Across The Desert

This chapter, like several in the novel, begins with a text conversation between Addie and Jolene on Blipstream’s direct message feature. The timestamp is “30 Days Ago” (17). Addie and Jolene introduce themselves to one another; Addie says her father taught her to fly.

The chapter returns to the real-time narrative with the heading “Now.” Addie’s phone is pointed to the sky, but Jolene can hear her faint voice calling for help. Jolene yells aloud that Addie should get the phone. A librarian asks Jolene why she is upset; when Jolene says she just saw “something horrible,” the librarian assumes it was inappropriate and closes the session. Jolene frantically tries to connect again to the livestream, but her shaky fingers cannot input her ID. The librarian shuts down the computer because Jo is so upset, causing Jo more panic. Jo runs out when the librarian demands to know where her parents are.

Jolene finds a fire station, but the man on desk duty cannot understand how Jolene knows an accident happened. When she tries to show him the livestream on his computer, the screen is black. He wants a phone number to reach Jolene’s parents, but Jolene fears authorities will come to her house and see her mother’s inability to function. She gives a fake number, asks for water, and sneaks out when the man leaves the room.

This chapter begins with Addie and Jo’s direct messages from “26 Days Ago” (29). Addie and Jolene discuss their interests; Addie’s are math and science, while Jolene mentions travel books and drawing maps.

Back in the real-time narrative, Jolene runs home and wakes her mother. Despite Jo’s attempts to explain, her mother is angry that Jo met a stranger online: “No more library, no more online videos” (34). She takes two pills and goes back to sleep. Jo feels trapped: She cannot risk calling for help, since local authorities might come to their apartment and see the lack of food, its unkempt state, and her mother’s daytime sleeping.

Jo cannot think of anyone who can help her; Aunt Mallory is too far away, “not that [Jo] would ever, ever trust her again” (37). Jo uses her map to determine the location of the county Addie crashed in, La Paz, and calls the sheriff’s office there on her mother’s cell. She claims to be Eva Dickson, age 65, calling from Alamo Lake, where she witnessed the crash. The man is suspicious of “Eva’s” real age but says he will call back after checking with the rangers of Alamo Lake State Park. Jo’s mother wanders into the room, takes her phone, and returns to bed.

Jo takes the phone again once her mother is asleep. A message from the sheriff’s office says no planes in the area that filed a flight plan are missing. He specifies that a parent should call back with any questions. Out of options, Jo decides to go to Alamo Lake herself to find Addie. She packs water in an empty milk jug, some bread, a tin of sardines, and crackers in her backpack with her map. She takes her mother’s cell phone, charger, and credit card. She leaves a note of explanation and apologies for her mother: “I shouldn’t be gone very long—not even a whole day” (45). She also mentions in the note how her mother seems to have become someone who does not care about her.

This chapter begins with direct messages from “23 Days Ago” (47). Addie tells Jo she cannot do a show that day because she will be on a “girls’ day out” with her mother.

In the real-time narrative, Jo takes the city bus to the Greyhound bus station, using her mother’s phone, name, and credit card to buy a ticket to Quartzsite. From that station, she will have to find transportation to Wenden, a town on the way to Alamo Lake. Waiting for the bus at Greyhound, Jo meets Marty, a 17-year-old girl who dropped her phone in the toilet. With suspicion, Jo lets Marty borrow her mother’s cell phone. Marty is on her way to Quartzsite to help care for her grandfather. She offers to board with Jo so that Jo raises no suspicions as an unaccompanied minor. Marty asks many questions about Jo’s trip, but Jo evades the truth, saying only that she is going to help someone too. Inside, she is nervous, as Marty’s questions reveal how unprepared she is for her quest.

Once on the bus, Marty’s questions continue; eventually, Jo tells her the truth about seeing Addie’s plane go down. She claims her mother gave her permission to help Addie and that she (her mother) is busy tending to a friend who takes too much oxycodone. Marty upsets Jo by talking bluntly about the dangers of oxycodone addiction. Jo reveals she needs to get to Alamo Lake and find the Flipside Café. From the café, Jo thinks a desert hike of about three miles will bring her to Addie. Marty explains there are no taxis or other public transit from Quartzsite to Alamo Lake—an 80-mile trip. Marty also questions Jo about her last meal and her old shoes. Concerned, Marty decides Jo should come to her grandfather’s so they can find a more logical solution than Jo trying to get to Alamo Lake alone.

This chapter begins with direct messages from “20 Days Ago” (76). Addie reveals her father died in a car accident six months before; Jo tells Addie about the car accident with her mother but does not mention that her mother still takes oxycodone.

Marty and Jo walk to Marty’s grandfather’s mobile home. Jo asks if Marty’s grandfather can drive her to Alamo Lake, but Marty indicates he is too old; Marty has only a learner’s permit. Marty calls the police near Alamo Lake. She explains that a girl named Addie was livestreaming a flight video and may have crashed. The officer claims someone will check the area in the morning. Jo thinks a flyover might be best, but Marty thinks they will not authorize that without evidence. Jo tries to get an Uber, but there are none in the area. She claims she will walk, but Marty points out the distance and heat. Jo agrees to eat and spend the night there, but vows to herself to leave once Marty falls asleep.