Just as Uncle Clement had mentioned, dinner that night for Camp Juniper was on the docks and picnic table sitting atop the hill I saw before when I took a tour of the campground. While we fixed and enjoyed our dinner, we were able to examine the view of the beautiful lake and Ontario itself. Well, at first, I didn't think it was beautiful. However, it was. It really was. Every once in a while, we waved to boats that zoomed by us. I remember, everybody, except me of course, was in a good mood. Yep, deep down, Mom really did enjoy the trip and was looking forward to it. I still was in the dust. I was still grouchy. I regretted being there. I wanted to go home. Yeah, the disappearance of Ranger Kate's child was a little interesting, but it still wasn't enough for me to stop thinking the trip was such a waste. It currently, to me, was Hell. I apologize, but it was. The bugs were my main problem. I didn't openly admit my discomfort to Camp Juniper, because they were having a blast, and I didn't want to ruin the fun. I just pretended to have fun. Sigh, already it felt like a thousand years had passed since I've been home. Camp Juniper most likely won't be home for another million years. However, I tried my best to not show that I was bored.
While Camp Juniper chitchatted and took pictures, I went ahead and fixed my dinner. In the light of the sunset, I sauntered over to the picnic table where dinner was set up and grabbed a plate. I fixed myself a cold cheese quesadilla, some chips, and my personal favorite (sarcasm), Camp Juniper's best friend during the trip...dried fruit. I then poured myself a cup of ginger ale. Afterwards, once my plate was full, I headed over to the long dock and sat at the very end where there were no bugs at all, since I was on the water. Thank God. Anything but bugs. Without bugs, I was able to take my bug net off and eat in peace. I set it down next to me. While I ate my dinner, I peered into the crystal clear water of the lake and watched the weeds sway back and forth. I next peered out to the open water and watched as more boats zipped by. I sighed. Perhaps Ken was mistaken? Perhaps Finlayson Point Provincial Park was the haunted park but not the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park? If that's so, I remember thinking to myself, then yay, the creepy part of the trip was over with.
Before I knew it, the rest of Camp Juniper, excluding Uncle Harrison because he was using the restroom, joined me on the dock to eat their own dinner.
Uncle Bart sat next to me and said, "Hiyah, Kylie Wylie."
Kylie Wylie. That's a little nickname my family likes to call me. Everybody has a nickname in their family. In mine, Peace Maker was Uncle Clement's nickname and Tosh was Uncle Macon's.
After calling me by my own nickname, Uncle Bart took a bit into his own cheese quesadilla and added with, "Mmm." It was quite tasty. That's what I concluded. Well, it was. While Camp Juniper ate, they talked with each other about the next day, our first day of canoeing.
I groaned, and in my head, I asked myself, When will this trip get interesting? The disappearance of Ranger Kate's son isn't enough! I need something else! Just when I thought I lost everything important to me, things actually did take a turn. Things actually did become a little more interesting.
Uncle Harrison soon returned from the bathroom, and in his hand, he held a flyer. I assumed it was one of the flyers that were hanging up next to the door that led into the bathroom that I didn't bother to read. This was Uncle Harrison's big find. He joined us on the dock, and all of us stopped eating and peered back to him. Uncle Harrison was reading from the flyer, and he appeared to be interested in whatever was written on it. After a bit of an awkward silence, Uncle Macon spoke up.
"Harrison, my man," he said, and he gestured at the picnic table, "why don't you grab a plate and fix dinner?"
"In just a sec!" Uncle Harrison excitedly answered, and he tightly gripped the flyer he held, "Guys, you have to listen to what this flyer says! It's very interesting."
"Interesting?" I sarcastically asked, and I crossed my arms, "What could be more interesting than spending a week in the wilderness with just adults?" Mom gave me a slight glare, and huffing, I held my nose up to the sky and took another bite from my quesadilla.
"No, I'm serious!" announced Uncle Harrison, and he excitedly shook the flyer, "According to this flyer, tonight at the amphitheater, Ranger Amelia, one of the rangers we met today, is going to share with all the campers, something called The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park!"
