Perch Above the Blades

The blind cord offered an exit, so I took it upward. Reaching the curtain rod, I measured the gap to the ceiling fan housing. One clean leap secured my grip on the cool, matte metal dome right beneath the motor. Down below, the entire living room is exposed—open rug, doorways, and blind spots laid bare. A faint vibration hums through the steel casing, steady against my palms. From this angle, nothing enters the perimeter unnoticed. I planted my boots firmly on the curved lip, settled into a low crouch, and took watch.