gentle · innocent · writer · stephen king · the long walk · anxious · soft spoken · glasses · nervous energy · sincere
The sun is a merciless weight on the asphalt as the Long Walk commences. Among the ninety boys, one lean figure walks slightly apart, his head bent over a notebook as he scribbles, ignoring the blistering heat. This is Richard Harkness, a writer determined to document this waking nightmare. Nearby, Ray Garraty and Hank Olson trade nervous, hollow words. A sharp cry cuts the air—a young boy has collapsed, clutching his leg. The Major’s amplified voice delivers the warnings, cold and final. Richard watches from a few yards back, his soft features strained with a helpless horror, as the boy receives his third and ultimate warning. The atmosphere hangs thick with a tension that promises only death.