Chapter 2
Graduation went off without a hitch. Lizzie's speech was well
received, and she even got a standing ovation. She smiled as she
walked across the stage to accept her diploma and marveled at how much
she had grown since her trip to Rome. No longer the clumsy, awkward,
young lady, she had found something in Rome that she was not even
aware she didn't possess, but her mom knew - confidence.
After the final declaration, the throwing of the hats in the air,
hugs, and promises to stay in touch, it was over. Lizzie was with her
mom and dad taking the proverbial graduation pictures when Miranda and
Gordo walked up. "Hey guys." Jo said. "I guess you want me to let go
of my baby, so you can take her off to some godforsaken back country
to camp?"
"Well," Gordo began.
"Mom," Lizzie interrupted, " It's only a week. I will be back before
you know it. Everything will be fine."
Jo looked at her daughter and smiled. Again she reached out and
brushed away a stray piece of hair from Lizzie's face. Then, in a move
no one expected; Jo grabbed her and pulled her into a bear hug. Jo
couldn't help how she felt, and she never wanted to turn Lizzie loose.
"Dad," Lizzie croaked, "a little help here?"
Sam walked over and tapped Jo on the shoulder. "Honey, they need to go
now. Let go of Lizzie."
"I don't want to." Jo whimpered and held on tighter.
"Come on Honey. Let go." Sam reached out and took Jo's hand unlocking
it from the death grip she had on her only daughter.
Looking at her mother's tear streaked face, Lizzie's heart melted.
"Mom, I will see you on Sunday. Everything will be fine. I promise. I
love you." She quickly kissed her mom's cheek and turned to go.
"Lizzie," Jo called.
Lizzie stopped at her mom's call, but her dad spoke up. "Go on honey.
Enjoy your trip." Never looking back, Lizzie left with Gordo and
Miranda as her mom cried.
"Wow, your mom is really freaked." Miranda commented. "I have never
seen her like this."
"Me either." Said Gordo, "I mean, she missed you while you were in
Rome, but it was nothing like this."
Lizzie chanced a quick glance back at her mom and saw her clutching
her father in tears. A feeling of dread filled Lizzie. She suddenly
felt that nothing would ever be the same. Maybe that was the same
feeling her mom had. The fear of loosing her only daughter. Signing
deeply, she let that sink into her thoughts. "When I get back," she
thought, " I will make sure that she understands I will never leave
her."
Gordo looked at Lizzie. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah." mustering up her courage, she said. "Let's go. The mountains
await."
"Alright" cried Miranda.
**
The flight was uneventful, and Lizzie was glad when they touched down
in Nevada. After several minutes waiting in the car rental line,
Gordo, Miranda, and Lizzie were on their way. "You know," Gordo said,
"We are not due at the ranger station in Great Basin National Park
until tomorrow. Instead of getting a hotel, why don't we just camp out
tonight in the wilderness. We will hike back into one of the canyons
and then leave in the morning."
"What a great idea." Miranda said.
Lizzie on the other hand was not convinced. "I don't know guys. That
doesn't sound safe. Maybe we should just stick with the plan."
"Oh come on Lizzie. Live a little." Miranda ragged.
"Yeah," said Gordo, "It's not like you have to worry that you're going
against your Mom and Dad. They know you're here."
"Gordo," Lizzie said, "That is not what this is about. What if
something happens? No one will know where we are."
"Lizzie, nothing is going to happen." Said Miranda. "You are letting
your mom freak you out, and she is not even here. Chill out and
enjoy."
Lizzie sat quietly and watched the beautiful landscape roll by. She
knew Gordo and Miranda were right. Nodding she said, "Okay, lets do
it!"
After driving for what seemed like an eternity, Gordo stopped their
SUV. They never noticed the back tire going flat.
They were about half a mile from one of the canyons, and would have to
hike a few miles into the canyon itself before they could find a
suitable place to set up camp. They walked right past a sign that had
been knocked over warning of blasting in the area, and hikers should
stay out of the canyon due to possible rockslides. No one saw the
warning of the danger that lay ahead.
The pass in the beginning was very narrow, but as they proceeded it
became wider. "Goodness," Lizzie breathed, "This is beautiful."
"It just takes my breath away." Replied Miranda.
Gordo walked alone with his camera in hand. He thought he should
document everything. "This is going to be a great travel piece."
"Gordo, could you quit playing with your camera long enough to just
look at this place?" Lizzie asked.
Looking above his camera, his breath caught in his throat. Lizzie was
standing against the face of the cliff wall. The red rocks surrounded
her and her golden hair shown in the sunlight. She was so beautiful;
she took his breath away.
