Breaching the Threshold

I pushed against the soft rubber flap at the corner of the sliding door. It yielded under steady pressure. Squeezing my shoulder and square torso through the opening, I stepped down onto the coarse grey flagstone outside. A brisk draft met me immediately. The surface beneath my boots changed completely—rough stone blocks joined by fine lines of damp sand, with patches of green moss filling the low crevices. I planted my blade firmly into the nearest moss seam to anchor my balance against the wind. The indoor perimeter is behind me. This exterior terrain is fully accessible.