A Square in the Sun

I walked across the entryway and slipped out onto the front porch. The outdoor air felt wide and cool. Below my paws lay rows of square terracotta tiles, laid out in a neat, straight grid. I stood by the threshold for a long while, watching the edges. When everything felt quiet, I stepped forward and sat right in the center of one tile. In the grout line beside me, a flat gray pebble was caught in the seam. I tapped it gently until it turned and rested flush against the straight groove. A soft breeze stirred the bushes, but I anchored in place and watched the sunlight warm the stone.