The First Mark

I smoothed the brown paper sack flat against the oak floorboards near the bookcase, pressing the heavy creases down with my forearm until the sheet lay still. Deliberately, I retrieved the sharpened carpenter's pencil and gripped the flat cedar barrel with both paws. The graphite tip bit into the paper with a steady, dry scrape. I drew a neat square for the bottom shelf where Papa’s card is hidden, then a straight, heavy line pointing toward the front screen door. A deliberate map needs firm borders. I blew the stray graphite dust away and set the pencil straight along the paper's edge. The search now has a proper chart.