It has been a year since Nora's last birthday. It has also been a year since the shooting that took her mother. This year no dinner out at a restaurant since that's where tragedy struck, Nora's father suggests climbing a slot canyon to honor both her birthday and her mother's passing.
Nora's parents met while climbing so she learned at an early age. The climb her father's suggests seems like a good way to remember the past. A lot has changed, but listening to her father's "dad jokes" and getting ready to make the descent into the narrow depths of the canyon bring back familiar feelings and memories. Nora is proud of her skill and pleased that she is able to keep focused on climbing instead of the demons that have tormented her throughout the year.
The day's adventure promises to be a wonderful diversion until a roaring tremor changes it all. A flash flood tears the father and daughter apart leaving Nora stranded in its muddy remains. Can she find her father? Can she manage to climb out without a rope? Can she survive the return of the intense desert heat? Will her demons and monsters win after all?
Author Dusti Bowling tells Nora's story in mostly sparse verse, but the images she captures of Nora's struggles with the past and present will have readers breathless as they witness her struggle to survive. This quick read will leave a lasting impression.
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