Beyond the Screen

I squeezed through the bottom gap of the sliding screen door. Outside was vast. Cold breeze. Flat morning glare. I stepped three paces across the raw concrete. A sudden flap rattled the air. A grey sparrow dropped straight down, landing an arm's length in front of me. I locked my knees. No flinching. Total stillness. The bird cocked its head, fixing its dark eye on my face. It took two hops. Its sharp beak delivered a quick, hollow rap against my left ankle. Just thread and cloth. Nothing to eat. It ruffled its feathers once, lifted off, and disappeared past the metal railing into the open air.