Open Windows

The legend in the badly printed Chaco Canyon brochure said that if you climbed through all of the parallel window openings I was looking at, scattering the angel's trumpet flowers as you went in and rabbitbush blossoms as you hopped back out, you would be transported to another world. It was a tempting way to waste a few hours while the parentals oohed and aahed over these old Pueblo ruins.

I had a problem, though. I didn't know what anything was out here. City girl, duh. And there was no cell service, so I couldn't even look it up.

I sighed. This whole trip was stupid.

It was a bonding trip for Mom and Dad as part of their marriage counseling. Bonding for the whole family, though that wasn't really happening. It was like each of them had suddenly developed ADHD. They jumped from trying to like each other to doting on me or Mikey. Mikey recognized it even before I did, but then, he's the one with ADHD. There's no telling where he'd wandered off to. He was off his meds. In my defense, Mom said she'd keep an eye out for him so I could enjoy the place.

When I turned away from the windows, I saw Mikey. He was chattering to some high school guy. I should go and rescue him from my brother, or he might be trapped for an hour. Besides, he was cute in a rugged sort of way, worn jeans, a dark red shirt unbuttoned over an anime t-shirt, and hiking boots. But it was his face that drew me. He looked vaguely familiar, but I had no idea where. Probably just one of those familiar faces. Heavily tanned, or maybe he was an Indian. He had high cheekbones. Mikey was chatting a mile a minute while the guy smiled and said the occasional word or two.

"I hope he's not bothering you," I said when I got close. Mikey looked at me and scowled.

The other guy laughed. "He's great. He has a hundred questions, and I can at least answer a few. I'm Angel, by the way." He smiled.

Of course you are, I thought. It was a nice smile and a great laugh. Maybe this trip wouldn't suck too badly.

"I'm Bonita."

"Beautiful," he said, not taking his eyes from me. "And of course, you already know that you're at Pueblo Bonito, which even when it wasn't ruins couldn't have been as beautiful as you."

I could feel my face heating up when Mikey started up again. "What's Angel's Trumpet? It's not your trumpet, is it?" I saw he had the same ratty brochure I did.

Angel laughed. "Oh no. And be careful with that. It's also called datura, and all parts of the plant are poisonous. You really shouldn't touch it."

"And rabbitbush?"

"That's different. You see those yellow flowers way over there? That's rabbitbush. There might even be a rabbit hiding under it."

Mikey turned, spied the group of yellow-flowered bushes over a football field away, and dashed away in the way a hyper thirteen-year-old runs. As we watched him go, Angel said, "There are more of them much closer, if you're interested. The datura's nearby, too, and it's still early enough the blooms probably haven't wilted."

"Sure," I replied, and we rounded a bend where we'd be out of sight before Mikey knew any different.

A couple of dozen steps, and we were at a swath of yellow-flowered bushes, a jackrabbit hopping away.

"What is this all about?" he asked.

"Some stupid legend on this brochure," I replied. "Throw angel's trumpet petals as you climb through that line of parallel windows to the center. I guess it's the center of something...the pueblo, maybe?" I shrugged. "Then scatter the rabbitbush petals on the way back out. It says it'll send you somewhere else."

He laughed. "And you're bored enough to try it?"

"As long as I don't get in trouble with the park rangers. I don't need lectures from the parentals."

"I understand that. Does it have to be at noon or under a full moon or anything like that?"

"It says nothing."

"That keeps it simple."

I liked his easy smile. I guess he was having fun with this, too.

I looked around. "So where's the datura angel's trumpet flower thingies, anyway?"

"Let's get these first, then I'll show you."

We picked a couple of handfuls of the flowers. I'm sure we were breaking federal laws or something, but I didn't care.

Further back were the plants with the long white trumpet-shaped flowers. "You said these were poisonous?"

"They can be, and hallucinogenic." He gave another smile. "You'll be safe so long as you don't lick your hands. Even if you do, you're probably safe, but to be on the safe side...." He let his growing grin finish that.

A few minutes later, we were back at the windows. I already had the yellow flowers, and he handed me the white ones.

"I'll be waiting here for you when you get back, unless you really do go off into the multiverse like Spiderman."

I laughed. "Help me through the first one," I said, and he lifted me by the waist as I slid my legs over the opening and landed on the other side. I shook my fist of white blossoms at him, but he shrugged, so I dropped about a quarter of them, then climbed through the next and the next, leaving more angel's trumpet flowers behind, dropping the last into the last room. He grinned as he watched me through the multiple openings.

I wasn't sure, but dropped a few yellow flowers here before starting my way back, leaving more behind as I went.

Angel helped me back out, but no, his name was Hinto, and he looked fine in his beaded vest, loincloth, and leggings.

"About time you got back," he said with a smile. "I was afraid you were going to miss our wedding."