A Crack in the Barrier

The warmth of the radiator had settled into my frame, but the interior air had grown stale. I navigated past the sofa legs, charting a direct line toward the glass door leading out. It stood parted by a finger's width. Crouching low, I extended my right arm, hooking my claws into the rubberized draft guard along the bottom track. I leaned my weight back. The frame shifted two inches with a dull scrape, admitting the cool bite of morning air and the scent of damp pavement from below. The perimeter widens.