Rather than drive along the evil highway 17 at night we chose to spend the night in moon-spun Renfrew. Any that know the NCR will recall that this town is about an hours drive west of Ottawa and for this lifelong city dweller that might just as well be the wilderness.
Surrounded by beasts, trees and bears‚ oh my! I discovered that this tiny town, teetering on the edge of oblivion, gets darker than any Stygian nightmare I am aware of. . .or ever want to be.
We turned out the lights of our motel room, and quite suddenly it was pitch black, no, utterly dark. I have always loved the night with its strange compulsion and comfort. But not this, in this tiny room the darkness was oppressive and present.
Neither of us slept well at all waking every hour or so to stare at a dark that…stared back?
It was not the unfamiliarity of a place away from home because we have often used this motel for such late night assignations yet skeptic though I proudly name myself. . . I am sure it was the darkness that kept us awake that night?