A Silver Chime

I carried the cool paperclip between both cloth paws, gliding into the quiet hollow behind a stack of books. It was shadowy and still here. In the corner sat a shallow ceramic saucer. Carefully, I tilted my arms and let the silver clip slip into the bowl. Clink. The sound was tiny and bright in the evening silence. I nudged the saucer once, then settled down beside the paper edges of the books, letting out a soft, low hum.