Ranger Amelia and Ranger Kate, the rangers we met that day at the station, were the ones in charge of the ranger talk that night. Ranger Kate had returned from her expedition to Lake Temagami, but she still looked depressed as ever. She worked as Ranger Amelia's assistant that night. However, Ranger Amelia was the ranger who explained everything. She was the ranger who really got me scared. Now, audience, you're going to learn why this story is called The Ghost of Ontario. Get your paper bags and flashlights ready because this is it.
Ranger Amelia and Ranger Kate stood on either side of the magnificent bonfire. It truly was amazing.
Uncle Bart nudged me and whispered, "Check it out, Kylie! It's Ranger Kate!"
He pointed at Ranger Kate, and I nodded, saying, "I know, Uncle Bart. I know. Hmm." I rubbed my chin.
Ranger Amelia soon stepped in front of the bonfire, and she smiled out at the audience. She had a beautiful smile. I wondered if Ranger Kate's smile was just as beautiful. That was as if she ever did smile. Ranger Amelia brought her hand to her chest and introduced herself, "In case you don't know, I'm Ranger Amelia, and that," She dropped her hand and pointed it at Ranger Kate, "is my partner, Ranger Kate. Everybody say, 'Hi, Ranger Kate.'"
"Hi, Ranger Kate," spoke the entire audience, including Camp Juniper, me, and Kyle and his family.
Ranger Kate feebly waved hello. However, she didn't speak. She appeared to be a little shy.
Ranger Amelia smiled out at us again and said, "I see a few familiar faces out here tonight." Her eyes landed on Kyle and his family members, and she waved, "Hi, Kyle, Leslie, Parker, and Regina Baker."
"Hi," they all spoke at the same time, and they too waved.
I was confused for a moment. Why did Kyle and his family and Ranger Amelia seem to know each other? She answered my question immediately.
She gave a tip of her hat and asked them, "Weren't you guys here the other day for the first time we shared the legend this season?"
"Yesterday actually." Kyle answered, "We just find it astonishing, Ranger Amelia."
"It really is," she said, and her eyes landed on the rest of the audience again, "To all you newcomers out there, welcome to Finlayson Point Provincial Park, located here in the beautiful province of Ontario, Canada!"
"You mean the bug invested province?" I murmured to myself. Uncle Bart nudged me. I was being rude. However, did I care? No. I still refused to go on this stupid weeklong canoe trip up at the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park anyway.
Ranger Amelia added with, "Are any of you from out of town?" Camp Juniper and one more family with a little girl raised their hands. "Awesome," said Ranger Amelia, and she focused in on the family with the little girl. They sat in the front row bench. Ranger Amelia approached them and kneeled to the girl, asking, "Where are you guys from?"
"Oregon," spoke the little girl's cute voice, "We're from Salem, Oregon, ma'am." Oregon?! Holy kamoly, they sure were far from home! Gee! They were even further than us. What had convinced them to come here? I asked this a few times to myself.
Ranger Amelia put her hands together and said, "Wow. You guys are far from home, eh? Well, we're pleased to have you here."
"And we're pleased to be here," spoke the little girl.
A few people in the audience chuckled at her cuteness.
Ranger Amelia's eyes soon left them, and they landed on us instead. Even though we told her where we were from when we met her at the station, she went ahead and asked, "And where are you guys from?"
Since I was the youngest in the party, all eyes of Camp Juniper landed on me. They wanted me to tell the audience and rangers where we were from.
I sighed. I was very rude to Ranger Amelia here. I didn't mean to be so rude, but I was. Perhaps it was because I was tired and didn't want to be there? I glanced at her and growled, "We're from North Tonawanda, New York, lady. We told you at the station. Did you forget already?"
"Kylie." Mom angrily whispered to me, "'Ma'am.'" I ignored her.
Ranger Amelia knew I was being rude, but she kept her positive attitude. "North Tonawanda, New York?" she asked.
"North Tonawanda, New York?" a few people in the audience questioned after her.
"Yes North Tonawanda, New York." I growled.
"Whoo wee," spoke Ranger Amelia, and she fanned herself with her hand, "You too are quite a ways from home."
"Tell me about it." I mumbled, "These jerks here made me ride in a car for seven freaking hours."
"Kylie." Mom angrily whispered again. She glanced into Ranger Amelia's eyes, "I apologize about her, Ranger Amelia. Kylie," She patted the empty bench next to her, "come sit next to me please."
"No." I refused, and I crossed my arms.
Uncle Bart leaned to me and asked, "What is wrong with you tonight, missy?"
I didn't answer him. I kept my arms crossed. "Get on with this stupid legend, lady, so I can hitchhike back to North Tonawanda." I snapped at Ranger Amelia.
"Kylie!" Mom whispered for the third time. She glared, "If you don't get over here when I count to three, then there will be consequences." Seriously? She was going to treat me like a five-yea- old? I deserved this. I was such a butt that night. I embarrassed Camp Juniper like crazy. Mom started to count, "One, two...," and at "three," I scoffed and stood up.
