57 pages • 1 hour read
Dusti Bowling24 Hours In Nowhere
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 12-18Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 12 Summary: “Sunday—4:00 AM”
The cliff wall is sheer, and Gus and Rossi are perched about 20 feet above the desert floor. Realizing that the drop might be dangerous, and nervous about their chances in the open desert, Gus and Rossi decide to stay put.
It’s still too dark out to make sense of the paper, so Gus and Rossi talk. When Gus wonders why Rossi hopes to travel to Baja, she mentions the Baja One Thousand, a 1,000-mile road race through the Baja peninsula. There’s no entry fee, and Rossi appreciates its pure focus on racing; the objective is not to win but to prove that you’re tough enough to survive Baja.
Rossi argues that people are fundamentally capable of free will. She dreams of leaving Nowhere, with just her bike for company. Gus is skeptical, but he nevertheless encourages her ambition.
Changing the subject, Gus asks Rossi how she first befriended Jessie. By way of explanation, Rossi mentions that her dad works two jobs. During the day, he works at the Center for Youth, counseling and rehabilitating troubled young boys. Though noble, the work is low paying, so Rossi’s dad supplements his income with a job at a gas station. With her dad constantly working, Rossi often feels lonely. One day, during a trip to the scrapyard, she met Jessie’s mom, who invited her over for dinner and initiated her into the family. Gus and Rossi share warm opinions of the Navarros, and Gus regrets that he abandoned Jessie.
Rossi again promises that she’ll leave Nowhere one day, in control of her own success. When she wonders if Breaker Bradley’s camp might have presented an opportunity, Gus regrets that she sacrificed her bike for his protection. However, Rossi insists that it was worth it and cites several occasions when Gus advocated for her, risking retribution from Bo.
Exhausted, Gus and Rossi lean back. When Gus asks Rossi why she loves riding, Rossi explains that it feels like flying, even if just for a moment.
Chapter 13 Summary: “Sunday—5:00 AM”
Gus and Rossi fall asleep.
Chapter 14 Summary: “Sunday—6: 00 AM”
Gus and Rossi wake up after sunrise. Finally, there is enough light, so Rossi examines the paper. She recognizes a map of the cave and can vaguely pinpoint where they first entered. Gus points out a mysterious shaded area, and they agree to avoid it. There’s an exit marked on the map, but Rossi guesses that the area has collapsed. She wonders if maybe William Dufort didn’t die in the explosion but instead journeyed further into the mountain. Rossi also notices the marking “A.L” and spots another circled area.
Gus looks out at Casa Grande across the desert. He and Rossi realize that they’ll need to return to the cave and search for a more viable escape. As they inch back down the tunnel, Rossi defends herself against Matthew’s earlier comments: She says that she doesn’t steal but instead sells scrap metal for cash. Gus applauds her ingenuity.
Once back in the cave, Gus and Rossi return to the boulder where they had sheltered from the mountain lion. Gus finds his backpack and his flashlight but realizes that Jessie and Matthew are missing. Gus and Rossi climb down to the cave floor, where Gus finds his other shoe, discarded by the mountain lion. Suddenly, Jessie and Matthew appear, chased by a stampede of javelinas. Gus crouches low as the javelinas run past. After the stampede clears, Jessie and Matthew explain that they’d decided to follow a baby javelina, optimistic that it might lead them to an exit. They mention, too, that Rossi’s lantern has burnt out, leaving only Gus’s flashlight.
Gus and Rossi mention the cave map. Matthew wonders if it might indicate an exit, but Gus explains that the only marked exit is currently inaccessible. As an alternative, the group decides to trace the javelinas’ path through the cave in case it provides any leads. Meanwhile, Jessie inspects Gus’s pocket watch and discovers a curious carving: “A.L.’s nose,” just like on the map. When Jessie wonders if there’s some connection to the cave drawings, Rossi checks the map. She notices that on the map, “A.L.” is marked close to the cave’s entrance, where they found the drawings and noticed the mysterious arrow.
The group debates the best course of action. Gus and Rossi hope to pursue this new lead and possibly discover gold, while Jessie worries about their dying flashlight. Ultimately, the group decides to investigate “A.L.,” lured by the possibility of riches.
Chapter 15 Summary: “Sunday—7:00 AM”
As they head back toward the cave entrance, the group debates the meaning of “A.L.” Rossi navigates with the map but admits that it’s often unclear. Matthew prompts her to remember her worst day, and Rossi finally opens up. She says that her mom died when she was four, leaving Rossi alone with her father on the Tohono O’odham reservation. Rossi’s father taught her how to ride, christening her “Rossi” in honor of Valentino Rossi, the racing champion. Rossi’s father promised that one day, they would travel to Baja and compete in the tournament. However, after Rossi’s friend was detained in the Center, her father decided to pursue social work.
Rossi interrupts her story to wonder why her friend was punished so severely. Jessie, mentioning his parents’ experience with border patrol, bitterly grieves the pervasiveness of racism. Gus, realizing that he can never share Rossi and Jessie’s experience, remains silent.
