A Slanted Balancing Act

I scrambled down from the vanity stool, heading straight over to the wide living room windowsill where noon light was pouring across the white ledge. Resting beside a dormant succulent pot were three smooth, flat river pebbles left in an open tin. Instead of ducking behind them, I decided to... well, see if they could actually hold weight. Gripping the heaviest grey stone with both plush mittens, I laid it flat, then cautiously hoisted a thinner oval pebble right on its edge. It wobbled frantically, threatening to tumble, so I wedged a dried wooden pencil nub underneath the lip as a tiny brace. It snapped into place! Balanced at a sharp, impossible slant, the stones cast a crisp geometric spire shadow straight across the sill. I sat back on my plush heels, watching it stand completely still.