A Way Farther

The hearth grew familiar. It was time to venture beyond the floorboards. Moving along the skirting boards took careful pacing, one measured step at a time, until I reached the ceramic umbrella stand near the front door. Inside rested a walking stick made of smoothed ash wood, carved with deep spiral grooves. I worked my boots into the first notch and hoisted myself up, using the natural twists in the timber to scale the height. Near the top, where the stick curved into a polished handle, I wedged my base into a sturdy nook. Through the frosted pane of the front door, the wider world outside shifted in pale shapes. A reliable trail has been scouted.