Page 73 of Starrily

Chapter 17

By mid-afternoon, they reached Death Valley. Callie leaned on the car windowsill and let the wind combat the late spring heat while keeping one eye on Simon. She had to be attentive if he suddenly phased, even though, as he said, he had two arms and two legs, and if one went, he was perfectly capable of controlling the car.

But she was here to take care of him, so she would.

As they headed across the valley, sandy dunes with splatterings of little shrubs turned into a pale, empty flatness. In the distance, mountains rose—bare, white ridges that spread like tentacles into the ground, and beyond them, taller, rugged mountains in all shades of orange, covered with a purple haze.

They stopped for a late lunch at a roadside diner. They could keep going and survive on snacks—Callie’s original plan—but when Simon suggested the break, her stomach rumbled in agreement.

She’d die for a burger and some waffles right now.

It was one of those retro places, straight out of a movie—tiled floor, red leather seats, and flashing signs. A waitress arrived as soon as they slipped into the booth. “Hey, there.” She bent to the seat where Callie had put down Theia in her carrier. “And hello there, little one.”

Theia hissed.

The waitress jerked back.

“It’s all right,” Callie said. “She doesn’t like people.”

“So, like every other cat.” The waitress smiled. “What can I get you? Unfortunately, we’re all out of waffles, thanks to the film crew.”

Simon perked up. “The film crew?”

“They’re shooting down the road. It’s some sci-fi thing. All I know is they’ve got an appetite for waffles.”

They ordered their meal, and after the waitress left, Simon turned to Callie with a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Oh, no,” she said.

“It’s a movie set! We’ve got to go. Maybe they need extras.”

“They won’t let us in.”

“They might if I ask nicely.”

“You can’t always get what you want.”

“No, but …” Simon pulled out his tablet. “I can check an item off the bucket list.”

“You have a bucket list?”

He slid the tablet over. The title was confirmed in cartoonish letters. Below were several items, all sounding rather vague, such as “fly.”

“See over there.” Simon tapped on the screen. “Be a star.”

“Aren’t bucket lists meant for something to accomplish before—” She couldn’t say “the end of your life”—that was an option she didn’t even want to consider at the moment.

From his look, Simon knew what she meant. “Let’s say this one will be for the journey. Regardless of its end.”

She put down the tablet.

“It can be our list if you want to,” he said.

“Is that why you brought a pouch for Theia?”

“We can’t exclude our little fur ball, can we?” Simon leaned down to Theia. The cat observed him calmly. He looked back at Callie, expectantly.

“Fine.” She had little resistance left in her; not because she was exhausted, but because she simply had no desire to resist. What harm could come of visiting a movie set? They’d be turned away at the entrance, anyway.