After a long pause, all of them staring up at the flashing button, Sofia spoke up. “Maybe if we stood on each other’s shoulders, we could reach it.”

“On each other’s shoulders?” Paul asked. “What does that mean?”

“Well . . . you’re probably the strongest, though that isn’t saying much.” She looked Tick up and down, weighing him with her eyes. “I’ll get on Tick’s shoulders, then you lift both of us up.”

Paul flexed his arms, showing off his not-so-impressive biceps. “I might have some guns, Miss Italy, but that sounds ridiculous.”

“Let’s just try it,” Tick urged. “Show us you’re a man.”

Paul laughed. “You two are crazy. But whatever, I’m game.”

Tick got down on his knees and let Sofia crawl onto his shoulders, wrapping her legs around his neck so that her feet dangled over his chest. As Paul helped him stand up, Tick thought the blood vessels in his brain might burst from the effort. He couldn’t help but groan out loud as he struggled to balance with Sofia on top of him. He opened his mouth to say something, but Paul held a finger to his lips.

“Don’t say anything,” he said. “Nothing. No matter what you say, you’d be calling her fat. So just zip it.”

“You’re not so dumb, after all,” Sofia said from above.

Tick braced his feet and finally steadied himself. “How in the world are you going to lift both of us?”

“I surf, man. My legs could lift an elephant.” He looked up at Sofia. “Not that I’m saying you weigh as much as an—”

“Just get on with it,” Sofia said, kicking out at Paul.

Paul smiled at Tick, then walked behind him. “All right, dude. Let’s do this thing.”

Tick shuffled his feet apart and soon felt Paul grabbing him by the thighs and lifting with his shoulders. To his complete amazement, he rose slowly into the air.

Paul screamed out words as he struggled to stand. “Good . . . gracious . . . mercy . . . mama . . . you people . . . are FAT!”

The three of them swayed slightly as Paul fought to keep his balance and strength. Tick’s stomach turned; he couldn’t believe what was happening. I’ve been zapped into a Saturday morning cartoon.

“I can’t reach it!” Sofia yelled from above. “I’d have to stand on Tick’s shoulders!”

“Then do it!” Paul screamed from below. “Hurry!”

Sofia lifted her right foot and wedged it between Tick’s neck and shoulder, grabbing his head with both hands and pulling his hair.

“Ow!” he yelled.

Sofia ignored him and tried pushing down and lifting her other leg up to his left shoulder. That’s when everything came apart and they fell on the ground in a chaotic heap of arms and legs.