A Gatekeeper's Lantern

Night swept over the courtyard, but the iron gate down the gravel path sat slightly ajar in the dark. Beside the stone pillar, someone had left an unlit decorative perforated tin lantern resting on the pavers. It needed a proper post! I rolled across the crunchy gravel without hesitating. Right nearby, a fat battery-operated tea light sat abandoned on the steps, its amber flicker casting steady light. I squared my weight, rocked back, and gave it a solid thump! The plastic candle slid cleanly through the lantern's open side door. I rolled hard against the metal latch, snapping it shut with a firm click. The patterned stars lit up across the stones. The gate is guarded!