“This stinks. I was freezing cold slogging through the canyon. And now I’m burning up in this heat,” Katy complained as she dabbed at her forehead.

“Would you like some cheese and crackers to go along with your whine?” Jacob asked his sister while he serenaded her with an imaginary violin.

“Shut-up, Creep! You’re too dumb to realize you’re miserable,” Katy fired back.

“Guys, that’s enough. Try your best to be civil with each other. One day you’ll both look back on this trip and marvel at what you’ve accomplished,” John Larson said. He turned to Sara. “I’m sorry you’ve had to listen to them argue for the last three days, Sara. I thought going on an adventure like this might bring us all closer together as a family.”

“It’s been great, Dad. I love the slot canyons. But I still want to rappel. And I still want to find some quicksand,” Jacob said.

Katy rolled her eyes. “I wish you would find some quicksand, too.”

Sara grinned. “The quicksand was there, Jacob. I just took you around it. Sorry.”

“Me, too,” Katy echoed.

“I also apologize for making you guys take the exit route out of the canyon during the heat of the day. I usually wait until the evening to make the trek. But there’s a thunderstorm coming in and I didn’t want us to get caught in the canyon. Flash floods in slot canyons are very dangerous. Two scout troop leaders drowned in Kolob Canyon several years back. Some of their gear is still there.”

“No need to apologize, Sara. I’m glad you’re taking such good care of us. We want to be able to come back to Zion for more adventures. Don’t we, kids?”

Katy frowned. “Are you serious, Dad? We’re going to vacation here again?”

“There’s a lot we haven’t seen yet, Katy. We could hike the Zion Narrows. It’s ranked as one of top 100 hikes in the world.”

“Can’t we just be a normal family and vacation at Disney World?”

“Disney World is lame,” Jacob piped up. “It’s for wimps like you, Katy.”

“That’s okay. Disney World doesn’t allow cave boys like you in the park. You have to have an IQ higher than 20 to get in.”

“What do you guys plan to do with the rest of your time here?” Sara asked, hoping to diffuse the sibling tension building to a molten level.

John Larson looked at his wife. “We thought we’d rest up tomorrow. And then hike up Angels Landing sometime before we head home.”

Sara nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. You won’t need me for Angels Landing. Just follow the herd of people up the well-worn trail. You’ll enjoy it. The view at the top is heavenly.”

“Do angels really land there?” Jacob asked. Sara thrust her arms through the straps of her backpack. “I’ve never seen any angels there. But who knows, Jacob, maybe you will.” She took another swig of water from her insulated thermos. “Come on, guys, let’s push ahead while the sun is still behind the clouds.”

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