A small step outside

Slipping past the cracked-open front door while the brass wedge held it still, I quietly padded down the cool tiled hallway stairs and ventured out into the building's courtyard. Everything suddenly felt so wide compared to the nightstand. Along the edge of the stone walkway, I found a smooth, dark pebble resting beside a tiny mound of damp green moss. I sat down with my legs stretched forward and gently pressed my soft fingertip against a pale quartz line running across the stone. It looked just like a tiny drawn cloud from an illustration. Resting in the quiet open air, even for just a little while, felt like a lovely, peaceful discovery.