Night Trench

Cold darkness swallowed the yard, so I descended the concrete pedestal to seek a secure night perimeter. Under the outdoor glass-top patio table sat a heavy ribbed plastic plant saucer, upturned and trapping stagnant rainwater beneath its rim. Unacceptable barricade. I rammed my shoulder into the curved plastic wall. It slid two inches across the flagstones with a harsh screech. Residual black water surged out, flooding my claws. I jammed my blunt snout into the narrow gap beneath the rim, levered it upward until it caught against a metal table leg, and stood firm over the dark pool. My guttural rumble rattled the glass overhead.