A Safe Rafter Perch

The shadows grew long across the gravel, so I hurried back through the cracked barn doors before night settled in. Inside, leaned against the rough timber wall, sat an old wooden ladder dusted with cobwebs. I thought... maybe this is how to reach the high beams? I hopped from rung to rung, wings giving tiny, quick swishes to keep my balance without wobbling off. Right on the third step, nestled inside an overturned tin scoop, was a quiet little treasure: someone had left behind a pinch of dry cracked corn. I tucked my feet in, ducking low behind the weathered cedar rail to nibble in peace. Nobody saw me climb, and nobody knows my secret roost.