We stood at the top of the mountain, staring down at what seemed like a million miles of trees. There was no civilization as far as my eyes could see. I took a deep breath of truly fresh air and turned back around to look at my brother.
"Any sign of them?" I asked.
Blake, my older brother, shook his head. "It doesn't look like anyone's been up here in ages. Maybe I should call them."
Confused, I shook my head again. "Would your cell phone work up here?"
"I don't see why not." Blake pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. While he stood with the phone against his ear I kept looking down at the forests. It was a shame that there were so few left, but at least this place would be here for me for a while.
Blake began to talk on the phone, and I tried to hear some of his conversation. My brother and I had hiked all day to get to the top of this mountain, and we were supposed to have met two of our mutual friends once we arrived. We had met them here almost every summer as far back as I could remember, as soon as our parents started letting us go out alone. Now, three years after High School, this was the only time the four of us really got to spend any time together. But Casey and Kyle weren't anywhere to be seen.
I heard the phone click off, and I looked back at my brother. He was standing still, a look of disappointment on his handsome face.
"Well, Paige," he said, looking up at the sky. "I guess they didn't plan far enough ahead. They're going to a wedding this weekend instead."
"Who's getting married?" I asked, trying to mask my disappointment.
"I don't know, some relative of theirs. Should we start back down?" Blake looked at the sky again. It was beginning to turn dark colors, the sun beginning to set. "We can't get down there before dark, but it will take less time going downhill than it did coming up."
I looked back out over the trees, my eyes scanning them for the road. I couldn't see it. Four hours from now we could be back near the car, but right now it felt like it was a hundred years away.
"I don't want to go back home," I muttered, kicking the ground. "I've been looking forward to this trip for weeks. I slaved through the whole year just waiting for this trip, and now I have to go home without even going swimming?"
Blake sighed, kicking the ground near his own feet. "I don't know, Paige. I sort of want to stay, too, but we don't have any supplies. I brought some food, but that's it. Casey promised to bring an extra sleeping bag for you, so I only have one, and Kyle was supposed to bring the tent and the cookware and all the stuff he usually brings."
I nodded. "I didn't even bring any food."
We stood in silence for a while, brooding. I hadn't thought about not having any camping supplies. Unfortunately, I never really thought about packing, and all I had in my bag was a number of changes of clothing. Even on the top of a mountain I would be the height of fashion.
"Let's stay anyways," Blake said, his deep voice breaking the silence.
"What?" I asked, turning around to face him.
"Let's stay. Maybe just for one night, but let's stay. You have a sleeping bag, right?"
I nodded, watching my brother begin to pace.
"We could share it, open it up and use it like a blanket. It doesn't get too cold this time of year, we should be okay. Let's stay." Blake nodded his head once, as if his decision was final.
"Okay," I agreed impulsively. "What's the harm? No one is expecting us home anyways."
Blake shot me his best smile, his white teeth sparkling through his lips. His whole face was alight with pleasure.
"Cool," he said. "Now, first manner of business, let's find our campsite."
For the last three years Blake, Casey, Kyle and I had used a spot next to the lake, not very much of a walk from where we usually met on the mountain top.
"To the water?" I asked, starting down the hill before Blake could respond.
"To the water!" he shouted, running after me. We both broke into full runs, racing through the trees and over the growth to get to the water first. Sweat broke out on my forehead almost right away. I had been hot all afternoon, climbing up the mountain with a bulky backpack on my back. My breasts bounced as I ran towards the lake, and I shrieked with mock horror as I saw Blake pass me and reach the water's edge.
"Made it!" he shouted, jumping up with joy. "Beat you, little sister. What do you think of that?"
"I think you're a cheater," I said, laughing. "I was going to beat you, but you cheated and won."
"How do you propose I cheated?" Blake said, breathing heavily and smiling at me.
"Well, you cheated," I laughed back. "Race you to the bridge!" and I took of running again.
This time I caught Blake by surprise and outran him, reaching the log that passed across a small part of the lake before he could catch up to me. Laughing hysterically, I jumped up on the log. Unsteadily, I began to walk across it, my arms spread out to the sides and my feet carefully finding footholds on the slippery wood. Looking over my shoulder just in time to see Blake drop his backpack on the ground and bound up the log after me, I shrieked and walked another couple of steps forward.
The log rocked as Blake jumped up after me, his quick, steady feet making their way towards me. I hurried up, trying to get to the opposite side of the log before he reached me, but I failed, and soon I felt Blake's arms wrapped around my waist.
"Too slow, little girl," he said, lifting me up off of the log.
"Quit it!" I shrieked, my laughter changing to a more serious note as my feet left the somewhat steady ground. "You're going to drop me!"
"I won't drop you," Blake protested, taking another step forward with me in his arms.
