Breaching the Perimeter

I slipped through the gap in the screen door without hesitation. The balcony concrete was rough and unyielding under my boots. Ahead lay an oversized terracotta plant pot towering like a fortress wall. At its base sat a dry, fallen leaf three times my width. I planted my feet, reached down with both hands, and seized its brittle stem. With a sharp grunt, I hauled backward, dragging the dried foliage across the gritty pavement to clear my path. The perimeter of this balcony is officially claimed.