"Shut up. Out of my way, lady." I banged Ranger Amelia's chest with my elbow to get by her and caused her to stumble. She reached for her chest.
I soon sat next to Mom, and she snapped, "Kylie! Say you're sorry!"
"I'm sorry." I snapped at Ranger Amelia.
She continued to smile. Removing her hand from her chest, she waved it and said, "Don't worry. All right!" She turned and approached the bonfire again. I was being so much ruder than the little girl from Oregon. That must've been super embarrassing to my parents.
Once she made it to the bonfire, Ranger Amelia turned and faced the audience again. She asked us, "Are any of you heading to the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park for a canoe trip?"
Dad raised his hand, and another family lifted the paw of their dog. Chuckling came from within the audience.
Ranger Amelia also chuckled. "Great!" she said, and she asked the dog, "And are you, my furry, little friend going to chase tennis balls on Lake Temagami?" To say yes, the dog's owner moved his pooch's head up and down. More chuckling came from within the audience. I didn't chuckle. I still glared. Ranger Amelia soon lost her smile, and she brought her hands together. "Attention, campers!" she announced, "Since ten years ago, there has been a legend tied in with the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park!"
"Legend?" a few people murmured.
"Yes, my friends." Ranger Amelia added with, "Canoeing in the park is beautiful. You'll see so much in it. You'll see eagles, beavers, and if you're lucky, maybe even a moose or two!"
"Ooohh," spoke the family with the dog.
"However," continued Ranger Amelia, "all y'all heading to the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, you can't go there without knowing about..." Here, she tried to make her voice sound scary, "the Ghost of Ontario!"
Right after she spoke that, Ranger Kate tossed another log into the bonfire, and the flames spewed up behind Ranger Amelia.
I shivered and uncrossed my arms. A few younger children shivered as well. The adults didn't. They just scooted to the edge of their seats, interested, and waited for Ranger Amelia's next words.
After a bit, the man who owned the dog, slightly glared and told her, "The Ghost of Ontario is just a myth! It's not real!"
"No." Ranger Kate finally spoke in her sad voice, "It's a legend." She approached Ranger Amelia and placed her hand on her shoulder, finishing with, "The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park is the legend of the Ghost of Ontario. Do you guys like stories?"
"Oh absolutely, ma'am," spoke the dog owner, "but I thought the Ghost of Ontario was just a myth."
"Well, it depends on how you look at it." Ranger Kate explained. She removed her hand from Ranger Amelia's shoulder, "Do you believe in ghosts?"
The dog owner gulped. "Ghosts?" he asked. He shook his head, "No, not really."
Ranger Kate nodded, "Then it's a myth. To any of you out there who do believe in ghosts, it's a legend, but if you don't, it's a myth. Either way, it is still known as the 'most extraordinary legend in all of Ontario.'"
"And it is." Ranger Amelia finished for her, "It really is. Take a seat, Ranger Kate."
Ranger Kate nodded and plopped down in a chair next to the bonfire. She crossed her arms.
Ranger Amelia focused her attention on us and asked, "Are you guys, ready?"
We nodded. A few members of Camp Juniper propped up their heads and watched intrigued. I just wanted to get this legend over with so I could return to the campsite. Too many creepy things had happened to me that day.
Ranger Amelia soon reached for her belt, and from it, she drew a flashlight. She just had to make Story Time extra creepy. She turned on the flashlight and held the light up to her face.
"Ooohh," a few people spoke in the audience.
Before we knew it, Ranger Amelia shared with us The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, also known as the Legend of the Ghost of Ontario.
"Ten years ago, a little five-year-old boy and his mother went canoeing on Red Squirrel Lake, one of the many lakes that hide in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. They were returning to Lake Anima Nipissing after a weekend long canoe trip. When they hit the fourth hour of canoeing, they also hit tremendous waves that were picked up by the wind. The day was stormy. The mother and her son tried their best to reach the campsite they were staying at on Red Squirrel Lake, but the waves were too powerful. They attempted to hug the shoreline, but they were too late. A powerful wave crashed into their canoe, capsized it, and broke it into two pieces. It sunk to the bottom of the lake, and the boy was separated from his mother. He was pulled by the current, and his life jacket was loose on him by mistake. It was ripped right off of him, and he was incapable of retrieving it because the accident had badly broken his ankle. He couldn't swim because of it, and his mother tried to rescue him, but she couldn't. The waves were too powerful. They pulled the little boy underwater, and he was never seen nor heard from again.
The rangers searched for as long as they could, but they could not find the boy. They eventually gave up, but his mother didn't. She is said to still be searching for him this very day. After the accident, the boy became known as the Ghost of Ontario. It is said that whenever he sees canoeists on Red Squirrel Lake, he threatens them with waves and tries to capsize them and pull them to the bottom of the lake where he and his canoe sunk. He likes to make other people experience the same kind of pain he did when he traveled on Red Squirrel Lake. It is said that in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, whenever there are waves, it's the Ghost of Ontario's dirty work.
