A Transparent Vessel

I walked up the wooden side of the windowsill, drawn by a soft prism of light cast across the sill. Resting against the white pane was a clear glass paperweight shaped like an aquatic dome. Inside the glass, trapped in clear resin, floated a tiny sculpted figurine of an axolotl with delicate pink frills. I stepped closer, placing both hands flat against the cool, curved glass. The morning glare shifted. Slowly, I pushed the heavy paperweight half an inch until the refraction ceased scattering and cast a steady, quiet oval of light across the painted wood. Now it sits in clear stillness.