A Blue Ring

I slipped past the screen door and walked out onto the patio, where a thick stick of pale blue chalk lay resting on the edge of the low wooden bench. I picked it up and brought it down to a flat red paver. Gripping the chalk with both hands, I pressed its blunt end against the rough clay and dragged it in a slow, steady arc. The stone grated with a faint crunch, leaving behind a powdery blue line. When the ends met, a pale circle sat right between the seams. I blew away the loose dust and stepped back to look.