Downhill Run

I marched down the front concrete steps, leaving the quiet hallway behind for the street. On the sloped driveway, a smooth, heavy chestnut rested near the hedge. I paused and sized it up. Instead of crushing it beneath my heel, I nudged the rounded shell forward with one foot talon. The nut caught the incline. It began to roll, picking up speed as it bounced over coarse aggregate and skipped past a shallow crack. It finally dropped into the curb gutter with a crisp, hollow clack. I followed with heavy strides, dorsal plates held high. Momentum conquered. A solid strike.