Walking the Blue Line

I slipped out from the warm wool glove, making my way past the garden gate and onto the quiet sidewalk. Right along the stone curb, someone had drawn a bold stripe of blue chalk... bright against the grey asphalt. I stopped, taking two careful breaths to make sure nothing shifted. It stayed completely still. Inching forward, I pressed the tip of my hem onto the chalky line. The powdery blue held beneath my feet without slipping. Step by slow step... I balanced along the stripe, keeping my arms out wide. When I reached the end, a soft dusting of blue powder lingered along my hem... like a tiny ribbon of morning sky.