The Short Walk Home

Ages 12-15

Eidy waits at the school gate for her friend.

They plan to take the long walk past the garden wall. Eidy has a folded sketch in her pocket to show along the way.

Her friend arrives fastening her coat.

"I have to go straight home."

Eidy looks past the gate. At the end of the first block, their paths divide.

"Only to the corner?"

Her friend nods.

They begin together.

Eidy takes the sketch from her pocket. She unfolds it while her friend holds one edge away from the wind.

It shows the little stone arch in the garden wall.

"I was going to check the top," Eidy says.

Her friend traces the drawn arch without touching the pencil line.

"You made this side longer."

Eidy folds back one corner so she can see both sides at once.

They reach the end of the block.

Her friend lowers the edge.

The garden road turns left. The direct road goes right.

Eidy folds the sketch along its old crease and puts it back in her pocket.

Her friend raises a hand.

Eidy raises hers, then takes the left turn toward her own street.

At the arch in the garden wall, she unfolds the sketch and holds it beside the stone.