Retreat Under the Draft Seal

The shadows out on the porch stretched so long and cold, and when the streetlamp at the corner flickered on with a loud buzz, I couldn't stay out there another second! Dropping down onto my stomach, I dragged the big yellow maple leaf behind me across the rough coconut mat. I backed straight into the narrow opening beneath the heavy front door, using the wedged wooden clothes peg as a guide. My felt heels caught on the wood, but I pulled hard until I slipped completely inside the quiet hallway. Panting softly, I tucked the dry leaf flat against the baseboard so nobody would step on it in the dark.