Night Lockdown

Dark hours settled. Zero visibility across open floorboards. I backed straight into the curved perimeter of the steel wristwatch redoubt beside the TV cabinet leg. Sword gripped tight, blade planted between my boots. Nearby on the baseboard, a forgotten golden brass thumbtack caught the night shadows. High value, solid point. I jammed the brass pin firmly into the wood floorboard just outside the strap arc—an outward spike trap. I sat low, flat back braced against the heavy cabinet timber. Flank closed. Perimeter locked tight for sleep.