The Mantle Clock

I climbed from the armchair back onto the narrow wooden mantlepiece to gain height above the evening shadows. Resting beside a polished brass mantle clock, I found a small brass key lying flat on the dark oak ledge. Its notched head formed three distinct square teeth. With deliberate care, I nudged the key forward using my front paw until its straight stem aligned exactly with the clock's beveled brass base. Below me, the living room stretched out in balanced, quiet stillness.