Cadillac Desert Novels & Stories

Carlo says coming to a stop at a red light. I pull out my phone and call Valentino. “What” he asks after the second ring. “What’s with the rat race through the fucking city” “Proaction” he says as if that single word says more. “It’s there a plan or are we just gonna drive around twiddling our fucking thumbs” I ask, wanting a clearer answer. “When we arrive keep your eyes on the east” he hangs up after that, leaving me almost just as confused as I’d been about the fucking maze running we just did as if laying pipe work for the damn city.

He just stared at Drew. “It’s your first trip to LA, figured you would need something to take pictures with. Especially since you broke your other one.” Drew stopped talking, he was choking up just like he did the day Caleb left for med school. “There is a 128-gig memory card in there too. Make sure you get some pictures to show the rest of us.” Caleb stood and gave his cousin a hug.

Mhir muttered and looked at Kulv who was just silent. “Kulv?” Laggas called as he walked towards Kulv. “What the hell is going on with you?” he asked with a frown on his face. “’Dream Lake’?” Skye muttered after he heard what Hierro whispered to him. “’Dream Lake’? What is that?” Mahi asked. “It is a lake underneath the Mirror Lake.” Loheiruchel spoke. “There is another lake beneath this one?” Laggas was surprised as he looked at the Mirror Lake.

The desert was a vast, shimmering expanse of dunes that seemed to stretch into eternity, a stark, golden antithesis to the granite and frost of the North. Our caravan, stripped down to a swift-moving cadre of scouts and diplomatic envoys, cut a solitary path through the heat. Silas rode at my side, his eyes scanning the horizon with the relentless, predatory patience of a wolf stalking a desert cat.

“Why do you look so pale? You should go home and rest.” Cherry immediately pouted. “Come on, baby, I’m scared. It’ll be easier if there are more people. Let Ana stay just for this one game.” Evan hesitated, then looked at me. “Can you hold on a little longer? I’ll drive you back after this.” I held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. My body was barely holding on. The haunted house’s freezing drafts did not help. I swayed and reached for Evan’s arm, just looking for something to steady myself.

And far beyond that, like a mirage of heaven, the Citadel gleamed against the sky, daring him to dream. The quarry was already alive with noise by the time Tunde arrived, picks clanging against rock, engines sputtering, and the occasional crackle of static from the Citadel drones overhead. People moved like ants below the pit walls, heads bowed, backs bent, chasing the shimmer of Adrium in the dirt like it was salvation.

He couldn't even get that right. The only good thing right now is Goose found us another house. The dirty motel room was more than I could take. This place was available because it has no central air in this godforsaken desert heat. It has what's referred to as an evaporative cooling system. It circulates warm air while adding moisture in this damn over-abundant humidity. This wasteland is not the promised dry heat they brag about.

He couldn’t even get that right. The only good thing right now is Goose found us another house. The dirty motel room was more than I could take. This place was available because it has no central air in this godforsaken desert heat. It has what’s referred to as an evaporative cooling system. It circulates warm air while adding moisture in this damn over-abundant humidity. This wasteland is not the promised dry heat they brag about.

Kenzie's nose wrinkled. "Big circular enclosed tents. Can house about fifty people comfortably," Royce added. "Comfortably?" Hans said, his eyes still closed. "Try packed like sardines." Kenzie returned to her original question. "What's the desert like?" Royce tried to think of a way to describe it. "It's bleak and harsh. A vast open land that's eerily silent. Sound carries across the dunes for miles. There's ice-filled canyons, and the dinosaur fossils in the steppes. Once you're out among the dunes, you can completely disappear. In a lot of ways." He sipped his scotch and noticed Kenzie was watching him with fascination.