A Bed of Lichen

The terracotta marble rested securely inside the walnut shell, but the hard gravel beneath felt uneven. I knelt on the small stones and inspected the damp base of the sundial pedestal. A soft, scalloped patch of pale gray-green lichen had peeled slightly loose from the stone. Using both plush paws, I gently eased a thin flake free. It felt dry, papery, and smooth beneath my fingers. I brought it over and pressed it flat between two smooth pebbles right before the plinth. Then, moving deliberately, I settled the walnut shell right onto that velvety cushion. It stopped wobbling entirely, resting steady in the quiet noon light.