Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 "Michael!!!" Whenever Michael heard his name yelled, he knew he was in trouble. And he heard his name yelled a lot. According to his little sister, Jane, Michael was the most used word in the English language. But this time Michael didn't mind hearing it. Being in trouble was nothing compared to being lost in a cave.

"Dad!" Michael ran to hug his father. "I am so happy to see you!" "What were you doing?! What were you thinking!?! Why were you—?" Michael's dad stammered. "You can't just wander into a strange cave by yourself!" "We were exploring!" Michael said pathetically. "Besides, Justin was with me..." "It's also a strange cave for Justin!" his dad yelled. "I know, I know. I'm sorry," Michael said. "I'm sorry too, Dr. Gomez," said Justin. "If I lost you two on our next-to-last day here, I would be in big trouble with your mothers. Both of you are grounded until we ship out in the morning. Go to your tent!" Michael's dad ordered.

Usually when kids are grounded, they are sent to their rooms (in a house), so this may require further explanation. You see, Michael's dad was a college professor studying people who had lived in the Middle East thousands of years ago. He was working in an area close to where many of the stories from the Bible took place— from Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land to David hiding from King Saul; from Elijah going up into heaven in a chariot of fire to John baptizing Jesus. Dr. Gomez thought coming along on the trip would be a good learning experience for his son. Michael, who was always up for an adventure, liked the idea, but he wasn't crazy about spending an entire summer away from his best friend, so he convinced his dad to invite Justin, too. For two months Michael and Justin shared a tent in the desert beside the Dead Sea in Israel. If you're wondering why it's named the Dead Sea, the answer is very simple: the water is so salty, fish can't survive in it. Have you ever tasted ocean water? The Dead Sea is ten times saltier! Not only that, but the Dead Sea is smack-dab in the middle of a desert, so the land around it is hot, dry, and dusty. Very few plants or animals can survive in the harsh environment. But the land is still beautiful and, most importantly, fun for a couple of 10-year-olds. When they weren't busy helping

to lug broken pieces of old pottery around, they spent their time capturing scorpions in pickle jars, rolling down sand dunes, and, of course, exploring. "Michael, I've told you before to never go into a cave without an experienced guide." Dr. Gomez leaned down and got eye to eye with his son. "I love that you love to explore, but it's important that you listen to me. It's for your own good, because I want what's best for you. Understand?" "I understand," Michael said as they returned to camp.