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

Chapter 33: Camp Wanapitei

Song: "N°005" - Relax Daily

        Camp Wanapitei was Camp Juniper's next destination, our lunch stop, after the bug-invested portage. It was right on Lake Temagami. Mom and Dad forced me to hike back to the beginning of the portage and pick up more supplies. Dad especially, because just like me, he took a tumble. He slipped on some rocks and fell, with a canoe! He wasn't very happy afterwards, so he just barked orders for me to grab more supplies. Don't worry, he wasn't hurt, which was actually kind of a miracle.

Not wanting to upset him, I quickly nodded and stuffed the fallen artifacts from the dry bag back inside. I tucked it under my arm and started my expedition through the forest towards the beginning of the portage.

Ihaan was actually still there. It was amazing how fast he got around. Well of course, if he's been alone in the wilderness for ten years, then he probably knows all the shortcuts in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. Right? I had one last conversation with him before the rest of Camp Juniper met him face-to-face. Remember, not here, but on Lake Temagami. Lake Temagami as in where Mom, Dad, Uncle Bart, Aunt Jessie, Aunt Lydia, Aunt Delia, Uncle Clement, Uncle Macon, and Uncle Harrison met him. This is the first part of this chapter.

        Halfway to the beginning of the portage, I, supposedly alone in the forest, shooed hordes of mosquitoes away and shouted, "Shoo!"

They didn't leave. I'm just so sweet. This was an absolute nightmare. I thought it was even worse than the Ghost of Ontario. The bugs at this portage were absolute menaces. However, as usual, Ihaan always came in and lifted my spirits.

From within in the forest, I heard his voice. "Are you having fun, Little Red?"

"Huh?!" I yelped. "Where did you...?!" I dropped my hands and jerked my head in the direction where his voice came from. There he was.

Mysterious Ihaan was in the forest, lying on his front on a wide tree branch, with Ro, and he was propping up his head. His legs stood up and waved behind him. He looked like he enjoyed my misery. "This has honestly been quite a show for me," continued Ihaan, and his legs continued to wave. "You look like you have a great relationship with your family."

I didn't know if he knew Mom had broken his flute. "Oh shut up." I said, not wanting to tell him, and I plopped down on the trail, crossing my arms. "You're the one who refuses to climb down and meet them. The whole reason why they're acting this way is because they don't believe me when I say you exist!"

"Well, that's not my problem." Ihaan told me, and he lifted his hand, placing it on Ro's back. He started to rub it. "Ro and I here never get in an argument. Right, Ro?" Ro nodded and cuddled up to him. "She's my mother," added the hermit.

I scoffed and tilted my head up to him, calling, "I see no resemblance, Ihaan. She's a bird! You're a boy! You don't know what it's like to be stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of adults, who completely ignore and hate you!"

Ihaan chuckled and removed his hand from Ro's back. He propped up his head again and said, "Don't say that, Little Red. Family is family. Arguments are no surprise. Your family loves you, Kylie. They just forget to say it. You're the same way. Come on, admit it."

I froze and lowered my head. Ihaan's words were so true. I mean, how many teenagers say they love their parents and family members? Very few, that's how many. I was one of those teenagers.

        Shaking my head, I dropped the topic and next asked Ihaan, "Why are you following me?" Personally, I didn't mind him following me; I just couldn't think of anything else to say.