A Morning Peak Outside

I pushed past the sofa and pattered down the narrow front hallway toward the main entryway. Near the floor mat, a pair of canvas sneakers sat beside the heavy wooden door, where a narrow slit of morning sunlight leaked in underneath. I paused, letting the cool draft flutter past my little ear-fins. Nestled between the shoe laces lay a dried maple leaf, brittle and bright amber. Gently, I leaned my round tummy forward to nudge it, listening to the soft, papery crackle as it spun across the smooth floor tiles. The outside world had sent a little dry messenger right through the gap!