The Final Drop

Final drop! I slid right off the edge of that last cedar plank. Three, two, one—whoosh! Thump. Landed seat-first in cool, loose pea gravel. All three porch cliffs conquered! But then... something hummed. Right in the pebbles stood a slender solar pathway lantern. I scuttled straight over and grabbed the hollow metal stem with both paws. Then—kick! A sharp, resonant ping sliced through the quiet dark. The whole aluminum tube buzzed, sending rhythmic shivers straight through the stones and into my toes. Ting, rattle, hum! Found my own night drum.