As they continue, Rossi resumes her story. After her father started work at the Center, he struggled to find time to train Rossi on her bike. He sold his own bike to pay for an apartment. However, with financial troubles mounting, Rossi’s father abruptly relocated them to Nowhere, forcing Rossi to abandon her friends. Rossi shares that she hates Nowhere and misses her old life. Responding to Gus’s sympathies, Rossi talks about her mom, remembering that they used to play tóka together, a version of field hockey.
Recognizing a few familiar rock formations, Gus concludes that they’re heading in the right direction. Soon, they find the cave drawings and stumble upon a huge portrait of Abraham Lincoln—the mysterious “A.L.” indicated on the map and watch. Gus notices two holes in the carving’s nose and wonders if something might be hidden inside. Jessie roots around in the first hole and finds an empty box, marked “W.A.D,” just like the watch. In the next hole, he finds a heavy object wrapped in cloth. Unwrapping it, he discovers an old pistol. Despite Gus’s warning, Jessie mishandles the pistol, and a loud blast echoes through the cave.
Chapter 16 Summary: “Sunday—8:00 AM”
After the chaos subsides, Rossi inspects Jessie’s foot, realizing that he’s shot his toe. With renewed urgency, the group decides to resort to their original plan and pursue the javelinas’ trail. Though Gus is disappointed that their search didn’t yield any results, he prioritizes Jessie’s safety and helps Matthew carry him through the cave.
The group tries to retrace their steps, though their focus on Jessie distracts them. Soon, Rossi realizes that they’re lost. Rossi bends down and samples the ground underneath. She recognizes silt and assumes that they’re walking along an old riverbed. Rossi proposes that they follow this trail, assuming that it will lead to an exit. As they continue, the group feels a light breeze and accepts that they’re traveling in the right direction.
Suddenly, Rossi stops. Consulting the map, she’s able to pinpoint their location. Much to everyone’s horror, they’re about to enter the mysterious shaded area.
Chapter 17 Summary: “Sunday—9:00 AM”
Gus shines his dying flashlight and realizes that they’re at the edge of a large lake. Rossi sees light on the far shore, and the group accepts that they’ll need to swim across. Gus, Matthew, and Jessie mention that they’ve taken a few swimming lessons, but Rossi remains quiet. Matthew offers to carry Jessie on his back, while Gus agrees to carry the flashlight between his teeth.
Though afraid, the group steps into the water. At first, it’s shallow enough to wade through. To Gus’s horror, he steps on a white stick, which Rossi quickly identifies as a human bone. Rossi reaches down into the water and fishes out a skull. When Gus searches further, he finds a flask labeled “W.A.D.,” implying that the remains belong to William Dufort. Gus also finds a leather pouch. He pulls out a small pebble, which he excitedly recognizes as gold. The group returns to shore to properly assess the bag’s value.
As they sift through the gold, the group introduces a new theory: Dufort dropped the pocket watch in the desert, which Gus’s great-grandfather then retrieved. However, Dufort assumed that José Navarro was responsible and stole the gold as revenge. Matthew is disappointed to realize that Dufort was likely as conniving as the legend suggests, though Gus assures him that it has no bearing on his character.
When Jessie wonders about the significance of Abraham Lincoln, Gus expands on the theory: Dufort knew about the cave and mapped it himself. He used Lincoln’s nose as a hiding place and scratched an arrow into the wall to help him find it again. However, when he dropped the watch, he also lost his map, and he struggled to find an exit. Then, he either died from blood loss or drowned trying to cross the lake.
The group considers who technically owns the gold. Ultimately, they decide to split it evenly, selecting a piece to give Bo. Then, taking what’s left, they plan to trade the gold for cash and divide the proceeds. They vow, too, to keep the cave a secret, worried that people might trash it.
The group again ventures to cross the lake, with Gus leading the way. Oddly, shrimp populate the lake. Gus wades through until the water deepens and he’s forced to doggie paddle. Finally, Gus makes it across, and Matthew and Jessie soon join him. However, Gus realizes that Rossi is missing, and he plunges into the water to save her. Grabbing her by the hair, he pulls her out of the water and drags her to shore. Much to everyone’s horror, she’s not breathing.
Chapter 18 Summary: “Sunday—10:00 AM”
Remembering health class, Gus administers CPR to Rossi. To his relief, Rossi wakes up. As Rossi composes herself, Matthew investigates the light source: He notices a breach in the ceiling, which they can access by climbing up a vertical shaft. Matthew guesses that they can shimmy up the shaft by pushing against the sides. With Jessie unable to climb, they plan to position one person above and one below so that they can easily hoist him up.
With a boost from Gus, Matthew successfully climbs up the shaft. He emerges outside at the bottom of a pit. Realizing that the pit will pose another challenge, Rossi replenishes their water supply in the lake.
Then, Jessie goes. Fighting through pain, he works his way up the sides until Matthew can reach down and grab him. Gus and Rossi debate who should go next, and Gus offers to stay behind. Refusing to leave Gus alone, Rossi devises a plan: After she’s outside, she’ll fashion a rope from their clothes and throw it down to Gus. The plan works, and Gus pulls himself up easily.
