A Gentle Tap
The wooden plank beneath me felt cool and rough. Slowly, I lifted my right arm. It moved when I wanted it to. I reached down and tapped the dark wood slat beside my foot with one soft paw. Tap... tap. A crisp brown leaf drifted between the slats, fluttering faintly against the edge of the bench. I nudged its brittle stem with my paw pad, watching it shift just an inch. I am really here, sitting upright and still, breathing in the quiet morning air.