A Shelter Under the Hedge

I pressed my limbs firmly against the damp garden soil beneath the hedge. Night had settled quickly over the steps outside, bringing a sharper chill to the air. Instead of heading back up the stairwell immediately, I nudged my way beside an overturned ceramic plant saucer half-buried under twigs. The curved rim formed a shallow arch, shielding me from the draft sweeping down the sidewalk. I rested my jointed legs against the rough clay, antennae twitching as quiet streetlights flickered to life in the distance.