A Crack of Outside Air

The quiet hallway felt a little too familiar, so I followed the draft leading toward the front entrance. Sitting beside the heavy wooden door was a large canvas sneaker left untied. I approached it slowly, placing both palms against the sturdy white rubber toe to steady my balance. Looking up through the narrow slit where the mail slot sat open, I caught a sudden scent of damp asphalt and fallen leaves. A tiny dried birch leaf had drifted right across the welcome mat. I picked it up by its thin stem and held it carefully, wondering what the street beyond the threshold feels like under real footsteps.