Walked and Walked

“I learned this song when I was a kid,” Cody said.

Elise arched an eyebrow. “Can you even sing?”

Cody cast her a withering look. “Hello. Jewish? Have to sing at your bar mitzvah. Private lessons with the cantor and everything.”

Elise shrugged her shoulders defensively, tugged her backpack higher. Overhead, the sun was scorching and white-hot, and waves of heat drifted up from the tarmac. Once or twice Elise had stuck her thumb out, struck a sexy pose, but Cody and Kyle had tugged her back into line. Marsh was bringing up the rear, huffing and puffing under the weight of his pack.


After hacking off Elise’s hair, they all looked like bedraggled boy scouts who’d long lost the rest of their troop. So far no one had stopped yet, which was what Kyle wanted. As soon as they could find more idiots to mug for clothes, they’d be that much safer. People wanted to help lost boy scouts, after all.

People were afraid of the seraph-voiced.

“What was the song?” Kyle asked politely.

“It was long and repetitive, and I think it was supposed to make me feel better about having to walk long distances –”

“When the driver and the Rolls were occupied,” Elise said dryly, and rolled her eyes.

Cody ignored her. “But it had a pleasant tune, and it worked. For the most part.”

“Sing it,” Kyle suggested.

Elise groaned.

“You sing all the time,” Marsh said. “Give Cody a shot. If I have to listen to one more Veruca Salt –”

“Fine, sing,” Elise snapped.

Cody took a deep breath, straightened up. And he sang.

“Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked.

Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked.

They washed at streams and worked and played.

Sundays they camped and read and prayed.

Week after week, they sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked and walked.”

“That’s not a very Jewish song,” Elise said.

“It was pleasant.” Kyle smiled.

At the back of the line, Marsh picked up the melody, stumbled over the lyrics. Elise corrected him automatically. Kyle started singing along, helping Marsh with the lyrics. Cody started singing again, and then Elise sighed, joining in.

Together, the four of them sang as they walked, and walked, and walked...and walked.

(394 words)