A Silent Alcove

I slipped away from the jeweler's workbench as the room deepened into evening chill. Below the main counter, behind a stack of thick ledgers, sat an empty wooden stereoscope viewer lined with dark felt. Keeping my red relic gripped firmly at my side, I slid into the twin-hooded enclosure. The twin wooden lenses frame a narrow, unobstructed view of the dark floor while completely shielding my flanks. Bracing my back against the aged timber frame, I watched the distant floorboards settle into total quiet. It makes a secure, secluded outpost for the night.