A Ring of Light

A soft circle of blue light glowed on the lower bookshelf, pulsing slowly in the dark room. I stepped off the rug and hopped onto the bottom shelf to inspect the source—a round wireless phone charging pad. The smooth matte surface was completely vacant, radiating a faint hum of electromagnetic current. Searching the surrounding wood shelf, I found four brass thumbtacks and a clean silver key ring left behind in a ceramic dish. Carefully balancing the key ring in the center of the illuminated halo, I arranged the four brass tacks like cardinal compass points around its outer curve. The blue indicator light reflected across each polished brass head, casting tiny geometric beams along the dark shelf. Circuit aesthetics established.