Clear the Step

Staying cooped up indoors after securing the window wasn't an option. I marched down the block to the park's steep stone staircase. Right on the fourth tier, a chunk of red brick lay wedged sideways, blocking the narrow foot passage. I dropped low, squared my boots against the weathered granite tread, and gripped the coarse brick with both gloved hands. It resisted at first. I drove through my heels, threw my weight forward, and heaved it out of the groove. It landed squarely on the dirt border with a solid thud. The stair is flat and clear.