Note…. This in an autobiographical story!! Well, other than the
fact that I actually have three siblings, and not just one brother like Hannah
Louise does!! This story is an outtake from 2016!! It was created during my
first disappearance…. Also known as The River Challenge!! However. It was also,
like, twain separate fictional stories, so I broke them up into Volume One, and
Volume Two!! Oh. My. Goodness…. The parallels between Hannah Louise’s
Life in ‘Bob The Wiener Dog’ {do you remember that lengthy fictional story?}, and
in ‘Dragonfly Lake’ are absolutely uncanny…. Wow.
“Dragonfly Lake”
Edited By Kara Kent!!
Dragonfly Lake. This is an incredibly beauteous, woodland, beatific place where my parents, my younger brother, Jeremy Michael, and I used to drive toward every single Summer as our faithful vacation spot. I remember a rocky area on the side of the road which served as my visual landmark that we were almost there to case our perfect campsite location…. At last…. Everyone’s favorite, most preferred spot had its very own private view of Dragonfly Lake!! Sometimes we were lucky enough to stay at that particular campsite…. Sometimes, it was already taken. As soon as Mom and Dad set up our large family-sized tent, I remember stretching my legs, running freely around vacant spots, exploring, trying to find ‘Bigfoot’s Cabin’, an ‘abandoned’ log cabin. I could never get lost on Dragonfly Lake’s campgrounds, for I had every single area memorized by heart!! Whether it be a few old-fashioned looking water hand pumps. Or stuffy, germ-infested, human waste-smelling outhouses. Whether it be the wooden dock which leads to Dragonfly Lake.
“Dragonfly Lake”
Edited By Kara Kent!!
Dragonfly Lake. This is an incredibly beauteous, woodland, beatific place where my parents, my younger brother, Jeremy Michael, and I used to drive toward every single Summer as our faithful vacation spot. I remember a rocky area on the side of the road which served as my visual landmark that we were almost there to case our perfect campsite location…. At last…. Everyone’s favorite, most preferred spot had its very own private view of Dragonfly Lake!! Sometimes we were lucky enough to stay at that particular campsite…. Sometimes, it was already taken. As soon as Mom and Dad set up our large family-sized tent, I remember stretching my legs, running freely around vacant spots, exploring, trying to find ‘Bigfoot’s Cabin’, an ‘abandoned’ log cabin. I could never get lost on Dragonfly Lake’s campgrounds, for I had every single area memorized by heart!! Whether it be a few old-fashioned looking water hand pumps. Or stuffy, germ-infested, human waste-smelling outhouses. Whether it be the wooden dock which leads to Dragonfly Lake.
I definitely knew my way around!!
“Hannah Louise!! Jeremy Michael!!” I remember hearing
our names being called.
It was always Dad.
“Yeah?” I remember hollering back at the top of my vocal
chords.
“Where are you?” I remember Dad asking in his low, deep tone
of voice.
“I am over here, at ‘Bigfoot’s Cabin’!!” I would more
than likely shout back.
“So am I!!” I remember Jeremy Michael always saying.
“Well, come back to our campsite!!” I remember Dad
saying, “It is time for dinner!!”
“Alright!!” I remember hollering back, “I am coming!!”
I remember running as fast as my skinny seven-year old legs could
go.
“Hey!!” I remember Jeremy Michael always saying, “Wait for me!!”
“Come on, Jeremy Michael!!” I remember shouting at the top of
my vocal chords.
“Ssshhh….” I remember Dad hushing my naturally boisterous
voice which always shot straight through Dragonfly Lake’s still woods and
campgrounds, “Be quiet!!”
I remember I would always turn around and wait for Jeremy Michael to
catch up with me.
He ran as fast as his shorter five-year old legs could go.
At our campsite, I remember Mom would build us a warm, cozy fire,
its hot red-orange sparks flying, smoke filling the evening air, and perfuming
my bight ginger-colored hair. For dinner that night, we were going to roast
hotdogs!! I remember always making mine as black as coal, its juicy meat within
well-done. Later that night, we would roast marshmallows for s’mores!! Yum!! I
remember absolutely loving my sticky, sweet, sugary, graham
cracker/chocolate/marshmallow sandwich!! Unlike the hotdogs, I never roasted
them until they were black as coal, just tan. I remember eating as many s’mores
as I could get away with until Mom told me that I’d had enough. Can I help it
if I have a sweet tooth?! I remember the black smoke from our fire pit somehow
always blowing toward where I was sitting. I would move my chair…. Only to have
the smoke follow me, anyway!! Ugh.
