1. Laura Steele
Writing Sample
The Rescue (Writing Sample)
Danny didn’t understand what it meant for him and his parents to still be in the Grand
Canyon when the sun had nearly finished setting. He even protested when his father
removed the giant Burton hiking jacket he had on and wrapped him in it. It went all the
way down past his boney seven-year-old knees. When the air went from a gentle cool
breeze to a piercing cold just minutes later, he bit his tongue, not wanting to admit he had
been wrong to complain. His father stood racking his brain, looking in every direction
and thinking out loud, while his mother was biting her nails like she couldn’t stand to
have them attached to her fingers a moment longer.
“At this point maybe we should just pick a direction and go, Lowell.” Her words were
brave but coated with hesitation. “I’m sure we can’t be that far from the car. We only
hiked in for maybe 5 minutes; a quarter of a mile at the most.”
Lowell pointed to the camera. “Evelyn, maybe we can retrace our steps! The pictures
might give us clues!”
Evelyn dropped her hand from her mouth and brightened slightly. “Okay. Okay let’s
see what we’ve got.”
Evelyn and Lowell huddled around the fancy camera, staring down into it and then up
and around. They did this several more times, looking around frantically. Everything
looked the same. Every rock, every twiggy bush dusted with snow looked just like the
others. Bulky trees blocked their views both left and right. Evelyn took a deep breath and
walked away from the camera as Lowell continued to stare at it fixedly. She knelt down
in front of Danny who had been puzzled as he watched his parents fumble for a hint as to

2. what to do. She looked him in the eyes, stroked his long, wavy, dark hair and said,
“Whatever you do Danny, do not let go of my hand. You stay right by me until we get to
the car. Understand?” Danny nodded, beginning to sense the thick tension.
“Are we lost, mommy?” His heavy lisp practically echoed in the canyon. Evelyn
forced a smile and kissed him on the forehead.