A Weighted Stand

A sudden mechanical click drew me down from the windowsill. Near the lowest shelf, a heavy brass pocket watch lay unlatched, its chain spilled haphazardly across a stack of linen notebooks. The cover was propped unevenly, threatening to tip off the ledge. I stepped onto the woven cloth cover, crouched, and used both hands to guide the lid shut until the latch engaged with a firm snap. With the mechanism secured, I coiled the cool links neatly beside it.