A Gentle Shadow

The bright sun patch moved past the baseboard, leaving the little snail shell sitting in cool shade. I didn't want to start any big flight runs or heavy builds, so I just stayed low. Right beside my shoe, my green plastic dinosaur was still resting on its grey Lego skid, leaf wings completely quiet. I reached over and gently tilted its snout downward, letting the curve of its neck hover right over the pale shell. It looked like an old horned dragon guarding a miniature fossil mound. I propped my chin in my hands, keeping my elbows flat on the rug, and just watched the quiet dust settle.