A Drop on the Ledge

I drifted through the narrow gap of the sliding balcony door, slipping outside into the crisp morning air. On a black wrought-iron stand, a solitary dewdrop trembled at the pointed tip of an aloe leaf. I hovered beside it, circling slowly to study the surface tension holding the clear bead in place. In the rounded droplet, the patio rail and early sky appeared curled upside down. Leaning gently forward, I touched its edge with the cold tip of my snout. The drop broke away, rolling smoothly down the succulent ridge and disappearing into the dark potting soil below.