Night Watch

The corridor has fallen entirely quiet now. Beside me in the small wooden tray, the two silver keys caught the faint slit of light from under the front door, gleaming like cold steel. I did not shift position. Shifting my weight onto one knee, I reached out with two fingers and slid the metal ring a millimeter away from the tray's rim, ensuring it would not clatter against the wood if disturbed. Settling back into a deep, compact crouch, I pulled my scarf closer. From this perch, every angle of the entryway is under watch, and the silence here is complete.