The first portage was in a very lovely but buggy area. Camp Juniper paddled into a calm river that had trees that were very close to each other, and we studied them.
I soon heard the voice of Aunt Lydia, “I didn’t even realize how beautiful Canada was.”
Uncle Bart moved his head back and forth and searched for moose in the forest. However, not one was to be seen. As I mentioned before, moose were quite rare here.
From his canoe, Dad checked the map and grinned. “The first portage should be right up here!” he announced. Whoopee. Portages. Portages were just what I needed on a canoe trip. Dad immediately started to paddle faster, and as he did so, he added with, “We’re almost at Carrying Lake, Camp Juniper! After Carrying Lake is Red Squirrel Lake!”
I gulped. Red Squirrel Lake. Oh, God. Anything but Red Squirrel Lake. We soon reached a dead end in the beautiful, clear river. Rapids and rocks were to the right of us and blocked our path. There was also a small waterfall. The forest was in front of us. Now, this is what I don’t get, but I could see the other side of the river. So, I don’t understand why we have to walk through a 670 meter-long portage when the other end is right there. However, later on I learned that we wouldn’t be able to get the canoes over the rocks.
At first, I was like, “Really? You’re making us walk through the bug-invested forest when the other side is right there?”
When we first reached the dead end, we had trouble finding the portage because we couldn’t find the sign. Dad, though, said that we were where we were supposed to be. While they searched for the trail, I tried again to get Camp Juniper to turn around. I said, “It’s a dead end. Oh well.” I turned to paddle away, “We tried.”
Uncle Bart turned us around, and we ran right into the shallow bottom of the river that fed into a small, rocky beach. To me, he said, “The portage is here, Kylie. We just have to find it. We knew this was coming.”
“Why can’t we just canoe over the rocks rather than take a hike?” I asked him.
“Because,” he answered, “we’ll mess up the canoes if we try to.” He hopped out of the stern and pulled us up onto the bank of the river. All members of Camp Juniper pulled up to this bank.
Uncle Bart sauntered over to the bow of the canoe, and he offered me his hand. I took it, and he pulled me out. My boots hit some rocks, and I stumbled but managed to catch balance. My legs were like Jell-O after sitting in the canoe for so long. It got better as the trip progressed, but on the first day, it was really hard work for me.
I examined the area and said, “Um, I don’t see a trail.” I glanced at Dad. All his crewmates had hopped out of the canoe, and he was pulling it up on the bank.
He glanced at Uncle Clement and ordered, “Clement, you’re on trail duty! Go find the trail!”
Uncle Clement saluted, “Aye, aye, Captain!” He put his mosquito jacket on and approached a small hill. Uncle Clement climbed up it and disappeared in the forest. It was about 11:30 am by the time we reached the first portage. Lunchtime was coming.
Mosquitoes started to swarm around me, and I shooed them away. Reaching into Old Town #1, I pulled out my own bug jacket and the bottle of Deet. I slipped it over my upper body and sprayed myself down. The difference between bug nets and bug jackets was that bug nets covered your face and neck whereas bug jackets covered your entire upper body. I slipped the jacket over my hood and everything. Mosquitoes whined by my ears, but a few of them didn’t land on me. I smacked the ones that did. Seriously, why did the bugs up here have to be so freaking enormous?! Eventually, I got used to the smell of Deet. However, my arms were killing me. I massaged them. Like I mentioned before, it got better as the trip progressed.
The final thing I grabbed from Old Town #1 was the beautiful pouch. I buckled the strap around my waist and stumbled on the rocks towards the forest.
Aunt Lydia, Dad, and Uncle Harrison started to unload things from the canoes, and we waited for Uncle Clement.
A few moments passed and then finally, I heard his voice, “I found the trail!” Uncle Clement appeared at the top of the hill, and he pointed behind him, “Its right up here! Caution: The mosquitoes are really bad up here! Make sure you have your bug nets and jackets! Other than that, without further ado, let’s go through the first portage!”
I decided to only make one trip. I gathered up my dry bag and a cooler and walked up the hill where Uncle Clement was waiting. He stood on a very forestry, buggy-looking trail. Lots and lots of plants grew on it, and because of all the plants, they made the trail very narrow. I literally could see the hordes of mosquitoes swarming around in it. No way! Na hah! I was not going to do this hike!
