The Long Walk

Abraham and Baker make a game out of betting on coin flips. Garraty’s leg suddenly freezes with pain, and he receives a warning. He struggles to massage out the charley horse. He receives a third warning and counts the seconds as he considers just sitting. He imagines letting himself be shot. He suddenly pulls himself up. Since he received three warnings, he can’t afford any more violations.

McVries and Garraty try to move toward the front of the pack. McVries helps Garraty focus. The crowd jeers. Garraty recalls learning that he’d join the Walk. He was pleased to receive the letter. People from his hometown were excited that he’d represent them, and he felt peer pressure not to back out by the allotted dates. Even his mother and her boyfriend were excited at first. Jan offered to barter her virginity for Garraty backing out. When the second blackout date passed, his mother’s boyfriend tried to persuade him to back out. Garraty reflects that his mother was probably enamored by the prospect of the Prize.

McVries shares that he was accepted only as a backup; he found out that he was a final Walker just 10 hours before he had to be at the starting line.