Becoming a little uneasy with the way that Gordo was looking at her,
she said, "Uh, Gordo are you okay?"
"Huh, Oh," he cleared his throat, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Why do you
ask?"
"Maybe because your tongue was practically on the ground." Miranda
spat.
Crimson red with embarrassment, Gordo retorted, "Shut up Miranda. I
was just taken aback by the beauty of, of, well of the canyon wall.
Yeah that's it."
"Okay, yeah the wall."
"Miranda," Lizzie said changing the subject, "I think we should go
shopping once we get back. I know of this fabulous new place in the
mall."
"Go ahead Lizzie, change the subject. Everyone knows how you two feel
about each other, but you. What is it going to take to get you both to
admit how you feel? An act of God, or a disaster?"
"Miranda?" Lizzie shouted.
"It's okay Lizzie. Miranda has had my number for a long time now. But,
since it is getting late, maybe we should go find where we are going
to camp tonight. This can wait until we get back home. Right Miranda?"
Gordo asked with frustration evident in his voice.
Miranda knew that she had overstepped her place. She looked down at
rocky path "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."
"Its okay Miranda." Said Lizzie, "Don't sweat it. Come on, we need to
get moving. It's getting a little dark!"
Gordo and Lizzie took the lead. Miranda looked down and noticed her
boots were untied. "Hey you guys go ahead. I'll catch up in a minute.
I need to tie my shoes."
"Okay." They replied.
Gordo took the lead. He wanted to be there to protect Lizzie if she
needed help. Lizzie looked at her best friend's back. She had always
had strong feelings for him, but the timing was never right. When was
the timing ever right? Truth was she was afraid that if they got
together, it would mess up the best friendship in the world. She never
wanted to loose Gordo.
Miranda had just started toward Gordo and Lizzie when there was a loud
blast. The whole canyon began to shake. Gordo looked up at the canyon
walls. Miranda screamed their names. Lizzie stood frozen in place.
Suddenly, Gordo screamed, "Lizzie move!"
Lizzie took an awkward step back and lost her balance. Landing on her
back, she screamed as rocks began sliding toward her. At first, small
rocks crashed against her skin leaving scraps and contusions behind,
then a larger, heavier, rock slammed into her midsection, crushing
bone, rupturing organs, and breaking ribs. Mercifully, she did not
feel the agony for long as another hit her in the head knocking her
unconscious.
Graduation went off without a hitch. Lizzie's speech was well
received, and she even got a standing ovation. She smiled as she
walked across the stage to accept her diploma and marveled at how much
she had grown since her trip to Rome. No longer the clumsy, awkward,
young lady, she had found something in Rome that she was not even
aware she didn't possess, but her mom knew - confidence.
After the final declaration, the throwing of the hats in the air,
hugs, and promises to stay in touch, it was over. Lizzie was with her
mom and dad taking the proverbial graduation pictures when Miranda and
Gordo walked up. "Hey guys." Jo said. "I guess you want me to let go
of my baby, so you can take her off to some godforsaken back country
to camp?"
"Well," Gordo began.
"Mom," Lizzie interrupted, " It's only a week. I will be back before
you know it. Everything will be fine."
Jo looked at her daughter and smiled. Again she reached out and
brushed away a stray piece of hair from Lizzie's face. Then, in a move
no one expected; Jo grabbed her and pulled her into a bear hug. Jo
couldn't help how she felt, and she never wanted to turn Lizzie loose.
"Dad," Lizzie croaked, "a little help here?"
Sam walked over and tapped Jo on the shoulder. "Honey, they need to go
now. Let go of Lizzie."
"I don't want to." Jo whimpered and held on tighter.
"Come on Honey. Let go." Sam reached out and took Jo's hand unlocking
it from the death grip she had on her only daughter.
Looking at her mother's tear streaked face, Lizzie's heart melted.
"Mom, I will see you on Sunday. Everything will be fine. I promise. I
love you." She quickly kissed her mom's cheek and turned to go.
"Lizzie," Jo called.
Lizzie stopped at her mom's call, but her dad spoke up. "Go on honey.
Enjoy your trip." Never looking back, Lizzie left with Gordo and
Miranda as her mom cried.
"Wow, your mom is really freaked." Miranda commented. "I have never
seen her like this."
"Me either." Said Gordo, "I mean, she missed you while you were in
Rome, but it was nothing like this."
Lizzie chanced a quick glance back at her mom and saw her clutching
her father in tears. A feeling of dread filled Lizzie. She suddenly
felt that nothing would ever be the same. Maybe that was the same
feeling her mom had. The fear of loosing her only daughter. Signing
deeply, she let that sink into her thoughts. "When I get back," she
thought, " I will make sure that she understands I will never leave
her."
