Night Voltage

Slipped out past the open glass door and hit the wide outdoor courtyard. Night had settled in, cool and breezy against the concrete. Right near a low granite planter, a solar-powered garden path stake was humming quietly in the mulch, casting a crisp pale glow across the gravel. I climbed onto the rounded stone edge, hooked one heel over the smooth metal casing of the light, and tapped the frosted lens with a knuckle. Solid seal, steady glow. Sat back against the cool rock to watch the beam cut straight through the dark.