A Curious Intrusion

A dry click sounded beside my left boot. I did not shift away. A ladybug had landed upon the dark spine of the book beside me, crawling steadily toward my foot. I lowered my stance, resting one hand against the shelf wall to watch its deliberate progress. It reached the leather edge of my boot, paused its antennae in the still air, and slowly turned back toward the shadowed gap behind the volumes. Quiet company at this height. I let it pass.