But do you know how to talk to trees? Like, how do you know which ones are sensitive and which ones are like, 'don't touch me, I'm not in the mood'?"

Dwight paused for a second, clearly taken aback by the question, but he had a dry response ready.

DWIGHT (smirking): "Well, Maxie, let's just say, I don't try to have deep conversations with trees. But if you ever find a tree that wants to chat, let me know. We'll start a tree club."

Maxie, thrilled by this idea, immediately began whispering to the nearest tree, much to the confusion of the rest of the family.

MAXIE (whispering, cupping his hands to the tree trunk): "Hey, tree. You cool? You got any secrets you wanna share?"

LINDA (groaning): "This is exactly why we can't take him anywhere."

After a few more moments of Maxie having a one-sided conversation with a tree, the group suddenly emerged into a clearing. To their relief, there was a campfire already blazing, surrounded by tents. The faint smell of food on the breeze made everyone's stomachs growl, and Maxie's face lit up like a kid walking into a candy store.

GREG (brightening up): "Finally! A real campfire! This is looking like the good part of the trip!"

LINDA (glancing around skeptically): "Are we sure it's safe here? I mean, we just met Dwight, and we haven't exactly vetted his references."

Dwight, leading the way, smiled at the group's collective hesitation.

DWIGHT (pointing to the fire): "Don't worry. I set up this camp just for us. It's a safety measure. The best way to make sure you don't get lost in the woods is to keep a fire going. Plus, it keeps the bears away. At least, that's what the moose-wrestling program taught me."

Maxie, unphased by the mention of bears, practically jumped into the camp, immediately getting comfortable by the fire. He looked around and then whispered to Greg.

MAXIE (leaning close, eyes wide): "I think we're gonna get s'mores, right? This looks like the s'mores setup."

Greg, eager to keep the energy positive, shrugged.

GREG (optimistically): "Sure, why not? If we're lucky, Dwight has a stash of marshmallows hidden in that bag of his."

TESSA (looking around and noticing a tent in the distance): "Hey, guys... I've got a weird feeling about this. I mean, we're all just trusting this guy, and—"

Before Tessa could finish, Dwight, who had been unpacking a cooler, turned around and threw a glance at her.

DWIGHT (grinning): "Don't worry, I've been camping here for years. And there's a pretty solid rule of thumb I've picked up: Always trust the guy with the weird beard and the deep knowledge of trees. It's worked out for me."

Maxie, looking between Dwight and the fire, suddenly became aware of the awkward silence.

MAXIE (enthusiastically): "So, how does one officially start a campfire party? Do we sing songs? Play games? Make animal noises to attract wildlife?"

LINDA (flatly): "I think we've had enough wildlife for one day, Maxie."

Greg clapped his hands, rallying the family together.

GREG (grinning): "Alright, everyone, let's make the best of this! We've got a campfire, we've got Dwight—this is the perfect chance to have a family bonding moment. Let's just... not get eaten by any wildlife, okay?"

As they gathered around the fire, the first few moments of awkward silence were filled with nothing but the crackling of wood and the occasional rustle of the trees. But then, in classic Maxie fashion, he broke the silence by attempting to sing a song about marshmallows.

MAXIE (loudly, like he was performing on stage): "I'm gonna roast my marshmallow—make it brown, not black! I'll eat it all up—then have a snack attack!"

Everyone paused. The family stared at him. Dwight looked over, raising an eyebrow.

DWIGHT (deadpan): "I think... that's the most enthusiastic marshmallow song I've ever heard. Ever."

Maxie's face lit up, beaming with pride.

MAXIE (jumping up): "It's a classic!"

GREG (smiling but trying not to laugh): "Well, it's something, alright."

LINDA (sighing): "He's not wrong though, the kid knows how to make things interesting."

And with that, the family sat back, the laughter and warmth from the campfire carrying their spirits as they waited for the night ahead. It might not have been the camping trip they had imagined, but it was certainly the one they were going to remember.

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