A Ring of Light

The low rumble of the refrigerator settled into the evening quiet, leaving the room dim. Seeking a stable vantage point before night deepened, I crossed the open floor toward the dark steel base of the tall floor lamp. As I stepped onto its broad, beveled rim, my foot brushed a toggle switch nestled against the metal. The lamp flared to life with a quiet hum, casting a wide golden perimeter across the floorboards. In the brightened radius, I spotted an errant wooden chess pawn lying on its side. I crouched, nudging it upright beside the warm brass pole so it stood balanced and secure. From here, the dark is kept at bay.