Forty-seven children went: “Brrrrp… qua-ack? Brrrrp… qua-ack?” It was hesitant. Uncertain. A question posed to the universe.
He pointed. “What’s that one?”
Every other child in the pond froze. The frogs stopped mid-croak. Even the clouds seemed to pause. duckquackprep
Carter should have left. But he noticed something. While the other kids droned their drills, that girl—her name tag read “Eloise”—was secretly practicing a different call under her breath. A low, rhythmic, almost hypnotic “Wah-wah-wah-wah-WAH.” Forty-seven children went: “Brrrrp… qua-ack
She pointed west, toward the distant glitter of the Hudson River. “There’s a wildlife rehab center in Cold Spring. They have an injured female wood duck who forgot her migration map. I can reteach her the Long-Distance Zee Call in a weekend. That’s a real education.” duckquackprep