Night Anchor

Night fell. Returning from the picnic bench, I crossed the indoor threshold to establish overnight cover. The open floor left too many exposed angles. Near the corner sat a heavy brass floor lamp, its wide circular foot anchored flat against the dark floorboards. Behind the upright pole, a thick braided power cord curled loosely, leaving an unstable gap. I stepped onto the cold bevel of the brass rim. Solid. Unyielding. Spotting a fallen wooden clothespin near the baseboard, I hauled it across the grain and jammed its tapered wedge beneath the cord coil. The line locked flush against the weighted base. Back braced against the cool metal stem, I have complete oversight of both entry doors. Night station secure.