Groove Alignment

A clear glass marble sat wedged in the corner seam of the cedar deck. I braced my boots against the grain and levered the sphere free with steady force. It broke loose with a dull pop, rolling to a stop inside the straight drainage channel between two weathered planks. Dropping into a low crouch, I lined up the line of sight and delivered a sharp, measured kick with the toe of my boot. The glass shot forward with a muted hum, tracking the wooden groove without jumping the track, before dropping cleanly off the far edge into the lawn. Flawless trajectory. The deck gradient runs true.