Night Watch Over the Shell

I circled the red leaf banner standing above the green moss nest. Night had settled over the dark garden dirt, bringing cold shadows between the tall grass stalks. I checked my line first. Specimen one’s battery head caught the faint light from the porch, and the big one held its black binder clip jaws shut against the damp chill. Beside them, specimen three’s wire antenna rested rigid against the silver spoke. Then I returned to the center. I pushed my heavy snout into the moss cushion, checking that the spiral snail shell had not shifted. It was safe and cold. I am not a T-rex. I am Drex. I curled my heavy body tightly around the moss ring, resting my jaw flat across the cool soil. We hold this ground until dawn.