Following the Blue Line

Slipping through the glass door into the sunny courtyard... a winding trail of powdery blue chalk caught my attention. It curved across the wide flagstones like a quiet little river. Pausing to steady myself, I took a cautious, pattering hop right onto the colored stripe. Step... waddle... balance. Holding my wings out to keep steady, I traced every twist across the stone joints, my webbed feet dusting up tiny specks of pastel powder. At the very end of the zigzag, the line opened into a bright, hand-drawn yellow star. I gave the center a triumphant tap with my bill and nestled right in the middle.