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

Chapter 29: When Breakfast Turns to Discovery

        Since I didn't get any sleep that first night on the lakes and since I didn't have Ihaan anymore, I was still pretty grumpy. My mood didn't really start to change until that night. Breakfast that morning on Red Squirrel Lake wasn't entirely nice. I refused to talk to my family, but Mom kind of forced me to. She, Dad, Uncle Bart, Uncle Macon, and I sat at the picnic table to eat our breakfast, and everybody else sat in their camping chairs around the fireplace. Aunt Lydia went and used the restroom before she ate her breakfast.

While she was away, Mom started a conversation. She swallowed her spoonful of oatmeal and told me, "So, Kylie, I've been talking with your dad, and we've come to a decision that we think it may be best if you canoe with us instead of Uncle Bart."

I glanced at her with a grossed out face and asked, "Why?" Why did they want to pull me away from Uncle Bart? He was my favorite uncle! What was wrong with him? Mom and Dad came up with this decision because they wanted keep a close eye on me. You see, they thought I hit my head and that I imagined Ihaan. Parents. Sometimes I really hate them. I poked at my oatmeal and yawned.

After a bit, Dad answered my question. "Well, Kylie Wylie, it's like this. Your mother and I think you may have hit your head on the way to the latrine last night, or maybe when you went overboard, so we want to watch you to make sure you don't have any signs of a concussion."

"Or worse." Mom said. She shivered. "Amnesia."

I took another bite from my oatmeal. "Oh for the love of...!" I yelled, and I smacked my hand to my face. "I did meet a boy, Mom! I didn't hit my head at all!"

"No, you didn't!" Mom snapped at me. "Here's the thing, Kylie! It's not logical! How on earth could there be a boy hermit living here in the lakes?!"

"How did he get here?" was Dad's question. "Did he fly? Is he a fairy?"

Uncle Macon wanted no part of our argument. He just picked up his bowl of breakfast and shuffled over to a log, sitting down next to Uncle Bart. Mom, Dad, and I were left alone at the picnic table.

"I don't know how he got here!" I worriedly answered, "Honest! I don't have amnesia! I think he does! I asked him how he got separated from his family, and he replied, 'I don't know.' He's also injured! I have to find him again!"

"Just enough!" Mom retorted. She dropped her spoon and waved her hands. "You have no proof that you met a boy here!"

I glared, "Wanna bet?" and I reached into my pocket. "Check out what he gave me, Mom and Dad." Here, I pulled out Ihaan's flute and set it down on the picnic table. Sitting back, I crossed my arms.

Mom and Dad's eyes landed on the flute, and Mom sarcastically said, "Oh, isn't that nice. You decided to take up crafting, Kylie."

"No, I didn't! Ihaan gave it to me! He made it with his own two hands!"

"Enough!" Mom yelled. She picked up Ihaan's flute and glared at me. "We have had it with you, Kylie! First, it was the Ghost of Ontario, and now it's a stupid boy!"

"He's not stupid! He's very talented!" I saw that the rest of Camp Juniper was glancing at us. Uncle Bart actually looked nervous.

        With every second that passed, Mom got madder and madder.

I continued to yell at her. "He made his own clothes, he's friends with every animal here, and he knows how to shoot a bow and arrow!"

"Enough!" Mom shouted again, much louder that time. With the flute still in her hand, she stood up. "When we make it to Camp Wanapitei, Kylie, we're going to get you checked at the doctor. If I hear one more thing about the Ghost of Ontario or this stupid Ihaan, then your punishment is going to be updated! You'll be grounded for a full month! You will not leave that house!" It was here that she did something terrible. She lifted her knee, and still glaring, she broke Ihaan's beautiful flute on it!