THE RADIO HUMMED. As she listened in, Lottie held onto the wheel, forcing breaths. All the while, she kept glancing down at her phone, within the cupholder. On occasion, it would ding from a new message. But she already knew who they were by.

Meet me on the mountaintop. There's something I want to show you.

That had been yesterday's message.

Since then, he had been prying for details.

Lottie sighed.

From overhead, the day was breaking, clouding her vision. Her mirror was already down, though, so she'd have to manage.

Only ten more minutes.

On another note, this was better than the dark. If it was a weekday, she'd have the wait until after work.

The experience wouldn't have been the same.

Nighttime would only take away from the beauty of the woodlands. And all its dark secrets.

-

Lottie set it to 'park'. After peering over, hoodie down, she made out another vehicle. It was a grey Coupe parked a few feet away, its back to hers.

When she stepped out, backpack over shoulders, the chill air bit at her.

She stiffened, then straightened. As she began upward, slow but steady, the sand crinkled beneath her feet.

The figure behind the wheel, looking forward, grew more clear.

Then, when she stopped a foot from the door, she called out, "Hey."

They shook their head, delayed.

"What is it?"

There was a huff. After creeping the door open, the figure paused, then peeped out. Hair in disarray, brown and shoulder-length, their grey eyes narrowed.

"Eliott, come on. There's something I want to show you."

Her brother looked past her, then met her gaze. His was heavy; sunken. "Yeah, and what's that?"

Lottie walked aside. "You need to know." With a hand, she waved him over. "You need to see my reality. My truth."

Eliott paused, his eyes unreadable. "Your reality?" Then, face still on hers, he drew his keys from the ignition and stepped out.

"Yeah."

The man nodded, slipping a smirk. It never reached his gaze. "Alright, you lead the way. I'll follow."

Lottie leaned in. "Your eyes - they're red."

Her brother remained quiet.

She cocked her head but began for the railing. Then, with a firm grasp, she held onto them. "You know, these weren't always here." She looked out past the edge, into the woodlands. "This is fairly new."

Eliott joined in beside her. "Must have been enough fatalities."

Lottie glanced his way. "Yes..." Then she scoffed. "But I know a way to get down. A safe way."

He remained quiet.

"I was never one to follow the rules."

"No, you weren't..."

Lottie snickered, dry, and stepped a few feet down. For a moment, she just stared past the edge. "This looks familiar."

He stayed put. "Does, huh?"

"Yeah..." A beat passed. "Come with me. We're close."

"I'm sure we are." His words were muttered. "Why not round the mountain? We can go to the very bottom. Much safer, that way."

She looked over her shoulder. "Well," she began, and chuckled, "that was how I did it at first."

He said nothing.

Lottie bit her lip. "That only took longer, though. I'd come up here, sometimes, just to see where I was. Down there... it's easy to get lost."

"Yeah."

"Up here, though, I could see. But then, of course, was the matter of getting down." That was when she stopped and looked down below. "Eventually, I just did this... because it was easier."

"Easier, huh?"

She looked his way. "Yeah, that's what I said." A pause. "Really, why are your eyes so red?"

He stared back. "What, so you'd just find a random spot to climb? How would you know where you were then? Doesn't everything look the same?"

"I was here for a month, Eliott. This mountain is pretty short compared to some. You just begin to pick up landmarks, I suppose."

"Wait-"

"Besides, I tried to stay in the same place. Only when I got lost did I climb."

From a few feet back, he crossed his arms.

"And, of course, to see the sunset."

Now, tilting his head, he stumbled forward. "The sunset?"

"Eliott, that's what I just said."

He muttered incoherent words. "You always liked the sunset."

"Yeah."

"So, where... is this opening?"

"Well, there are several and this is one." Then, nodding ahead, she gestured him over. "See this?"

He stayed put, his face blank.

"Once we step over, it'll be easy. We've got a fine path."

"I'm sure we do."

Lottie studied him. "There's just something different about you. You're so nonchalant."

He shrugged. "What are you thinking?" He narrowed his eyes. "You're thinking things, Lottie, and once you think them... they've been planted. They can only grow."

Her gaze flickered. "What's this about?"

He took a step closer. "The answer is the most obvious one."

Lottie searched him. "I... don't have time for this." Then, after stepping over the edge, she went to bring her other foot over.

"Wait." He closed the gap, hands in pockets, when he reached over.

Lottie waved him off. "Don't touch me. I'm going over!"

A pause.

"I know." With a hand, he grabbed onto hers, then used his other. "Let me help you."

Lottie studied him. Then, with a stiff nod, she used her other hand to maneuver over. "Thanks..."

He smiled. Again, it never reached his face. "No problem."

She tested the stone beneath her. When she was satisfied, Lottie inched several steps down. The path was wide enough; firm enough.

It would be fine.

"Don't worry," Lottie said. "Just step over and I'll guide you down."

His eyes stay on hers, dull.

"You comin'?"

He stumbled forward, grabbed onto the railing, then shrugged. "Never too early to have regrets."

She gave him a double-take.

One leg after the other, he went over the railing. All the while, he held on, palms white. When he was on the other side, he looked down at the path and his eyes flickered.

"Just step here and we'll make our way down. Easy."

"Yeah... easy." With a small huff, he took one foot from the edge, onto the path. Nothing happened. So, with his other, he brought it down, too.

Still, nothing.

He paused for several moments.

"You comin', Eliott?"

He let go of the railing, then turned. "Go on. I'll follow."

Lottie nodded. "We'll be down in a few."

