The sky was ablaze with orange and blue and the clouds had taken on a pinkish hue. It would be a perfect sunset if it wasn't for the crippling feeling of dread that hung over Haku like a storm cloud. She was keeled over in the backseat holding her stomach. Luo was with her, patting her back reassuringly.
"Everything okay, girls?" Gongyu asked from the driver's seat. Haku only glanced at the body concealed by the blanket in the boot.
Gongyu grimaced a little. "We're gonna have to get rid of that," she said, referring to the blanket, "our great-grandma knitted that. We used to take it on picnics all the time when I was younger. I don't think she'd be very pleased to discover that were using it to cover up a murder." She then laughed a little, hoping that it would cheer up the girls. Luo only rolled her eyes, and Haku didn't respond at all. Gongyu swallowed and focused on her driving.
Soon the houses disappeared and fed into barns and lush green paddocks, which in turn fed into a thick cluster of trees.
Luo realised at once. "Are we going up the mountain?" She asked.
"Yup. We'll wait until no ones around then dump her a little ways up one of the trails." Gongyu confirmed.
When they arrived at the parking lot they were already in luck. There was not one other car in the area.
"We shouldn't get cocky," Gongyu warned the girls, "someone could still turn up. We have to hustle."
Working quickly, Haku kept lookout while Gongyu and Luo lifted the body out of the boot and slammed the door closed.
"Alright, let's roll."
They began walking up a path named The Enchanted Trail. The name suited it well. The hedges were neatly trimmed into cubes and there were flowers sorted by colour to form a rainbow of sorts. It was pretty but looked a bit out of place on a mountain.
"Let's roll her body off the cliff!" Luo cried a little too gleefully.
"Calm down there, Satan," Gongyu said, "I was thinking of taking it off trail. No one would ever really go off trail, so less chance of someone coming across it." She turned to her left. "Through here."
They stepped through the hedges and into the trees. Walking became more difficult. They were now having to step over tree roots and avoid damp areas.
They walked for a few minutes until Gongyu stopped.
"Put her here, and take off the blanket." When Luo obliged she continued giving instructions. "Now get as many leaves as you can and cover her with them."
When they were finished Gumi's body was practically invisible. She just looked like another pile of leaves admidst other piles of leaves admidst the rugged trees and bushes.
Gongyu wasted no time in ushering everyone out of the bush, onto the trail and back into the car. Haku's mind was spinning and she wanted to get off the mountain as quickly as possible.
The trees and bushes flew by. Among them was the body of a teenage girl who had been alive only hours earlier. Her distorted screams echoed in Haku's mind.
Eventually, the car emerged out of the tunnel of trees and onto the open road. By now the sunlight was almost gone, and stars were beginning to become visible.
"So," Gongyu began, breaking the silence, "what do you want for dinner?"
Luo furrowed her eyebrows together, as if she couldn't believe her cousin was thinking about food right now. But then she sighed and said "Can we go to Burger Land?"
"Sure. Haku?"
"Burger Land's good," Haku responded quietly. But she was craning around in her seat, staring at the mountain, big and ominous against the night sky, that had just become someone's final resting place.