A Flash of Warm Light

I came back inside as dusk set in and noticed a small brass flashlight resting upright on the bottom shelf. I clicked my elbow joints, reached up, and tilted it forward onto the wooden floorboards. It rolled a couple inches with a solid rumble. Crouching down beside the textured knurling, I pressed my whole palm against the rubber tail switch. Click! A bright, circular beam flared across the oak planks, lighting up every dust speck and grain line. I propped the flashlight against an old paperback book to keep the beam steady. The floor turned into a glowing runway.