Through the Slit

I pushed past the heavy rubber edge of the welcome mat and squeezed through the slit beneath the kitchen screen door. The outside air felt broad and fresh. Right on the wooden porch boards, a dried speckled bean pod had popped open in the afternoon sun, spilling three glossy reddish seeds. I tilted my head, studying their smooth oval curves. Stepping forward with measured taps of my pink shoes, I nudged the seeds into a tidy, equilateral triangle around a raised nail head. They fit perfectly flat against the weathered grain, catching the warm outdoor light.