“But they'll forgive you, too. It is all right, honestly.”

“I don't want them to forgive mc. I don't want them to have to forgive mc. Don't you see? Oh, go away and leave mc alone.”

Then Ruth did see. To have been the top, the best, the star all the way from kindergarten. And now to be caught out in such an untogetherness ... She walked slowly back to join the others and tried to finish her meal, but the once delicious fish tasted like shreds of synthetic.

The pan was cleaned and the fire doused with water from the river. Once more they set out. Angela had eaten nothing and walked slowly along at the rear of the line. Ruth felt a twinge - I shouldn't have left her alone. But it's what she wanted. If she refused to be friends what can I do?

She found she was walking faster and faster, putting as much distance as she could between herself and Angela, until she was at the head of the line. After all, she hasn't changed, she thought. She's always despised me. And she nursed her anger.

THE NARROW winding track, obviously made by animals, began to grow steeper. Beneath the sparse cover of grass and creeper the ground was slick. They had to watch their feet all the time. Now the mountain on their right crowded so close to the river that at times the path almost vanished. She wondered how the trees managed to keep a roothold on such a steep pitch.

She felt tense, so that her skin prickled and she wanted to scream. Her chest was heavy, as if she'd been running. It's being upset at Angela, she told herself. She wasn't used to being angry at people. I'll wait, she thought. Tell her I'm sorry and try to make things better between us.

She stood aside to let the others pass. Her chest was getting tighter. She could hardly breathe. Now her skin was crawling and the hair at the back of her neck stiffened. Something's going to happen. Something terrible ...

The sun shone down on the river, though the path was in shade. It was quiet except for the voice of the water among the stones. She looked up, shaded her eyes against the sky. A tree, silhouetted darkly against the blue, trembled. How odd, she thought. There's no wind.

Stones rattled.

“Quickly!” Her voice was high with fear. “Run! Run, up the path. There's going to be a landslide.”

She saw their pale faces upturned. They began to run, using their hands to help haul them up the steep path. Paola, Miriam, Grayle and Raef passed her. She counted on her fingers. Karol, Athena, Bryan. Charity and Faith. The Initiator and Luke. Eight more to go.

She heard a very faint sound, as if the earth had sighed. “Luke, help,” she screamed. In a second he was beside her. “We've got to stop it.”