"I'm sure we will."

The path was a few feet wide, but its edges appeared rough; fragile. As they made their descent, which was a couple of hundred feet, each remained quiet. Their pattering footsteps were all to be heard.

Several minutes passed.

Lottie cleared her throat. "We're like halfway, okay?"

There was silence.

"Okay?" She peered over her shoulder. "You doing alright back there?"

Eliott, following close behind, used his arms for balance. "Yeah, I'm just fine..."

Lottie rolled her eyes, looking ahead. "Right."

He chuckled.

"What, something funny?" She came to a halt, then whipped around. "Got something you'd like to tell me?"

He stopped, nearly ramming into her. Then, after a few steps back, he straightened. "Funny?"

"Yeah."

Again, he was unreadable.

"This silence isn't like you. What's going on?"

Eliott stiffened. "What's going on with me?" he asked. "Well, Auntie died."

"Yeah, well, we knew it was coming."

Low and drawn-out, he gave another laugh. Then, all-too-sudden, he stopped and stared. "It's different, though, when it's your mom."

"Elio-"

"No, Lottie, just stop. To you, she was an aunt... but not to me." He pointed at himself and paused. "To me, she was the only person who truly cared. I barely remember the others, anyway."

"'The others'?" Her gaze locked on him. "Are... are you talking about our parents?"

"Lottie, we're only step-siblings anyway. You know exactly what I mean."

Lottie shut her mouth. Then, with a finger, she pointed at the scar under her eye. "Auntie did this, don't you remember?"

He remained silent.

"Well, of course, you don't. You're too caught up in your life, anyway..."

His face twisted. "Think I have short-term memory? Girl, whenever we talk, you always bring this up... I couldn't forget if I wanted to!"

A tear fell down her cheek. "So, you care so much because she loved you, right? Because she was the only one who cared about you?"

Eliott showed his teeth. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Lottie went quiet.

"Instead, you up and leave to" - he waved his arms - "this place!"

Her face turned red. "You... you think I liked it here?" She took a step forward, then another. "Because, Eliott, I-"

And that was when it happened.

She miscalculated her foot, stepping onto the edge.

Then the gravel began to crumble.

With a cry, she tumbled over and reached for something - anything - to save her.

"Lottie!"

Then, after losing sight of him, a hand grasped onto hers.

And all time stopped.

A few moments passed.

She held on with a death-grip. "Eliott, p-pull me up!"

He grunted as he tugged, kneeling over the edge.

All the while, the gravel began to creak and groan.

"Save me, Eliott!"

His single hand pulled her until he could use his other. Then, with both, he strained, eyes pressed tight.

The gravel groaned louder, shifting.

A tear fell from her cheek. "Eliott, you need to let go" - another tear - "right now."

"I'm not leaving you!"

"No, or else you'll die, too!"

As he continued, she inched up more, until she was waist-high. Then, by an arm, he tugged her back from the edge.

For a moment, each laid there, hands to chests, as they heaved.

Everything else was silent.

Lottie opened an eye. "You... you okay?"

Nothing.

So, propping onto her elbow, she peered over. "Eliott?"

There, looking up at the sky, was her brother. After a sigh, he met her face and unfolded his hands. "Yeah, Lottie?"

She smiled, showing her teeth. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Huh?"

"You nearly died. That ledge nearly broke down!"

This time, he matched her, propping onto an elbow. "Ah, but you were the one who brought us here."

Her smile widened.

He chuckled, clicking his tongue. "This... this is the most alive I've felt in ever."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He broke eye contact. "Well, I've never done anything like this."

Lottie studied him. "So, is that a good thing?"

"Well, you nearly died." He snapped her a look, blinking hard. "I'm sorry... for starting that. I shouldn't have, especially here of all places."

Her heart dropped.

"I'm sorry." He looked away. "I'm sorry..."

"Hey, Eliott." She tried to catch his gaze. Then, in slow motion, she stood. "It's not your fault."

When he looked up, searching her, he got up just as slow.

A moment passed.

In a beat, she had lunged forward, wrapping him with a hug. "Thank you."

He stiffened. Then, with a sniffle, he buried his face into her neck.

When they parted, each with wet faces, they looked back to the path.

Lottie gripped her straps. "And we're just getting started."

Her brother nudged her. "You know, I only saved you because you've got a backpack." Then he pressed his brows. "I mean, I could get lost out here without your expertise! Then, without you, I'd have nothing. Zilch."

She stifled a chuckle. "You know, you could've brought something, too."

"A little short notice," he said.

This time, she nudged him. "You had all last night."

He looked at her. "I guess I was a little sidetracked. Besides, you never answered my texts. Didn't you see them?"

Lottie looked down. "Well, I couldn't spoil it. You just have to see for yourself."

There was silence.

"You lead the way. I'll follow," he insisted.

She leaned in. "You know, your eyes are just really red."

Eliott gestured forward. "It's all this crying. I must have got a bug in my eye or something."

Lottie nodded, stiff, then proceeded down. As she pressed on, she studied the path, wishing not to repeat the incident. The Lord knew another would be too much.

She always was clumsy, after all.

All the while, a doubt lingered in her mind.

Her brother - he had been acting strange all morning.

But why?

Hey there! If I'm being honest, this chapter was a lot of fun to write. I just love writing about characters being out by themselves! I feel like there are a lot more possibilities, but how did you feel about it? I realize this is quite unlike the other chapters.

Anyhow, how are you guys? I'd love to talk about anything, really.

Well, I guess that's everything. I hope you're well and God bless. <3