A Flutter on the Sill

The low door latch had slipped open just enough, so I wandered out onto the warm balcony concrete. Right beside a large terracotta pot, a gray downy feather lay trapped against a dry fallen leaf. I walked over and gently pinned the stem with one paw. Every passing breeze made the fluffy tip tremble like a small flag. Sitting beside the rough clay wall, I held it steady while watching the distant city skyline hum in the midday light.