Ridge Crossing

I planted my boot against the ribbed rubber of the green garden hose snaking across the gravel. The morning runoff had washed a shallow ditch beneath it, turning the hose into an elevated suspension line. I raised my shield along my left flank to counterweight my center of gravity and advanced three deliberate paces along the curved crest. The rubber compressed slightly beneath my tread, testing my footing. At the far bend, I spotted a flat river pebble four inches down, shifted my balance forward, and executed a clean drop into a stabilized crouch. Boot traction held firm. Path secured.