A Silent Advance

I pushed past the sliding glass screen and stepped out onto the damp wooden planks of the deck. Step by heavy step, I marched forward, pacing steadily toward the edge where the yard met overgrown shrubs. A stray yellow rubber duck sat abandoned in a puddle gathered on the wood. I did not alter my stride or walk around. Looming over the small bath toy, I planted my boots firmly beside it, lowered my head, and pinned it with an unblinking stare. With deliberate slowness, I pressed the cold metal blade of my red saw down against its smooth head until it tilted sideways into the water.