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

Chapter 20: Collision

        You're probably wondering what I mean by "Collision." Well, I'll tell you. At the end of the portage, during lunch, Mom and I got in a really big argument. I actually said some pretty nasty things during it. Things that I shouldn't have said, but I did. Mom and I don't argue as much anymore, but even when we do, they're never as bad as the one I had with her at the end of the first portage. It was pretty bad. Don't say anything. Just let me share it with you.

        Let's begin with when we reached the end of the first portage. After what felt like forever, Mom, Uncle Bart, Aunt Lydia and I finally reached it, and I was totally out of breath. Mom and Uncle Bart had let my arms go, and slouching, I let them hang in front of me.

"Ugh, ugh." I groaned. I grabbed hold of a tree limb, "FINALLY!" and continued to take deep breaths. That took way longer than it should have. I did not want to go back. No way was I going to do that hike all over again!

The end of the first portage was actually pretty small. It would be hard to fit ten people and four canoes here. We had to go down a small hill in order to reach the water. After Mom, Uncle Bart, and Aunt Lydia dropped me off and I got some water, I scrambled down the hill and looked to my left. There was the river. We had to go all that way just get around a teeny river. That was pointless. After looking at the "dangerous" river, I next turned my head to the right, and I saw all the canoes. All the canoes had made it to the end just fine. Dad had tied them up. All that was left were the packs, latrine, paddles, and other luggage. The next river we canoed on was Carrying Lake, so this was Carrying Lake I was looking at. After Carrying Lake came Red Squirrel Lake, the lake I was so looking forward to going to.

        I stayed behind as the other members of Camp Juniper went back to get more supplies. While I waited, I sat on a rock at the top of the small hill and massaged my feet. I thought about the mysterious boy I saw, or at least, I thought I saw. I knew I saw somebody, though. Camp Juniper may have not believed me, but I knew I did. Although seeing a boy that handsome did seem kind of like a dream. It was the eyes. The eyes were what drove me in. Those eyes were very sexy. I apologize, but they were. That was why it did kind of feel like a dream. It just seemed impossible for a boy to be that handsome.

Uncle Bart returned before the rest of Camp Juniper, carrying the latrine and a few dry bags, and he was sweating like mad.

He dropped the stuff down and sat next to me. "Whew," he said. He rubbed his forehead, "That's quite the hike."

"Ya think?" I asked. I then noticed that he wasn't wearing a bug jacket. "Uncle Bart," I added with, "why aren't you wearing your bug jacket?"

Uncle Bart shrugged, "Well, the mosquitoes aren't bugging me a lot. I put some Deet on, so they're staying away from me."

I however peered down on his legs and saw that a few mosquitoes were circling them. I pointed at them and said, "But they're circling your legs, Uncle Bart."

Uncle Bart peered at his legs and said, "Aw come on, guys, I put some Deet on." The mosquitoes continued to circle his legs.

I chuckled.

Uncle Bart soon faced me and asked, "Is Kylie Wylie taking good care of my whistle?" I reached down and grabbed hold of the whistle, nodding, "I am, Uncle Bart. I am."

"Well that's good. Now, Kylie, tell me something." He cleared his throat and looked me straight in the eyes, "Did you really see a boy in the forest?" Wait, did he believe me? I didn't know how to answer that.

I lowered my head and said, "I don't know, Uncle Bart. I just don't know." I closed my eyes and lowered my head.

Uncle Bart soon wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and he pulled me close to him.