I remember my eyes would soon sting, and I’d be coughing.
“The smoke likes you!!” I remember Mom always saying, “It means
you’re sweet!! That is what they say!!”
“Why?!” I remember saying as I repeatedly coughed, wheezed
and gasped for air, “The smoke’s not after you, Dad, or Jeremy
Michael!!”
“Yes, it is!!” I remember either Jeremy Michael, Mom, or Dad
always saying.
Soon, it would be time for bed. Already?! I remember Jeremy Michael
and I would brush our teeth, then we’d walk toward a stinky outhouse with
either Mom or Dad while carrying bright flashlights in the starlit pitch black
darkness. Once everyone returned back to our campsite? I remember Jeremy
Michael and I immediately putting our pajamas on. Then Mom tucked us into warm,
cozy sleeping bags. I remember that we lay on the hard ground, but I did not
mind at all!! Mom and Dad were allowed to stay up a little while longer than
us, as they stoked our crackling, popping fire, talked quietly, or read books
underneath flashlights, as crickets chirped noisily.
I remember falling asleep to those comforting sounds.
I awoke early every single morning during our camping trips at
Dragonfly Lake…. Ready for my day, ready for an adventure. What aroused me
around five in the morning every single day? Was it crows cawing noisily, in
search of leftover food, and garbage? Maybe. Was it fellow campers’ dogs
barking, their sound echoing through Dragonfly Lake’s sleepy woods, and
campgrounds? Sometimes. Was it Dad—always the very first one up—chopping wood,
and building a warm, cozy fire? Probably. Either way….?
I remember those were the comforting sounds that woke me up!!
Depending on our plans? I remember riding either my scooter, or my
bicycle around the paved street loop—over, and over, and over—alongside Jeremy
Michael!! Depending on our plans? I remember Mom, Dad, Jeremy Michael, and I
would all hike a long trail together which lead to an incredibly breathtakingly
beautiful view of Dragonfly Lake!! Depending on our plans? I remember Mom, Dad,
Jeremy Michael, and I would play card games or board games for several hours!!
Depending on our plans? I remember Mom, Dad, Jeremy Michael, and I would all
drive toward Sky Blue Lake, another incredibly beauteous, woodland, beatific
place which has unusually crystal clear water!!
Whatever our plans were, there was always pesky, blood-sucking
mosquitoes.
As with weather conditions everywhere, I remember it could be
unpredictable at Dragonfly Lake. Sometimes, we would experience pouring down
rain which hit our tent in large drops. I remember once the weather was so
miserably freezing cold that Mom, Dad, Jeremy Michael, and I actually drove
home earlier than originally planned. We have experienced a hailstorm, its icy
pellets hitting our tent like bullets. But usually, I remember enjoying days,
and days, and days of endless welcoming, warm August sunshine!! Although, I
never minded the seemingly indecisive weather conditions!! I remember it always
felt like a fun adventure!! Ah, weather!!
This is just the chance you take for vacationing outdoors!!
At Dragonfly Lake, I remember that there was a short hike down
toward its campground’s little ‘beach’. I walked that dirt path—while wearing
nothing but my swimming suit—with Mom, Dad, and Jeremy Michael. I could never
get lost hiking down toward Dragonfly Lake’s ‘beach’!! For I could walk it in
my sleep!! At Dragonfly Lake’s little ‘beach’, I remember I can witness an
incredibly breathtaking view of the mighty, often snow-covered Mt. Einstein!!
Green, towering trees surrounded this beauteous, woodland, beatific place like
it was a canvas painting by God Himself!! In the far off distance, I remember
spying sailboats, their white triangular shape all I could see from miles away
on Dragonfly Lake’s waters. Dad carried our bright yellow blow-up raft down to
its ‘beach’. There, he would row Mom, Dad, Jeremy Michael, and I out toward
Dragonfly Lake’s deep ends!! I remember pretending that I can swim—which I
cannot—by walking into its sometimes warm, sometimes freezing cold waters!!
There would always be long-bodied, blue-colored dragonflies hovering over the lake’s
‘shore’, hence this beautiful, serene place’s name!!
My heart, soul, and mind have countless fond memories at that
campsite!!
To Be Continued….
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