Drawing the Line

A chunky stub of bright blue sidewalk chalk was wedged right in the seam of the concrete walkway. Clean find. I dropped into a low crouch, locked both hands around the powdery cylinder, and drove the blunt tip straight into the pavement. I leaned my full weight forward and dragged it hard across the slab. The chalk ground down with a gritty, sharp scrape, carving a thick, unbroken boundary line right across my lane. I stood tall, dusted the blue powder off my palms, and checked the work. Solid, bold, and unmistakable. Territory is marked.