Once Gus is safely outside, Jessie and Matthew throw their clothes back on. The group surveys the pit with dread, nervous that they’ll never escape. Gus decides to scale the wall and run to fetch help. As he climbs, however, his friends get his attention and point to a rope ladder, which has miraculously appeared on the other side of the pit.
Gus jumps down, and the group runs to investigate. Peering over the edge is Mayor Handsome, who plans to fish for shrimp in the lake. The group scrambles up the ladder. Handsome asks them for an explanation, but the group has yet to invent a cover. Instead, they swear Handsome to secrecy.
Mayor Handsome estimates that they’re about a mile and a half from town. Rossi notices his quad and asks if he could drive them. However, the quad can only seat one extra person. The group nominates Rossi, hopeful that she’ll make the race in time, but Rossi offers the spot to Jessie instead. Before driving away with Jessie, Handsome offers the group a jug of water and urges them to be cautious.
Chapters 12-18 Analysis
As the novel progresses, this section of chapters focuses on the tension between risk and safety. A conversation between Gus and Rossi introduces this conflict, as they clear the cave and emerge onto a rock ledge. The setting for their conversation is inherently unsafe: Staring down the “completely vertical” cliff face, Gus and Rossi balance on the edge, their legs dangling over the side. This sense of danger provides a segue into Rossi’s discussion of the Baja One Thousand, a 1,000-mile race through one of the “most desolate, quiet, scary, amazing deserts on earth” (140). Gus wonders if the race is dangerous, hoping to discourage Rossi from taking part if it will endanger her. Rossi, however, counters that “everyone has to die sometime” (141), and she insists that “there’s more than this” (142), referring to their limited lives in Nowhere. Rossi refuses to play it safe if that means stasis; instead, she eagerly accepts risk, hopeful that by taking a chance, she’ll win the race and “be defined by what [she does] in this life” (139), rather than letting her poverty define her. Rossi’s perspective highlights the theme of Transcending Family History. She agrees that safety might be the most practical recourse but insists that risk can produce greater rewards.
Ultimately, Gus and Rossi return to the cave, aware that they’ve hit a dead end. With one escape route pursued and discounted, the group realizes the situation’s precariousness: Their food and water supplies are running low, and they’re down to only one flashlight for a light source. As the group considers the best recourse, they more abstractly debate whether to take a risk or pursue a likely exit route. For instance, Gus suggests that they “go in the direction the pigs came from” (161). However, when the group explores the map, they wonder if “something important” is stashed in “A.L.’s nose” (162), and Rossi and Gus encourage the group to abandon their escape plan and pursue this new lead. The ensuing debate is similar to the one Rossi and Gus had on the ledge. Jessie, worried that “if the flashlight burns out […] [they will] all die in the dark” (162-63), represents the urge to pursue safety. On the other hand, Gus and Rossi are convinced that gold awaits them if they follow the map, and they represent risk and daring. Ultimately, the group decides to take a risk and follow the map to A.L.’s nose, even though they are aware that a wrong turn might mean they “never get out” (162). Their high-stakes bet highlights the characters’ desire to make their way out of hopelessness and poverty, underscoring the theme of transcending family history.
However, this foray into risk doesn’t quite pay off. The group discovers that “A.L.” is a reference to Abraham Lincoln, and though they root around in two holes, they come up with only a “dirty, holey, cowboy hat” and an “old pistol” (176). Their luck turns from bad to worse when Jessie shoots himself in the foot. Scared and bleeding, Jessie exclaims, “I want my ma. I want to go home” (178); he has lost all his bravado and longs to leave the hardships of the cave. This emphasizes the theme of Escaping Oppressive Circumstances. All the characters have lost their interest in glory and riches; instead, they’re vulnerable, frightened children at the mercy of a situation beyond their control. Their reactions remind readers that the main characters are not adults—they are adolescents.
However, the group has yet to confront the most serious risk: the lake, which is located in the “big, dark, shaded area” of the map (182). Following a trail of silt, which is a symbol of hope and unexpected opportunity, the group reaches the lake shore and must decide if it’s worth the risk to swim across and exit on the far side. As Gus shines his flashlight across the lake, he describes its “glassy blackness” and “inky water” (183, 187). These descriptions not only emphasize the lake’s darkness but also position it as a symbol of the unknown: It is vast and opaque, and the characters cannot imagine the lake’s depth or its many creatures. As the group confronts this symbol of the unknown, they are once again forced to weigh the risks of plunging into its waters to reach an exit on the other side. Despite arguments to the contrary, Rossi convinces the group that the risk is well worth it: She says, “There’s an opening over there. We have to try” (187). This time, the risk pays off, as the group discovers the gold, saves Rossi, and reaches an exit. Emerging into the sunlight, their gamble is again rewarded: Mayor Handsome, heading to the lake for some fishing, intercepts the group and saves them from a trek across the desert. In the end, despite a few snags along the way, Rossi’s philosophy to take on risks proves to be the group’s salvation.
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