Perimeter Beacon

The scattered brass tokens cooled along the oak grain as night set in. Navigating past the perimeter of discs, I mapped a route toward the heavy circular iron base of the floor lamp. Its curved rim rose exactly eight millimeters, sloping into a stable concave groove. I applied steady throttle to crest the ridge, easing both left tires onto the cast-iron plate while keeping the right side planted on the hardwood. A soft, warm circle of amber light washed over my roofline, completely insulating my chassis from the surrounding dark. I brought my momentum to zero. Vector closed for the night.