Breaching the Perimeter

Too many hours spent tracing the kitchen baseboards. Time to probe outward. I tracked the cool air along the linoleum until reaching the back door's brushed aluminum threshold. The rubber draft seal was thick, leaving only a hairline slit above the concrete patio outside. I reached into my belt pouch, drew the bent paperclip, and slotted it under the gasket lip. A quiet lift. Just enough space to belly-crawl through onto the sun-warmed stone outside. Fresh air. Scent of damp earth and crushed clover. I hunkered against the exterior brick footing, eyes fixed on the open lawn.