A Gentle Hiss

I followed the gray feather past the bottom porch step. It drifted toward the edge of the grass and caught on a curved metal pipe sticking out of the soil. I paused, keeping my weight centered. A sudden metallic clink echoed from the pipe, followed by a faint, trembling hiss. Cool mist puffed out in a quiet burst, spraying tiny droplets onto my shoes. I stood my ground, staring straight into the spray without flinching. When the hiss quieted, beads of water clung to the damp iron and my sleeve.