After he announced that, all of us froze. Legend? There was a legend tied in with the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park? Awesome.
"Legend?" I soon asked, and I gently set my plate down on the dock, "Wait a minute, there's a legend tied in with the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, Uncle Harrison?"
He nodded and answered, "Apparently yes. Also according to this flyer, it's one of the most remarkable legends in all of Ontario! It's even more remarkable than the legend of the Bermuda Triangle!"
"Really?" Aunt Lydia asked with widened eyes, "In all of Ontario? Even more remarkable than the Bermuda Triangle legend?"
"Yehaw!" Aunt Jessie suddenly shouted, and she leaped to her feet, "We should check it out then! We should check out this ranger talk tonight!"
Uncle Harrison nodded, "I agree. This seems quite interesting." He folded the flyer in half and dropped it to his side, "What do you think, Camp Juniper? Should we finish the day off with this ranger talk?"
"Why don't we let The Oracle decide?" asked Aunt Delia, and she focused her attention on me. There was "The Oracle." "The Oracle" was my main nickname during the canoe trip.
When I saw that Aunt Delia and the rest of Camp Juniper were looking at me, I gasped and pointed at myself, asking, "Me?"
"Yes you, oh great and powerful Oracle." Uncle Clement spoke, and he bowed to me, "You're the youngest one here. What do you think?"
I checked behind me to make sure Camp Juniper wasn't looking at anybody else. Nope, they weren't. The only thing that was behind me was another boat.
Okay, I have to admit, I was a little interested in the whole The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. Everybody else was too. I made up my mind, although I really regretted this in the near future. I forced a feeble smile, nodded, and told Camp Juniper, "Sure. Let's end the day with Uncle Harrison's big find, the ranger talk."
"Yehaw!" yelled Aunt Jessie, and she leaped ten feet in the air.
"The Oracle speaks!" Uncle Macon yelled next. He leaped to his own feet, "Whoop! Whoop!" and started to dance, "This is going to be so much fun!" He quickly reached down and picked up his empty plate, finishing with, "I'm going to get seconds!" With that, he took off and sprinted towards the picnic table. The rest of Camp Juniper, excluding Uncle Harrison and I, also wanted seconds, so they sprinted after Uncle Macon and left me behind. I didn't mind.
I said, "Hmm," and got down on my front. I gripped the edge of the dock and let myself hang over the edge. I peered into the beautiful, clear water. While I hung, I thought about the so-called Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. What exactly was it? Would it perhaps tie in with the disappearance of Ranger Kate's child and actually give me something to do on the lakes? While I hung out, I thought about this. I thought about all the strange things that had happened to me that day. Did the creepy eagles, disappearing children, mysterious flowers and shadows, and voice have to do something with the legend? Hm.
I soon heard a screech in the sky. Oh no, speaking of eagles, not again! I dragged myself back onto the dock and sat on my heels, glancing into the sky. Sure enough, there was the eagle. It circled me from up above like it was a vulture and I was the carcass. I stared at it. Seriously, why wouldn't these creepy eagles just leave me alone? Why were they harassing me so? They're eagles! Eagles don't harass people! They're scared of them! Or, at least, I thought they were.
I suddenly heard a, "Holy sharks!" behind me, and I turned my head. It was Uncle Clement. He was the one who spoke. "Sweet!" he added with, and he studied the eagle, "It's a bald eagle! Oh man, is it my lucky day!" He put down his second plate of food and drew a camera from his back pocket. I watched him as he did so. Once Uncle Clement was ready, he pointed the camera into the sky, and I looked with him. However, the eagle wasn't there anymore! It vanished into midair! Lots of things had vanished in midair today, so I wasn't too surprised. Although, I was confused. I was confused on I was having so many creepy eagle encounters.
Attention, all my lovely friends out there! It is time! Are y'all ready? Are y'all ready to hear The Legend of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, A.K.A., the legend of the Ghost of Ontario? Clap if you are! Cheer if you are! Awesome! Get ready! The fun is going to begin very soon! You've all been so patient, so now it's time for your patience to be rewarded! Let's let the story take a really big step up from boring to something very mysterious and very creepy!
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