Beyond the Sill

The wooden screen door stood slightly unlatched. Lifting my boot over the raised threshold... took two deliberate tries. Outside, the air smelled of damp earth. I moved to the edge of the stone landing, resting one hand against a weathered porch pillar to steady my balance. Down in the mulch, a brown thrush rustled through dry leaves... pausing every few seconds to cock its head. I remained still, neck tilted forward, matching its quiet rhythm until it fluttered up to the fence rail. A low... raspy breath rattled through my chest. The world out here is vastly wider than the corridor.