Taylor Falls: Moon of Doom

Chapter 4: the ChRistmas gift from hell

We all loaded our belongings into the trunk and I hopped into the front seat and slammed the car door, checking behind me to make sure my brother was buckled up.
This was going to be one long silent trip.
My dad got in and addressed the both of us, "we ready ?.."
I put my head phones in and blasted the last song that was playing on my iPod in response.

Supposedly Jacob and I had some long lost great Aunt whom we have never met. Some woman who brought up dad and his sister and was more than strict. Apparently so strict she'd "set me straight"

I can't imagine how a Christmas weekend is supposed to replace the person I've slowly become. But the way I seen it, I damn near drove Cornellius bat shit, and the only way for him to deal with it was returning to his childhood roots.

We drove for miles and what felt like days upon end until we finally reached the airport.
I wanted to ask dad how far this woman actually lived but I was still super pissed at him for this last minute family excursion.
On Christmas no less.

Curiosity finally got the best of me.
"Where exactly are we going?"  He pointed in the general direction behind the large building where docked on water were some type of boat planes.

💫

"So this is Taylor Falls!" My dad exclaimed all nostalgic like as we drove and turned on a road lined with trees on both sides.
It went like that for a long while, really building the anticipation. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

I smeared my face to the glass window as Jacob oohed and aahed from the back seat.

There were small rolls of hills the prettiest grass green I'd ever seen in my whole life. A giant grey stoned wall castle with pointy tops that had little flags on them and everything.
Big stained glass with colourful pieces in them, like the kinds you'd see in churches lined the windows.  And all the shrubbery, trees and the rooftop had a light coating of frosty white snow  making the scene no less then picturesque.
It was so breathtaking, it almost reminded me of a snow globe before you shook it all up.

The green slowly descended turning into banks of snow and then we started passing things like a church and doctors office, grocery stores and small town shops.

The closest thing really noteworthy after the dream castle was the fact that a bubbly creek, narrow now with snow and ice, followed the whole left side of town. Dad told me.
And some place called the Cafe' shoppe
Which had been standing since my parents were teenagers. Again, straight from the horses mouth.

It was quite overwhelming to realize dad and mom had this whole other life outside of Toronto, where I thought was our only home. I know I might have been over reacting but it was almost like finding out you were adopted.

Dad looked so excited, comfortable, relieved and sad in this new place all at the same time I didn't know what to make of my own feelings. Other than nervous.

After a few more homes and lights the road came to a stop sign that then divided into two roads that to your right looked like it was twisted up to dangerous heights. And to your left another light, that stood before a bridge that stood over the water clearly running through town.
Then a road that curved almost for what looked like miles up around the jutting mound of earth that was now I front of us.
Dad made a right, our rental screeching and keeping on the deep curve.

"Look over the edge squirt" I glanced back tormenting my little brother.
"Uh-uh! No way!" He replied

By the time I twisted around again the heavy curve to the right had actually become a left and the road was flattening out.
We drove like this for about five minutes before my brother let out the largest gasp.