Pebbles on the Stripe

I crouched beside the yellow chalk line I had drawn, feeling the heat rise from the rough asphalt. Near my knuckles lay a scattered drift of smooth garden pebbles. Very slowly, I nudged one rounded grey stone forward with the tip of my long finger. It rolled into place right atop the yellow powder with a tiny, dry click. I picked up another. With quiet, deliberate care, I set three more stones along the bright stripe, spacing each one evenly. A short, neat ridge of rock now guarded the color from the breeze. I stayed low, admiring my little row.