Gordo looked at Lizzie. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah." mustering up her courage, she said. "Let's go. The mountains
await."
"Alright" cried Miranda.
**
The flight was uneventful, and Lizzie was glad when they touched down
in Nevada. After several minutes waiting in the car rental line,
Gordo, Miranda, and Lizzie were on their way. "You know," Gordo said,
"We are not due at the ranger station in Great Basin National Park
until tomorrow. Instead of getting a hotel, why don't we just camp out
tonight in the wilderness. We will hike back into one of the canyons
and then leave in the morning."
"What a great idea." Miranda said.
Lizzie on the other hand was not convinced. "I don't know guys. That
doesn't sound safe. Maybe we should just stick with the plan."
"Oh come on Lizzie. Live a little." Miranda ragged.
"Yeah," said Gordo, "It's not like you have to worry that you're going
against your Mom and Dad. They know you're here."
"Gordo," Lizzie said, "That is not what this is about. What if
something happens? No one will know where we are."
"Lizzie, nothing is going to happen." Said Miranda. "You are letting
your mom freak you out, and she is not even here. Chill out and
enjoy."
Lizzie sat quietly and watched the beautiful landscape roll by. She
knew Gordo and Miranda were right. Nodding she said, "Okay, lets do
it!"
After driving for what seemed like an eternity, Gordo stopped their
SUV. They never noticed the back tire going flat.
They were about half a mile from one of the canyons, and would have to
hike a few miles into the canyon itself before they could find a
suitable place to set up camp. They walked right past a sign that had
been knocked over warning of blasting in the area, and hikers should
stay out of the canyon due to possible rockslides. No one saw the
warning of the danger that lay ahead.
The pass in the beginning was very narrow, but as they proceeded it
became wider. "Goodness," Lizzie breathed, "This is beautiful."
"It just takes my breath away." Replied Miranda.
Gordo walked alone with his camera in hand. He thought he should
document everything. "This is going to be a great travel piece."
"Gordo, could you quit playing with your camera long enough to just
look at this place?" Lizzie asked.
Looking above his camera, his breath caught in his throat. Lizzie was
standing against the face of the cliff wall. The red rocks surrounded
her and her golden hair shown in the sunlight. She was so beautiful;
she took his breath away.
Becoming a little uneasy with the way that Gordo was looking at her,
she said, "Uh, Gordo are you okay?"
"Huh, Oh," he cleared his throat, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Why do you
ask?"
"Maybe because your tongue was practically on the ground." Miranda
spat.
Crimson red with embarrassment, Gordo retorted, "Shut up Miranda. I
was just taken aback by the beauty of, of, well of the canyon wall.
Yeah that's it."
"Okay, yeah the wall."
"Miranda," Lizzie said changing the subject, "I think we should go
shopping once we get back. I know of this fabulous new place in the
mall."
"Go ahead Lizzie, change the subject. Everyone knows how you two feel
about each other, but you. What is it going to take to get you both to
admit how you feel? An act of God, or a disaster?"
"Miranda?" Lizzie shouted.
"It's okay Lizzie. Miranda has had my number for a long time now. But,
since it is getting late, maybe we should go find where we are going
to camp tonight. This can wait until we get back home. Right Miranda?"
Gordo asked with frustration evident in his voice.
Miranda knew that she had overstepped her place. She looked down at
rocky path "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."
"Its okay Miranda." Said Lizzie, "Don't sweat it. Come on, we need to
get moving. It's getting a little dark!"
Gordo and Lizzie took the lead. Miranda looked down and noticed her
boots were untied. "Hey you guys go ahead. I'll catch up in a minute.
I need to tie my shoes."
"Okay." They replied.
Gordo took the lead. He wanted to be there to protect Lizzie if she
needed help. Lizzie looked at her best friend's back. She had always
had strong feelings for him, but the timing was never right. When was
the timing ever right? Truth was she was afraid that if they got
together, it would mess up the best friendship in the world. She never
wanted to loose Gordo.
Miranda had just started toward Gordo and Lizzie when there was a loud
blast. The whole canyon began to shake. Gordo looked up at the canyon
walls. Miranda screamed their names. Lizzie stood frozen in place.
Suddenly, Gordo screamed, "Lizzie move!"
Lizzie took an awkward step back and lost her balance. Landing on her
back, she screamed as rocks began sliding toward her. At first, small
rocks crashed against her skin leaving scraps and contusions behind,
then a larger, heavier, rock slammed into her midsection, crushing
bone, rupturing organs, and breaking ribs. Mercifully, she did not
feel the agony for long as another hit her in the head knocking her
unconscious.