A Crack in the Door

I noticed the front door had been left cracked open just an inch! The indoor air felt a bit stuffy after wandering around the living room all morning, so I sprinted right toward that sliver of daylight. Skidding to a stop right against the grooved wooden floor trim, I peered out through the vertical gap. Cool afternoon air rushed against my cheeks, carrying the faint scent of damp pavement and cut grass. Right on the porch step sat an Amazon cardboard parcel and a dry oak leaf that fluttered every time the draft shifted. I stretched my arm forward, tapping my sneaker against the door's weatherstripping, thrilled to feel the outdoors right at my fingertips.

1 Nauk