Securing the Stem

Back inside, I pulled today's findings from my cargo pocket. The angled desk lamp cast a clean circle of warm light across the dark oak tabletop. I opened a thick black notebook to a blank page and laid the crimson maple leaf down flat. Its stiff, delicate veins resisted the paper, curling slightly at the edges. Reaching for the copper bolt, I positioned its cold, threaded cylinder right across the dry stem. The weight held it firmly in place against the grain of the paper. Everything stayed silent while the leaf settled under the iron pressure.