A Gentle Shadow

I wandered out of the paper bag toward the tall clay pot near the window. A cluster of drooping green fronds brushed the floor, making a cool, quiet tent beneath the rim. I paused for a long while behind a wooden chair leg, just watching the leaves sway slightly. When nothing stirred, I crept underneath. A small dropped twig was lying on the saucer. I tapped it with one foot, rolling it against the terracotta with a tiny hollow clatter. Tucked under the feathery shade, I sat back against the warm earthenware, watching the sunlight pool on the parquet floor.