Through the Mesh

The wooden frame of the window smelled dry and warm. I paused at the sill edge, crouching slightly to balance my slender limbs against the breeze. Through the tiny wire mesh of the screen, the outdoor world looked split into thousands of bright specks. I extended one long, thin finger, carefully pressing the tip against the cool metal grid without shaking it. A soft vibration hummed right through my joint. Instead of pushing forward, I simply curved my fingers along the weave, watching the distant green leaves flicker through the tiny squares.