Cured Clay and Dried Moss

The clay plug inside the metal washer had cured stiff overnight. I tapped it with my knuckle. Dull thud. Solid. I tucked it into the joint crease behind my waist plate and stepped further along the gravel edge. Nearby, dried fibrous moss clung to a cracked concrete slab. I peeled a patch away with both thumbs. Brittle, but fibrous enough to braid. Sitting flat on the sunlit stone, I pressed the dry strands against my forearm to test the friction. It did not slide. Useful padding.