Blackbird

Chapter 5

Ilva stepped out of the plane and stood there a moment, soaking in the sun, her crimson ringlets stirring softly in the breeze.

I looked round nervously, "Shouldn't we be going?"
Ilva looked annoyed, but started to move towards the airport.

15 minutes later and we were in a taxi winding our way up a mountain, misty due to the sudden coldness at the top. We got about 5 miles before Ilva stopped the taxi driver. She had massive sunglasses and a beanie to hide her face and hair.

"It seems you have taken us far enough", she smiled pleasantly, "Would you be so kind as to drop us off here?"

I saw her hand offer money. Of course, Ilva had to make everything more dramatic. He was just dropping us off!
The taxi driver looked baffled at why we would want to be dropped of in a pile of leaves and debris in the middle of a forest up a mountain, but he dropped us off anyway. Ilva started walking straight away.

I started clomping after her, my neck sore already from my heavy backpack, "Ilva, where are we going?" I ask, "You said Arbor's house was at the top of the mountain!"

"I did", Ilva said, "and that's where we're going. I just didn't want the taxi driver knowing where we were going. Arbor would kill me. It's very well hidden."

I realised what she was saying.

"You mean we're going to have to climb up the rest of this mountain? Just because you were scared the driver would know where Arbor lived?"

Ilva nodded. I could feel my heart sinking in my chest.

I sighed, "Couldn't the driver have taken us a little further!?"
I looked up. I couldn't even see the top of the mountain, for all it was worth. And the path up there was so steep...

"It's so high!" I say, turning towards Ilva.
She stared at me as if I was being an idiot and said, "Better start climbing then."

Typical Ilva. Very blunt.
And we were going to have to climb?
This was not sounding good.