The Legend Unleashed. L.S. Strange
should be, and was inside. Looking around, it felt as though he had stepped back in time. Before him was a counter with a bell on it to ring for service. Next to that was a dust-covered book, which he assumed was a guest register. Rusted metal advertisement signs were on the wall directly behind the counter promoting soft drinks, gasoline, and snacks. Then Scott heard a rustling noise from behind him. He turned around and saw a man standing just inside the doorway. He was approximately the same height and build as Scott but was at least twenty-five pounds heavier. The man had very soft features that could almost be considered feminine, and when he smiled, it looked like he had one hundred oversized teeth. The man extended his hand and smiled. “Welcome! Welcome! I’m Valencio Taylor, owner and operator. Call me Val, everyone does.”
Scott shook his hand firmly and returned the smile.
“Do you have a spot with water and electric hookups for a full service trailer?” Scott felt foolish asking, considering the state of the place. But no sense in being a jerk. Both men looked around, and then Val chuckled leading Scott to grin.
“Everything is available! Just inherited the place, and I’m fixing it up to be the best resort in the Rockies.”
Scott grinned wider and tried to stifle a laugh. “This man—whose hands had no calluses, had a manicure, and rather squishy around the middle—didn’t stand a chance,” Scott thought while picturing this guy as an attorney because he had that sharp useless look about him. The toughest thing this guy ever had to face was probably when his laptop wouldn’t connect to the internet. He was a far cry from the burly lumberjack type you would expect to find up here restoring and running a campground. Still, something about him and what he was saying didn’t seem right. It felt fake. Scott shrugged it off and thought, “To each his own.” Scott should have listened to his intuition.
“Come over here, and I’ll check you in.” Val extended his arm in a sweeping motion for Scott to walk over to the desk. Val brushed the dust off the guest register. He opened it, and the pages disintegrated into tiny pieces. He grinned sheepishly. “How about if I get your cell number and just add it to my phone? Do you mind paying cash? I don’t always have reception to use PayPal or a square for credit cards.
“Not a problem,” Scott replied. “My number is 555-720-5699.”
“It’s five dollars per night per person, children under ten are free. How many in your party and how long do you plan to stay?”
Scott was so amazed that it was only $5.00 per person, that he was silent for a moment. “Oh, um, there are five of us, all over ten. We would like to stay for five nights.”
“Okay, that’ll be $ 125.00.”
Scott withdrew the money from his pocket and handed it to Val.
“Try to stay close to the bath house. That’s where the toilets and showers are. I’ve only had a chance to hook up one generator so the spaces near there will have active electrical hookups.”
“Thanks. Good luck with the renovations.” Scott smiled and turned to leave.
“Thanks.” The smile faded from Val’s lips the minute Scott’s back was turned. His eyes narrowed as he watched Scott leave the office. Scott called to everyone to get back in the van. Val continued to watch them until the van turned at the corner of the structure and was out of sight.
Val thought, “This isn’t what I had planned. But it’s workable.”
Scott drove around looking for just the right space. Then he spotted it. There was a large tree on each side of it, and they would provide shade for the trailer keeping it cool during the day.
“Everybody out so I can park.” They all got out and walked about twenty feet from the spot. Scott was able to pull straight in. The spot was like a long-curved driveway so when they were ready to leave, he could simply drive out, no backing up necessary. After Scott had turned off the van engine, Ron walked to the back and disengaged the trailer hitch. Once out of the van, Scott motioned for Michael to come to him.
“See all these small twigs and branches lying around? You and Noah gather them into a pile so that we can have kindling for the campfire tonight, okay?”
“Okay,” Michael replied and bounded off to get Noah.
John went into the trailer to open the windows and doors, allowing it to air out. The sun beating on it all day had transformed it into an oven. Then after a while, he would close them and turn on the air conditioner.
Bob was true to form. He walked around watching everyone work and was scratching everything from his groin to his nose. Ron looked over at him ruefully and muttered, “If he took a bath, he wouldn’t have to scratch.”
Scott opened the storage compartment on the side and removed the folding lawn chairs setting each one up as he removed it. In no time at all, the camp was ready. That’s the great thing about trailers, park and you’re ready.
“Dad, when do we fish?” Michael asked.
“Not until after I see that pile of kindling.”
Michael pointed to the firepit. A large pile of twigs and branches rested next to it. Scott smiled.
“Leave him alone,” Bob grumbled. “Come on, Michael, I’ll take you boys fishing. Look over there,” Bob said pointing south. “That’s the lake. Let’s go!”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Scott asked.
“What?” Bob snapped.
“The fishing gear. You’re such a dolt!”
“Oh yeah, the fishing gear. Grab it, Michael.”
Michael and Noah had gathered their stuff, and Bob looked at his broken fishing pole.
“I’ll coach,” he said. “Be ready for a fish dinner!”
Even though he was a jerk, he was good with Michael. “Yeah, yeah,” Scott mumbled as he plopped down into a chair. He felt exhausted. Ron sat down next to him.
Scott suddenly sat up and yelled to Bob, “No shooting the fish!” Once again, he dropped into the lawn chair.
“Getting to be an old man?” Ron teased.
“Hey! I just did hours of driving so back off.”
Grinning, Ron handed him a beer. “I think you could use one of these.”
Scott smiled and took a long drink followed by, “Ahhhhhhhh.”
John poked his head out of the trailer. “I’m going to fix something to eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“Sounds great,” Scott and Ron said in unison.
They sat there together soaking in the sounds and sights of nature. The boys were safe, dinner was underway, and he was able to relax. He had no idea that it would all come to an end very soon.
Chapter 5
The sun was sinking slowly into the horizon, and that magical time of dusk was upon them. Scott enjoyed watching the day turn to night. It was very soothing, but all good things must come to an end as this one had when he saw Bob approaching the trailer. The boys were a bit behind struggling to hold up a stringer with five large trout on it.
“This is a cool spot,” Bob said and let out a tremendous belch.
“Looks like the boys did good.”
“I taught them everything I know.” Bob gloated.
“That should have taken all of a minute,” Ron quipped.
“F—” Bob started to swear but then remembered his promise. “Screw you, you dick! Hey, is the can hooked up? Gotta drain the lizard.”
“It’s working,” Scott replied. “And don’t shit in there. Go to the campground bathroom for that.”
Bob