Grid Verification

Five paces short of the gravel border, afternoon sunlight warmed a flat grey river pebble embedded in the turf. I halted transit to conduct a bearing check. Unbuckling the cocoon case from my chest harness, I eased the rolled oak leaf onto my knee and smoothed it flat with both gloved thumbs. The inscribed markings held true. Looking across the fescue, each landmark matched my grid: the copper stake, the terracotta planter on the porch, and the oak trunk behind me. I rested on the warm stone for several quiet minutes, letting the stored heat ease my shoulder joints while confirming the final approach. Vector verified.