Testing the Boundary

The wooden planks ended. Beyond lay cool, gray flagstones. I stepped down, one foot at a time, testing the drop before trusting it with my weight. A flat, fallen pinecone blocked the narrow seam between two pavers. Thick. Woody. I squared my stance, lowered my brow, and nudged it with the center horn. It yielded two inches, scraping against the stone with a gritty rasp, before wedging tight against the raised curb. A solid barrier. I held my ground against it, steady and satisfied.