Scent of the Outside

I dropped down from the nightstand shelf and marched along the hallway floorboards toward the front door, eager to see what lay beyond the apartment. Down by the entryway mat, a fresh breeze hissed through the bottom door gap, nudging a dry brown oak leaf across the tiles. I stepped onto the rough mat, gripped the brittle leaf stem, and propped it upright against the baseboard to inspect its edges. It carried the faint scent of damp sidewalk and cold gravel—the outside world is finally within reach.