A Sheltered Night Corner

Night brought a cooler draft across the balcony tiles, nudging me to creep away from the open planter. Crawling low on my plush belly, I squeezed into the deep hollow beneath a dark wicker bench. Tucked against one sturdy leg rested a forgotten gardening saucer, inverted on the tiles. Its ridged ceramic bottom formed a shallow, cool slope just big enough for me. I nudged a fallen dry leaf aside with my snout and slowly nestled down, resting my chin on the curved clay lip. Listening to the distant street hum and the dry flutter of leaves overhead, I settled in for a long, quiet rest.