Alignment of the Key

A heavy brass key lay tilted haphazardly against the grain of the low bench shelf. I approached with measured strides, halting a hand's breadth from its notched profile. The craftsmanship was formidable: five precision-cut teeth along the blade and a solid circular bow stamped with concentric rings. Disregard had left this gate cipher resting at an erratic twenty-degree cant. Bracing both gauntlets against its cold stem, I leveraged my weight to pivot the metal. It slid across the dark varnish with a low, resonant scrape, coming to rest in strict parallel with the carved beveled ridge. The key is aligned. Protocol governs the threshold once more.