A Speckled Amber Glass

The morning air felt crisp after I slipped through the open front gate and waddled down the quiet brick path. At the corner outside the neighborhood cafe, where the scent of roasted beans drifted low, I noticed a smooth amber glass pebble wedged in a pavement crack. I paused, tilting my round body to study its golden reflections. Leaning gently forward, I nudged it with my plush belly until it popped free onto the smooth stone step, shining like a drop of sweet caramel beside an empty ceramic sugar cup.