It is also rumored that in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, whenever the ghost is nearby, he plays 'Lucilla,' which is also known as 'The Call of the Ghost.' 'Lucilla' is said to be a beautiful but dangerous tune, and it's the warning call of the ghost. He plays it to warn people that he's nearby and that they need to watch their backs. 'Lucilla' is also sometimes known as 'The Death Song,' so if by any chance you hear a mysterious sound while in the provincial park, stop and don't move a muscle. It's the Ghost of Ontario calling you. He's lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance of revenge."
Okay, I was officially petrified now. Once Ranger Amelia finished sharing the tale, she turned off the flashlight and reattached it to her belt. Smiling, she said, "The end," and Kyle and his family members started to clap.
"Bravo!" they shouted, "Bravo!" Bravo?! Are they crazy?! That was the legend?! Holy smokes, now I know what Ken meant! I really wanted to go home now! Red Squirrel Lake was Camp Juniper's first destination the next day! Seriously, I thought Canadians were nice!
After Kyle and his family members clapped, the dog owner stood up from his seat and slightly glared at Ranger Amelia. "No!" he stated, and he pointed at her, "You don't know what you're talking about, ma'am! There is no such thing as the Ghost of Ontario! It's a myth!"
His wife took his arm and tried to sit him down. Unfortunately, things became even more petrifying after he said that.
Ranger Amelia opened her mouth to speak, but she wasn't able to because from the audience, a new voice spoke; a creepy voice: "It's a true story, though."
"Huh?!" I yelped, and all heads turned in the direction of the voice. It belonged to an emo man, dressed in all black, who wore a hat over his head.
"What do you mean?" Uncle Harrison asked him.
The man crossed his arms but refused to look up. He lowered his head, and in a low voice, explained, "Ten years ago, a five-year-old boy went missing on Red Squirrel Lake, and he has not been seen since."
"Ahh!" I screamed, and I slapped my palms over my mouth. Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! Somebody did go missing on Red Squirrel Lake?! Yep, somebody did, and that was what the rangers based the legend off of.
I think Ranger Amelia noticed my distress because she suddenly stated, "We're not trying to scare you! Honest! We're just giving you a precaution before you get on the lakes."
"Is it really true, though?" I asked, "Did a boy go missing on Red Squirrel Lake ten years ago?"
Ranger Amelia shut her mouth and took a step back. She glanced over her shoulder at Ranger Kate and nodded.
She nodded back. Then, she stood up and stepped in front of her partner. In her sad voice, she told us, "It is."
I yelped again. Oh, gosh!
Mom took my arm, and I frightfully listened as Ranger Kate continued, "As Ranger Amelia stated, this is a precaution for all you canoeists out here tonight. There was a bad accident on Red Squirrel Lake ten years ago that involved a mother and her little boy. The whole reason why we share this legend is because it's remarkable, and it's also crucial for everybody traveling to the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park to know about it. We make sure everybody who does, even if they don't come this ranger talk, is told. There have been rumors of mysterious happenings and a mysterious lullaby on the lakes. We do this for the safety of the people. We don't want any of you out there to wind up like the little boy who died ten years ago on Red Squirrel Lake." Her voice was becoming choked again. I could see tears forming in her eyes. Strange, why did Ranger Kate get so emotional talking about the accident?
"Thank you, Ranger Kate." Ranger Amelia soon said, and she pulled her partner behind her arm, "Thank you all so much for paying attention to this precaution because it's important. Why don't we change the subject? We don't want to shy you away from the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park all because of this legend. It really is a beautiful place. Remember, depending on if you believe in ghosts or not, the Legend of the Ghost of Ontario is either a myth or a legend. Why don't guys share with us what you're going to do when you reach the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park? Camp Juniper, why don't you start?"
I refused to stay there and answer her question. Dad could do all the explaining. I just wanted to get out of there. I thought that The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park would be something interesting and calming for my soul, but I was wrong. It took my fear up all the way to the highest level.
I released my arm from Mom's grasp and whispered to her, "Mom, I'm going to return to the campsite. I've heard enough for one day."
Mom sighed. "All right, Kylie," she soon whispered back, "Go on. Be careful. We're going to stay here just a little longer."
I didn't waste any time. I put my headlamp back on and leaped to my feet. I then stormed to the dark path where I heard the scream from before and gulped, stopping in front of it. Laughing came from behind me, and I twisted my head to peer back to the amphitheater one last time. My eyes landed on Ranger Kate.
She took off her hat and rubbed her eyes. Afterwards, she sunk back in her chair next to the bonfire and buried her face in her hands. She was so depressed. I felt so bad for her. I promised myself I would solve the case about her missing son, but now I didn't know if I would be able to with the whole Ghost of Ontario thing stuck to my soul.
I soon faced the dark path and gulped. However, I went ahead and stepped inside.
And that, my fellow audience, is The Legend of the Ghost of Ontario.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
