Secrets of the Anasazi

by Sky Whitehorse

  The family stared from the long table, watching the girls as they made their belated entrance. By the way Aunt Roslyn was glaring at them, Maya knew she was not happy. The food lay untouched. Roy and Lance sat across from Chase and Oriel. Aunt Roslyn had her hair pulled back in a barrette and looked sophisticated with her black suit jacket over a pink blouse and beaded necklace to match. At the head of the table sat a handsome man who must have been the ‘friend’. He was in his mid-thirties and wore khaki shorts and a blue button-up shirt. A brown, suede hat lay by his hand. A teen boy, only a year or two older than Maya and Chantal, sat to the man's right. The way they sat close together suggested they were related. Two empty chairs awaited them.

  The man was surprised to see them. He poured himself a glass of wine while shifting his eyes from them to Aunt Roslyn.

  "Chantal, Maya, this is my friend, ‘Dr.’ William Parker and his nephew James." Aunt Roslyn put an emphasis on the word doctor.

  Maya stifled a giggle. It always reminded her of Doctor Evil from Austin Powers saying, I didn’t get my doctorate in evil medical school so people could call me mister.

  "James will be visiting us for the rest of the summer and William will be staying for..." Aunt Roslyn giggled, "well, hopefully a while."

  Chantal said nothing, although she did take an extra-long look at James. Maya didn't blame her—he was easy on the eyes. His short, sandy brown hair and preppy clothes gave him the appearance of a junior jock. He held his head with confidence—or was it arrogance?

  "Nice to meet you both," Maya said as she sat in one of the empty chairs.

  "You have more children?" Dr. Parker asked Aunt Roslyn. Maya detected an English accent.

  Aunt Roslyn blushed. "Chantal is mine. Maya is my niece."

  Chantal shifted in her chair. It must have been awkward knowing her mother hadn’t mentioned she had children, or at least how many.

  "Now that everyone is here, let’s eat," Grandma said.

  Everyone began to dish food onto their plates.

  "So, what is it you do for a living, Doctor?" Lance asked, without looking his way.

  "I'm an archeologist. I study prehistoric people and their culture by examining their remains. I invited my nephew for the summer so I can assist him with a little work-study. He wants to follow in my footsteps."

  "You know it's illegal to dig up Native American grave sites, don't you? The artifacts they are buried with are taken with the dead into the afterlife where they can use them. It's disrespectful to take their things to put on display in a museum," Lance said.

  Dr. Parker choked on his meat.

  Aunt Roslyn looked stunned. "Lance! How could you possibly pretend to know that’s what William's intentions are?"

  "Calm down, love." Dr. Parker patted Aunt Roslyn on the hand. "I assure you I have no ill intentions."

  Roy looked uncomfortable, the way he was pushing the food around on his plate to avoid eye contact, and Chantal parted her lips, her eyes darting from Lance to her mom.

  "How did you two meet?" Lance countered.

  "Lance!" Aunt Roslyn's eyes flashed as she dropped her fork onto her plate.

  "It's all right, love." Dr. Parker cleared his throat. "We met through an online dating site. When I found out Roz was from Arizona, the place I wanted to go and study, I knew it was destiny. I'd never had the pleasure of seeing the country for myself and staying here is the perfect opportunity." He smiled while gazing into her eyes.

  Lance, who sat next to Maya, knocked his elbow on the edge of his plate, which catapulted it onto his chest. It slid down his shirt and shattered on the floor.

  Aunt Roslyn put her hand over her face. "Not again, Lance!"

  Chantal grinned. "Score!" she whispered, just loudly enough for Maya and Lance to hear.

  The tips of Lance's ears turned bright red. Mashed potatoes and roast duck covered his shirt. He dashed out of the room, the soundproof door closing quietly behind him.

  "Lance, where are you going?" Grandma called after him.

  Dr. Parker looked awestruck. "Probably going to clean up. You have great ears, Oriel. I didn't even hear the door close behind him."

  "When you don't use your eyes, your other senses are heightened.” She pierced her fork into a piece of meat. “Your ears hear every little pin drop and you can smell a smoker from the other side of the room."

  Dr. Parker let out a slight cough. Maya noticed a pack of cigarettes in his breast pocket and couldn't help but chuckle.

  "The seeing lose touch with other important senses,” she continued. “If you focus, you may discover things about people that you were too blind to see with your own two eyes.”

  Dr. Parker shifted in his chair.

  As everyone finished their dinner, Grandma sat at the piano. She began to play a fast-paced melody that captured everyone's attention. When she finished the song, she went straight into the next. Maya had never heard it before, but Grandma played wonderfully. The small audience hung on every note—everyone but Chantal, who scowled in her direction.