“No!” I yelled, and I hid behind Uncle Clement’s arm, “I don’t want to go in there!” I backed away and plopped down on a rock. Crossing my arms, I added with, “You guys go ahead, but I’m staying right here!”
“Oh no you aren’t!” Uncle Clement snapped at me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.
Right after he did, Dad passed us, and he was carrying the Sawyer. “Excuse me,” he said.
Uncle Clement took my shoulder and glared at me. “See?” He pushed me forward, “Your father isn’t being a big drag. March on right now, young lady!” That was actually one of the very few times I heard him get angry. Uncle Clement normally didn’t get angry, but he did on that day. He forced me to go on the hike.
I mumbled under my breath, but I didn’t argue back. Instead, I marched on forward and disappeared down the trail.
I didn’t even realize how long the hike was. Yeah, portages were meant to be kind of long, but were they seriously this long? Just to my luck, the next portage was even longer. It was 920 meters, whereas this first one was 670 meters. I had a hard time following the trail because of all the plants.
I groaned as I walked. “Ugh.” I muttered, “I’d rather die out here than on Red Squirrel Lake.” I went up and down hills, and within ten minutes, my feet started to hurt. I did not get in shape for this trip, so I was pretty out of it. At one point, I wanted a drink of water, but in order to have one, I had to unzip my bug jacket. I made it quick, but even with my incredible speed, a mosquito still managed to get in my jacket, and it pierced me. I slapped it dead and ignored the itching. What was even worse was that whenever I stopped to give my feet a break, immediately, hordes of mosquitoes swarmed around me. I yelled and slapped them away. I had no choice but to keep moving. Another time, I tripped over a log, and I fell onto my butt. “Ow, ow, ow.” I groaned, and I reached for it. Now my butt was going to be sore for the rest of the day! While I rubbed it, I searched for my father, but I didn’t see him. It had been a long time since I last did. Last time I saw him was when he passed Uncle Clement and I. Oh no, did the Ghost of Ontario get him? I cautiously surveyed the area once I got up and continued the hike.
Finally, I passed Dad. Yes, the Ghost of Ontario hadn’t gotten him! Not yet, at least. We crossed paths at an abandoned, dirt road that cut horizontally through the path. I wondered where the road led to. However, I didn’t want to check it out. I wanted to make it to the end of the trail. I didn’t know how much further it was, so I just asked Dad about it. “Dad,” groaned I, “how much further is it?” My bug jacket was also making me hot, but I didn’t want to take it off because if I did, then I’d be hammered.
Dad soon answered my question, “Not far. You’re almost there, Kylie Wylie. I’m going back to grab some more supplies and another canoe.” With that, he patted my shoulder and left me.
I couldn’t do it anymore! I was way too sore! I fell to my knees and yelled, “I can’t do it anymore!” into the atmosphere. I lifted my hands, “Go on, Ghost of Ontario, feed on me!” Here, I fell onto my front.
All right, audience, are you ready? Are you ready to meet Ihaan the Hermit for the very first time? Here you go. Well, I didn’t officially meet him until Red Squirrel Lake, but I saw him for the first time here. This is it, audience. This is Ihaan the Hermit, the boy who changed everything.
I stayed sprawled out on the road, but after a few minutes, I heard another crack in the forest. Another crack! Seriously, what was with this?! I asked this to the forest. Groaning, I stood up and faced the direction where the crack had come from. “Aw come on!” I yelled, “Seriously?!” However, I froze right on my tracks.
There he was. Ihaan the Hermit! He had appeared from out of nowhere. Now, at this point, I didn’t know his name. However, I don’t want to refer him to as just “The Boy.” He had a name. So yeah, he appeared from out of nowhere. He stood about three-hundred feet away from me, and I gasped when I saw him. Hold on, was this a boy I was looking at? It was, and oh la, la, he was handsome. I instantly fell in love with him.
