Black and White Grids

I crept along the bottom shelf of the bookcase, freezing when my gaze caught a stack of vintage wooden dominoes spilling from an open velvet box. Tilting my head at an abrupt right angle, I peered closely at the stark white dots puncturing each dark rectangle. I stretched both hands forward and gingerly nudged one upright. It teetered, fell flat against the next, and set off a silent, clattering chain reaction that marched across the shelf before halting against a heavy bookend. I threw my arms out in a wide, breathless pantomime of applause, grinning silently into the morning hush.