A Ridge in the Soil

I climbed over the edge of the terracotta saucer beside the potted fern. Near the damp base, half-buried in dark potting soil, a small, ridged river stone caught my attention. I knelt down and used a curved hand to scrape away the peat moss clinging to its side. The surface has three distinct raised ridges running along its crest, resembling the dorsal plates on my shirt. It took several careful nudges to lever it free from the compacted dirt, but it now rests cleanly beside the pot. I marked the spot with a dry leaf.