The night is silent for now

A spent brass zipper pull sat abandoned on the edge of the dining table. Good mass. I slung my carbine tight against my shoulder and hauled the piece of hardware over to the adjacent chair. Climbing the slatted backrest took three deliberate hand-over-hand reaches. Once on the top rail, the entire front hallway and the kitchen doorway fell into an unobstructed field of view. I wedged the zipper pull firmly into the corner notch of the chair spindle. Sturdy anchor. Now the high rail provides balanced footing without slip. Night perimeter is set.