Chapter 11The trail was rough, littered with jutting abutments of lava rocks and clutching roots where the pathway had worn down from water runoff. Humidity and occasional drizzle or rain kept it slippery, and in places, soupy. A tangle of bushes and shrubs encroached to reclaim the area. The island's iron-rich red soil promoted growth and the trail could be quickly over-grown without use. Vines hung out of trees and had to be brushed aside to pass.
Higher up, some of the drop-off areas into the valley were steep, the narrow trail dangerous. The air was intoxicating with the sweet scent of flowers, always fresh because the trade winds blew away any pollution. Sara was glad she had worn sneakers instead of the rubber flip-flops she was trying to get used to wearing daily. Yet now, her snea
