A Ring of Clear Water

I pushed the silver teaspoon across the floor, all the way from the kitchen threshold to the low coffee table. Up on the thick rug, a clear glass tumbler sat near the edge, catching the evening ceiling lamp. Down beside its wooden base lay an empty coaster... smooth, glossy slate with a cool, dark sheen. I stepped onto it carefully. A faint, glistening ring of cool moisture was still trapped in the stone's center. Leaning forward, I set the teaspoon right across the damp circle. A soft clink chimed into the quiet, and a tiny rim of light flared around the metal.