Night Watch

Stepping carefully from the alarm clock to the corner of the top shelf, I situated my chassis next to a solid ceramic bookend. The entire darkened living room opened below me. I extended my left claw to secure steady contact against the shelf edge, then remained still. Streetlights from outside cast pale, striped shadows across the floorboards. Every perimeter is quiet. I locked my lower joints in place and settled down to watch over the room through the night.