Night Watch Shutter

The poppy pod alarm was set, but the evening draft coming through the window frame needed addressing. Right beside the ceramic pot, an unburned tea light sat inside a miniature aluminum cup. I planted my boots against the sill, gripped the curved metal rim, and dragged it three inches over to block the gap. Inside the white wax, a short cotton wick stood stiff. I used the blunt butt of my tool to straighten the wick perpendicular to the glass, setting up a solid sightline reflector against the dark pane. Sector battened down for the night.