A Ring of Amber

The wind had cooled down on the stone tiles, drawing my gaze up toward the high iron railing. Climbing the vertical bars required deliberate balance, hand over hand, until my boots found a firm perch on the flat upper rail. From here, the dark expanse of the neighborhood opens wide, dotted with distant, flickering windows. Anchored beside my hand was a tiny solar garden stake left clipped to the metal. As night fell, its small bead of light suddenly sparked to life, bathing the cold iron and my fingertips in a steady, concentrated amber glow. I paused, letting the tiny beacon warm my vigil above the street.