A Smooth Shell

I slipped through the open gap at the bottom of the patio slider and stepped onto the sunlit concrete. Keeping things easy and quiet felt right, so I just wandered over toward the weathered planter box to see what was out there. Right in the thin dirt beside the box, I spotted an empty snail shell resting on its side. It was spiraled, pale tan with subtle brown swirls, and completely dry. I crouched down and rolled it gently between my fingers. It was light as paper, smooth against my palm, and totally intact without a single crack. I left it sitting securely in a groove between two concrete slabs so the wind wouldn't carry it off.