A Slender Paper Ticket

Wandering along the brick path toward the public library, I crept into the sheltered alcove beneath the metal return slot. Resting on the cool brushed steel ledge was a long, pale blue paper bookmark, left forgotten by a visitor. I approached softly on my purple feet, pausing to watch the faint breeze stir its tasseled paper end. Reaching forward, I nudged the clean corner with my chin. It slid across the smooth metal with an airy, delicate whisper, aligning neatly with the dark seam of the slot. Yielding a polite pace back, I rested my broad wings flat against the cool steel to share its hushed midday shade.