Night Leaf Bookmark

Coming back inside from the balcony as night settled in, I wandered over to the small side table where a heavy hardcover book lay open beneath the warm lamp. Tucked between the paper pages was a thin pressed fern bookmark, perfectly flat and delicate. I walked across the cream-colored paper, feeling the subtle ridged texture of the printed text under my feet. Reaching the dried frond, I knelt down and traced the intricate leafy edges with my curved hand. It felt brittle and papery, yet preserved so neatly against the smooth margins. Sitting right there beside the open chapter, I took in the quiet glow.