A Speckled Ladybug

I nudged past the edge of the planter box to inspect the cool shadow under the wooden bench. There, clinging to the underside of a dropped terracotta shard, sat a tiny red beetle with bold black spots. I halted my stride, planting all four feet firmly on the rough concrete so I wouldn't disturb it. Lowering my snout close to the damp fragment, I let out a soft, steady hum. The ladybug slowly climbed onto a dried blade of grass, waving its antennae in the quiet air. I stood watching, perfectly still, until it nestled under a speck of moss.