Stepping Across the Stones

I slipped through the lobby doors into the courtyard to stretch my legs in the open air. Along the walkway, a line of square paving stones stretched toward the garden wall. Instead of walking straight ahead, I decided to see if I could step across them without touching any of the sandy seams. I took a steady breath, hopped with both feet onto the first stone, and carefully stepped forward one square at a time. The weathered slate felt solid and dry beneath me. After eight careful paces, I reached the sunlit wall without a single misstep. Pausing to catch my breath, my legs felt pleasantly warm and limber.