  Chantal stormed to Grandma’s side. When she was an arm’s length away, Grandma abruptly stopped playing and swiveled on the bench to face her, her wiry wisps whooshed.

  "This isn't fair!" Chantal yelled, pointing her finger in her face. "I wrote that song and you're taking the credit!" A single tear slid down her face, her lip quivering.

  "I'm sorry, my child. Forgive me. Will you play it for us?"

  "I’m not in the mood," she replied, casting her gaze in Dr. Parker's direction.

  "Don't mind us," Dr. Parker said. His eyebrows turned up and he wiped his face with a napkin.

  Maya felt a bit sorry for him, being the outsider and having to deal with Lance and Chantal.

  "I, for one, would love to hear you play," James said from his seat in a suave, English accent.

  Chantal's face softened at his voice. She straightened her shoulders.

  Maya couldn't help but roll her eyes.

  Grandma stood from the bench and headed back to her seat.

  Chantal looked back at everyone. Seeing that she had their attention, she sat down and positioned her fingers elegantly on the keys. She closed her eyes and a somber expression came over her. She began to play the song Grandma had started. The emotion she had in the movement of her arms, neck, and shoulders was almost as striking as the music itself. She seemed to become one with the melody. Her body filled with energy, as if she were electrified through her fingertips while generating each note with ease.

  ⭐⭐⭐

  The first week had passed before Maya knew it. She was preparing to go climbing with Chantal and her friends.

  Roy knocked on her door and peeked his head inside. "Dad is on the phone and wants to talk to you."

  "Tell him I'm out riding horses or something. I'm busy."

  "Tell him yourself!" he said, furrowing his brow and heading down the hall. A coiled nylon rope hung from a belt around his waist and legs.

  Maya followed Roy into the lobby where Warren was passing out climbing gear to Chantal and her friends.

  Aunt Roslyn waved the receiver above her head at the front desk.

  Maya tried to blend in with the group and ignore her aunt.

  Paris, Mindy, and Kira exchanged glances and rolled their eyes at the sight of Maya.

  "We have one set of climbing gear left," Warren said. He was wearing his red Cardinals cap backwards with a red sleeveless tank top and climbing pants. He smiled, holding the gear out to her. "Maya, it's for you."

  She returned the smile and took the gear.

  On their way out the door, the group stopped to look at a new painting hanging in the lobby—the one Maya had painted of Fearless Legend.

  Maya stopped and stared. She felt her cheeks flush as she gawked at it.

  "It's magnificent," Chantal said, putting her hand on Maya’s shoulder. "This is your work?"

  Maya nodded, gritting her teeth. “I know I should be honored… but she didn’t ask if she could di
splay it.”

  Chantal’s smile fell. She put her arm around her shoulder and whispered. "That's exactly how I felt when she started playing my song last night. Since she can read our minds, she thinks she's entitled to everything."

  Warren stopped behind them, without hearing their conversation, and stared in awe. "That's new."

  Chantal’s friends and Roy were admiring it as well.

  "I painted it for Grandma," Maya said, trying to be as humble as possible.

  Warren took a long, hard look at Maya, as if for the first time. "Wow... That's really something." He rested his hand on her shoulder.

  Paris's upper lip came up in... what was it? Disgust? Anger at the sight of Maya getting attention?

  10. Vertical Challenge: The Extreme Sport

  Warren and Roy stood by the edge of the Grand Canyon facing the group. The distance across the canyon was miles from where they stood overlooking the majestic rocky ledges.

  Warren looked sultry, the way his biceps and chest curved in all the right places. Maya concentrated on his eyes as he began his introduction to his climbing spiel.

  "Let me fill you in on a little history," Warren began. "People have climbed these canyons for ages. The village crier in my father's tribe used to sit at the highest place to keep watch for advancing armies hundreds of years ago."

  Paris was smacking on a wad of gum like a cow chewing on cud, glaring at Warren. Kira and Mindy had vacant expressions that made her wonder if anybody was home. Chantal had heard all this before and Maya was the only one taking real interest, more so because she had an excuse to stare at his muscular physique without being judged, but also because she had a sincere interest in anything Warren had to teach her.

  She and Warren met eyes as he continued. "Here are some terms you'll need to remember for climbing: soloing, clean climbing, holds, and brake. Soloing is when you go climbing alone. Guys, don't climb solo.” He shook his head, looking down at the harness in his hands, then looked back up. His dark eyes captivated Maya. “It isn't smart, especially when you're new. Now, a clean climb is when you find ways to climb without altering the face of the rock. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't-"

  "Look, an eagle," Paris said, tuning Warren out as she pointed to the sky.

