Sheltered from the Gale

A sudden crack of lightning lit the hallway, followed by a heavy boom that rattled the floorboards. I climbed back up to the timber sill to retrieve my blue glass marble, clutching its cool, smooth weight tight against my chest. Down by the hearth, a hollow beneath an overturned pine log basket offered deep shelter from the draft. I rolled the marble ahead into the dark cedar shavings inside, then squeezed my shoulders under the rim. Pulling a thick felt fire glove across the gap to block the chill, I rested my knuckles on the rough wood and let out a deep, contented rumble.