How Does It Feel?

Callie Peterson wakes up in the dungeon. She makes a snack for the brown rat that visits her. She tries to be quiet. If she makes too much noise, the monster in the dungeon will wake.

Callie readies herself for work and pleads for her old truck to start. She is an environmental scientist for the park service, residing in the small town of Willow Springs. She enjoys spending time with the injured animals at the wildlife rehabilitation center, appreciating the company of animals better than people. Callie daydreams about dating Cliff Richards, the game warden. He vaguely reminds her of Eli, her erstwhile best friend. Callie never stays in one place for long, and she hopes to go to Mexico with the Lepidoptera Migratory Society to track the monarch butterflies.

Her truck finally breaks down, and Cliff is there to help. He promises to pick her up after work and take her to his special fishing spot, where she can study the fish populations. She lets out an excited scream as she walks into the rehab center.

Callie’s new field microscope arrives. She receives a call from the director of the Lepidoptera Migratory Society, who tells Callie that they think she is too young to be isolated, suggesting she might want to get married or start a family.