Claudia Parker, renowned archaeologist smiles as she watches her granddaughter Liz play contently by herself. Claudia’s son Jeffery, Liz’s father never mastered the art of playing by one’s self: He had to be entertained.

“Grandma look, I’m playing “Patty Cake” with the wall,” as she continues her game.

“Honey Bear, that’s pretty creative of you. Now keep your hat on, okay.” Claudia covers her eyes with her hand to shield away the noonday sun satisfied that Liz will be safe under the cliff hanging.

Claudia, looking up and around the ruins of cliff dwellings, is in awe of the architectural achievements of the Ancestral Pueblo people. She never tires of coming here and is especially happy to be able to share it with the apple of her eye, her granddaughter Liz.

Liz seems fascinated with all the Rock Art especially the animals and handprint petroglyphs. Most visitors to the canyons can’t resist pressing their hand to one of the thousands of these painted or embodied handprints but Liz has taken irresistible impulse to a new level with her game.

Claudia checks her watch again verifying the time substantiating that her assistant, John is late. John Nez is Native American and grew up in the area and is currently working on his graduate thesis about the Anasazi, his ancestors.

“Liz, stay there where it’s cool honey, I’ll be right over here taking some more pictures.

“Okay, Grandma,” as she waves and continues her game.

Liz has been making her way down a line of handprints embodied on the cliff wall pressing her hand to each, as she makes up songs about strange animals and other symbols so prevalent to this particular canyon.

Out of the corner of her eye Liz spots another handprint a little away from where she has been playing. This handprint is different than the others for it appears to be glowing.

She looks around for her grandmother but when she doesn’t see her ventures over to get a better look. There are other symbols, a star, a half moon and the slivery glowing handprint. The pull to touch her hand to this particular handprint is overwhelming and she has no control of her legs as they carry her closer to this powerful force that beacons.

Mesmerized and enchanted by the euphoric feeling, fear is replaced with the need to see this through to fruition. She touches her small hand to that of the handprint on the wall and it’s a perfect fit.

The tingling starts at her fingertips and works it way up her arm and through her body before lingering in the pit of her stomach. A noise to the left of her draws her attention away from any body discomfort to the magical door, which appears to slide away from the mountainside to create a cave entrance.

Still entranced by the magic of it all Liz enters the cave.

Claudia is putting her gear away in the Range Rover that the University makes available to her when she’s in the area when she looks up to see no Liz.

Claudia rushes over to the area where Liz has been playing only to find the little girl missing, the straw hat that she had been wearing blowing across the desert sands.

“Liz,” she yells looking around the canyon for any sight of the child.