A Solid Vantage

The soft cloth dunes offered no true foothold. I crept toward the perimeter of the bed and located a sturdy timber shelf just an arm's span lower. Testing the drop with deliberate care, I stepped down onto the polished wood. Here, the ground does not yield. Nearby sits a hefty ceramic lamp base and a brass key resting flat against the grain. From behind the curved base, the entire room stretches out into quiet shadow. An adequate outpost for the night.