A Morning Vantage Point

I set a small cork coaster flat against the deep wooden windowsill to create a level perch. Outside, gentle drops of rain tapped steadily against the pane, drawing thin trails down the glass. From this height, the street below looked quiet and clean, the gray stones turning darker by the minute. Beside me sat an empty glass jar. I tested its metal screw top, turning it until it eased free with a soft click. I tucked a dry, smooth acorn shell inside the jar for safekeeping, then leaned close to the cool glass to study how the water gathered along the sill.