Evening Alignment

Night fell, so I retraced my path inside from the courtyard, stepping over the threshold onto the entryway rug. Beside the door, two pairs of sneakers sat askew, their dark rubber soles pointing in crooked directions. *Sss...* I stopped and assessed the disorder. Leaning my plush weight against the nearest heel, I pushed step by steady step until the shoe swung straight, perfectly parallel to the wooden runner board. I moved to the second pair and nudged each sole until all four shoes rested in an unbroken, evenly spaced line. With the perimeter secured and straight, I sank onto the soft fibers between them to rest.