7 Behemoth
Pari Malik refolds her scarf and wraps it firmly around her neck, up to her chin, before tucking it into her jean jacket. There is an unseasonable nip in the autumn air—a chill in the dry desert drafts spurting through the valley floor—representing a swing of almost thirty degrees Fahrenheit since her adventure in Red Rock Canyon just a few days earlier.
Roman Antonius's geniality evaporates half way up their journey from the parking to the gorge of of the mountain range. His pace accelerates and he steals glances over his shoulder. On a parallel ledge, opposite the arroyo, a male hiker wearing a green knit cap is heading toward the gorge too.
"What is it, Roman?" Pari asks, trying to keep up with his longer strides.
"I don't know yet," he says. "The parking area was com