  Warren glanced at her, then ran his hand down his face.

  Kira, Mindy, and Chantal turned to look.

  Warren set his feet apart while he waited for their undivided attention. Maya raised her eyebrows apologetically.

  "Ok. A hold is a nook in the rock that you use to clean climb. And the brake, it's important you know how to use it." He demonstrated on his own gear, pulling the lever as the rope ran through the pulley and closing it again to make the rope stop. "So, without further ado, we'll rappel into the canyon by our thirteen-hundred-foot-long ropes. Going down is the easy part. The climb back up... that's the challenge. My dad fastened fixed anchors into the rock several years ago to help us climb out quickly. What would normally take twelve hours is shortened into two. Any questions?"

  They shook their heads.

  "Good. Let's get started. Everyone put on your climbing gear." He walked over to Maya, making her heart quicken.

  "I'll show you how to put on your harness since it’s your first time." He held out the straps as she stepped through the leg holes and he started to clip and fasten. He gave a good tug, pulling her towards him, her hands landed against his chest. The straps pulled tight to the inside of each of her thighs. The surprise of touching him gave her a jolt that rocked her core. She arched her back, leaning into him. Their eyes met for a moment and they paused as he snapped the clasp behind her. He had a fresh, clean shower smell that made her even more crazy.

  Maya let out a breath she had been holding in.

  Paris glared at the pair of them, clasping her hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "How’s mine?" she asked, pulling on the part around her waist. Warren turned to her and pulled it. She ran her hands over his shoulders, leaning into him. Maya’s face pinched together as she watched him stiffen. He pulled away from her and went to check Mindy’s harness.

  Maya glanced over at Roy who was saying something to Chantal. He hadn’t seen Paris flirting with Warren. Maya sulked. She wasn’t sure what Paris was up to. Did she want to play them both? Or was she just trying to get under Maya’s skin?

  Warren secured the end of his rope and stood by the edge of the canyon. "Watch and learn." He held his rope taut from the ground to his hand, leaned back slowly, and disappeared over the cliff.

  Everyone gathered at the edge to gape at his wild leap. Warren up-righted himself, slid down the nylon rope, and kicked off the side of the rock wall, rappelling himself faster with each bound. Maya stepped back, wondering if she would have what it took to make the initial jump.

  Roy fearlessly leapt down after him.

  Chantal used care as she kicked off. Obviously, she had done this plenty of times.

  Maya could see a small stream rolling by at the bottom of the rocky walls. Looking down made her dizzy. She stepped back, questioning herself.

  "I dare you to go next, Maya." Paris's voice had an antagonizing ring to it, but fear flickered in her eyes.

  Determined to prove herself, Maya looked over the edge once more. She grasped the rope around her waist and turned backward. She closed her eyes tight and felt a sense of comfort. One step back and she would be free-falling.

  "Don't think twice!" Chantal yelled from below.

  Maya opened her eyes and saw her far down into the canyon. She was right, she should just do it and get it over with.

  She leaned backward and kicked off. The nylon rope pulled her back to the rocky exterior, jerking her as the brake caught. She kicked away from the wall. Down she rappelled, picking up speed and filling with adrenaline. A rush shot to her head. Her stomach flipped as she laughed at the incredible sensation. "Wahoo!" Below her, she heard three more “wahoos” from Roy, Warren, and Chantal.

  “I'm invincible!” she shouted, her feet jarred against the rough exterior as she kicked off once again, swinging out. The nylon rope slid through her sweaty palms.

  Mindy and Kira jumped together as Paris peered over the edge.

  Maya watched them jolt away as they kicked off. Grains of sand loosened under her shoes. If her mother were well enough to see her and her brother, she would surely strangle them for doing something so dangerous.

  As Maya propelled closer she could see that what she had thought was a small stream was really a large, raging river. She heard rushing water echoing off the canyon walls. Her hands were sore from holding the rope tightly. It had taken half an hour to reach the bottom.

  Warren, Roy, and Chantal were at the bottom waiting for everyone to arrive.

  Maya pulled the brake as she neared the ground, beaming. She did a fist pump. "Woo! That was amazing!"

  "Exhilarating, I know, for us thrill seekers," Warren agreed as he helped her loosen her harness. His hands grasped the ropes around her hips, and her face brushed against his chest, making her long to be in his arms, but it was over before she knew it as she stepped out of the harness.