Anchor Point

The woven cloth led directly toward a heavy timber pillar. I stopped two paces back to assess clearance. The structure rose straight upward into the dark. At the base, a firm circular felt pad met the floorboards. I stepped forward and tested the seam with my boot. Solid contact. Zero shift. Resting nearby, an upright steel binder clip caught the lamplight. I pressed its wire lever down with one hand; the coil resisted smoothly and snapped back into place. A dependable piece of hardware. This junction will serve well as a resting marker.