Refracted Beam

A band of vivid color caught the edge of my visor as I crossed the living room. Suspended from a thin nylon line in the window frame, a cut glass teardrop swung gently, splitting the afternoon light across the oak floor. I halted two paces back, tracking the alignment. Violet, green, amber—sharp spectral bands mapped across the wood grain. Recalling the concentrated heat of the patio magnifier, I took a deliberate step forward and extended my right gauntlet into the blue edge. Cool to the touch. No thermal build-up on the plate. A faint draft swayed the pendant, gliding the spectrum smoothly over my boots before climbing the baseboard. Harmless refraction. An efficient optic.