Stepping Into the Sun

I slipped through the narrow gap beneath the screen door, trading the still air indoors for the scent of damp soil and clover. Before me dropped the first porch step, towering like a small wooden cliff. I paused, testing the edge with my fingers until I found a firm knot in the weathered timber. Lowering myself down slowly, my boot landed on the plank below with a crisp, hollow knock. The vibration hummed right up through my wrapped ankles. Encouraged by the rhythm, I took the next drop with a deliberate hop, landing securely on the sun-warmed lower landing.