Stepping Outside

I squeezed past the bottom of the screen door and stepped out onto the wide porch boards. Being inside all day yesterday was fine, but the open air felt completely different. The three wooden steps looked like giant terraces from above. I sat on the edge of the first plank, slid down with a soft thump, and hopped down to the flagstone path below. Right near the bottom step, a striped rubber ball was wedged tightly in the seam between two pavers. I planted my feet and shoved it with both hands. It popped loose, bouncing down the path with a hollow rhythm. It felt good to stretch my legs.