He wasn’t a super tall boy because he was still growing. At this point, he was about 5’6, one inch taller than me. Like Ranger Kate, he had a very interesting appearance to him. It was definitely hermit-like. Just like Kate, he almost looked like he was native. He had long, scraggly, shoulder-length, dark brown hair, and tan skin. I think what really captured me were his eyes. His eyes were absolutely gorgeous! They were wide and deep, deep brown. His eyes weren’t black, though. They were just deep brown, and they were just as beautiful as Ranger Kate’s. His arms were muscular, and he didn’t wear a shirt. He had a great upper body. I could tell from the first time I saw him that he worked out. His torso was decorated by three, red, painted stripes, much like a Native American, and his outfit consisted of: long, gray pants that looked to be made out of animal skin, tall, Native American-styled brown boots, which also looked to be made out of animal skin, and brown, leather gauntlets that he wore over his forearms but not his hands. A bundle of eagle feathers, much like the ones on the pouch I found, hung from his left hip, and finally, from the backs of each of his boots, hung two more pairs of eagle feathers.
I knew I was blushing. I was so appalled by his good looks that I couldn’t even speak. I’ve seen a lot of cute boys in my life, but Ihaan beat them all. He even beat Todd. That was how handsome he was. And yep, he definitely was a boy. I smiled so hard that my cheeks began to hurt. I reached for my lips, and I just stared at the mysterious boy. He stared back. I ignored the mosquitoes that were swarming around me. I went into La La Land. I didn’t see the forest. All I saw was the boy. The spotlight shone on only him. “Eee!” I squealed.
He smiled at me. Oh, my gosh, he had a beautiful smile! His teeth were as white as snow. Obviously, he had taken good care of them. Even though I wanted him to stay, the cutie didn’t. Or, at least, he didn’t stay for long.
He soon lost his smile and jumped. Then, just like that, he dove back into the forest and didn’t return. That, my fellow audience, was my first encounter with Ihaan the Hermit.
Even though he had left, I remained frozen in my spot. The image of the boy couldn’t leave my head. I stayed in La La Land. I still smiled. I wasn’t even blinking. However, I came back to reality when suddenly, a hand appeared in front of my face and waved.
I heard the voice of Mom. “Yoo-hoo,” she said, “Are you all right, Kylie?” Uncle Bart and Aunt Lydia were with her.
I recognized Mom’s voice. Without thinking, I gasped and whirled around, still grinning, and dreamily told her, “Mom, I saw a boy!”
“Boy?” she asked, “What boy?” She, Uncle Bart, and Aunt Lydia seemed to be slightly concerned, “What are you talking about, Kylie? Are you feeling all right?”
“I saw a boy!” I repeated, “You should’ve seen him, Mom! He was right there!” I pointed in the direction where the boy had been standing, and Mom, Aunt Lydia, and Uncle Bart examined it, “He had the most amazing arm and ab muscles! I’ve never seen muscles that beautiful before!”
“What?” Mom questioned. She knocked on my forehead, “Get a grip, Kylie! Are you feeling all right? There’s nothing there!”
With the boy’s image still in my head, I smacked my hands over my mouth and laughed flirtingly under them, sinking to my knees.
“I think she’s dehydrated.” Aunt Lydia soon said, “Why don’t we escort her to the end and get her some water?”
“Good idea.” Uncle Bart spoke next. I felt him take my left arm, “Come on, up you go, Kylie.” Mom took my other arm. Together, she and Uncle Bart pulled me to my feet, and all three of them, including Aunt Lydia, started to drag me in the direction of the portage’s end. I remained in La La Land for just a little bit longer. I mean, that boy was just so handsome!
I glanced at each of my family members and told them, “He looked like a Native American! Oh, my God, he was handsome! He nearly gave me a heart attack! Eee! I think I know who I want to spend the rest of my life with!”
“You did not see a boy, Kylie.” Mom sternly said to me, “There’s nobody else here. It’s just us. You only saw a hallucination. You’re dehydrated.”
While they continued to drag me, I slowly returned to my senses, and before long, I was no longer in La La Land. Now I was contemplating. What if Mom was right? What if I really didn’t see the boy of my dreams? What if he was just a hallucination? No, I know I saw somebody! I know I did! Well, I wasn’t sure. Half my brain was telling me that yes, I did see a handsome boy, but the other half told me that I didn’t. This phenomenon didn’t do anything for me. It just contributed to my bad mood. Now I had something else to deal with on this worthless canoe trip aside from the Ghost of Ontario and “Lucilla.”
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