“It’s all here,” said Carter. “Backpacks, sleeping bags, first-aid kit, plastic tarp, rope, water, food, walking sticks. Everything. I’ve checked it twice.”

“And for communication?”

Carter pulled something from his back pocket and held it up for Giancarlo to see.

“Giorgio’s cell phone,” he said. “Antonella gave it to me this morning. She says it might work up there—but then again it might not.”

“It will have to do,” said Giancarlo.With that he sat down on a chair, pulled a pair of ancient-looking leather hiking shoes from his suitcase, and began to put them on.

Carter looked at the shoes with great skepticism.

“Are you really going to wear those?” he asked.

“These shoes are old friends to my feet,” said Giancarlo, pulling the laces tight. “They’ve carried me many miles. I trust them, and that’s important now.”

After he finished tying his shoes, Giancarlo took the backpack Carter had procured for him and stuffed into it the nylon jacket, the sweater, and the other hiking clothes he had thought to bring before he left home the day before. When everything was packed, and he was satisfied that he had all that he needed, he sat for a moment in silence, listening to his own breathing, to clear his mind and to gather himself. Then he stood, and nodded to Carter to let him know that it was time to go.

A short while later, as they were crossing the meadow above the village, Giancarlo stopped, leaned on his walking stick, and gazed up at the mountain.

“Where did you say the landslide happened?” he asked.

“Up there,” Carter pointed, “on the north side of the mountain. That’s where everyone has been looking for your brother.”

Giancarlo looked with puzzlement at where Carter was pointing. Then he rubbed his chin and shook his head.

“What on earth were you doing way up there all alone, Giorgio ?” he said to himself.

“Antonella says that sometimes he likes to go up in the mountains just to get away from things and think for a little while,” said Carter. “Does that give you any clue?”

“No,” replied Giancarlo.

“So what’s our plan, then?” asked Carter.

“I guess we start in that direction,” replied Giancarlo. “It seems to make the most sense for now.We’ll climb up as far as we can before it gets too dark to go any further, and sleep on the mountain tonight. At least that way we’ll already be up there and have a head start when morning comes. Then we will decide where to go next.”

“Are you sure you still know your way around up there?” inquired Carter with a sideways glance.

Giancarlo responded by fixing him with a withering glare.

“Just asking,” said Carter, quickly looking the other way.

Giancarlo gave a harrumph.

“Are you sure you want to come with me?” he asked peevishly. “You don’t have to, you know.”