The Ghost of Ontario (Part 1) (10 Grade Draft)

Chapter 17: The Puzzle of Misery

Song: "Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2

        After Camp Juniper checked out at the ranger station, we were off! Finally! We were finally off for the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park and the Ghost of Ontario! Just to tell you, after Ranger Kate's story about her accident, I was even more nervous now. If it was true that the provincial park was no longer a beautiful paradise, then... Gods, help us all.

        The drive to Lake Anima Nipissing, the first lake we canoed on on our huge canoeing trip up in Ontario, was just as boring as the drive to Finlayson Point Provincial Park. I had charged my phone during the night, and I tried listening to calming music to soothe my soul, but nothing worked. The closer we came to the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, the tenser I grew. Now I had something else to worry about besides the two portages we took that day. Stupid Ghost of Ontario. Finally, I gave up on my phone and turned it off. Without a word, I shoved it into my dry bag and frightfully peered out the window.

Camp Juniper stopped in the small town of Latchford to get gas and have one last potty break before getting on the water. I remember Latchford. It was a cute, little town. It was actually our final destination for our trip. We were going to get off in Latchford. However, I didn't want that. I begged my parents to start in Latchford instead of on Lake Anima Nipissing so we wouldn't have to deal with the Ghost of Ontario the first day on the water, but they simply told me that we needed to stay on schedule and shook me off. I slightly screamed as I climbed back into the car.

While we continued our drive, I waved goodbye to all the buildings of Latchford and glanced into the clear, blue sky. Okay, so far I hadn't seen the creepy eagle again. The sky was empty. However, I knew it would be back.

        Soon after we left Latchford, flushable toilets, sinks, and civilization, Dad turned onto a single gravelly road, like the one in Finlayson, which took us to Lake Anima Nipissing. We were so close. We were so close to the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park and the Ghost of Ontario! We drove through a very forestry, buggy area, and the members of Camp Juniper, who rode in the Excursion, started to grow excited. Not me, though. Curses, Mom! I knew you were faking it all along! I wanted to roll down the window, dive out of it, and hitchhike back to North Tonawanda. I leaned forward in my seat and tapped Mom's shoulder.

She peered back to me and asked, "Yes, Kylie?"

"Mom," I begged, "can we please turn around? The Ghost of Ontario. He's going to drown us!"

"Kylie please!" Mom snapped at me, "Get it out of your head! There is no such thing as the Ghost of Ontario!" She grabbed her head and frustratingly pulled her hair out.

"You don't know that!" I snapped at her, "Even if there isn't a Ghost of Ontario, a boy still went missing on Red Squirrel Lake ten years ago! Do you remember Ranger Kate mentioned that her son went missing years ago?! I'm sure the Ghost of Ontario grabbed him and dragged him into the depths of the lake!"

Uncle Harrison rolled his eyes and calmly but sternly told me, "Or maybe he just wanted to live on his own. Kylie, it's not real!"

"Fine." I angrily said. This was where my crummy attitude really started to boot up. I rolled down my window and rested my arms on the frame. I set my head down on them and watched the forest. "However, if we drown on this trip, Camp Juniper, then I'm blaming all of you. Just wait, the Ghost of Ontario is going to grab us!" I was silent the rest of the way to Lake Anima Nipissing.

        Finally, we made it. We made it! We were here! We were officially in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park! We made it to the end of the gravelly road and turned into a wide open space that showed trees, very few houses, and none other than...Lake Anima Nipissing. A boat zoomed out in the lake, and Dad parked next to Uncle Clement who parked next to another car. I remember, there were a few boat ramps and docks there.