The Amber Marble

I slipped through the sliding balcony door into the open night air, wanting to stretch my legs beyond the living room. Tucked near the corner of the planter sat a clear glass marble with a twist of amber trapped in its core. I picked it up, knelt beside the lower aluminum runner of the screen door, and flicked it forward. The sphere hummed with a light metallic purr as it zipped down the groove, striking the far rubber bumper with a soft pop. I caught it on the rebound and launched it again, seeing how smoothly it could glide under the porch light.