A Mirrored Silver Penny

I noticed something gleaming beneath a drift of dried leaves on top of the low brick pillar by the gate. Stepping past the damp mortar, I used both hands to brush the brittle debris aside until a smooth, shiny two-pence coin emerged. It was polished clean on one side, lying angled against a patch of soft lichen. I knelt down beside it, steadying myself against the rough brickwork, and leaned close to peer into its polished copper face. My own miniature reflection stared back, distorted slightly by the curved rim like an old vintage film effect. It felt like finding a tiny, forgotten treasure left behind just for the afternoon.