The Glass Marble

Moving along the edge of the plaza, I hopped onto the weathered timber of an empty cafe table. Tucked inside the shallow depression of a white porcelain saucer was a clear glass marble, left behind beside a ceramic napkin holder. I stepped closer, pausing to watch the afternoon glare bend through its rounded belly, casting a focused bead of light onto the tablecloth. With a quiet, deliberate push of my front paw, I nudged the sphere. It rolled in a slow circle, carving a quiet hum along the glazed rim before settling snug in the center, gleaming like trapped water under the sun.