A Tiny Wooden Arch

I walked back inside from the porch as the night settled in. Down on the bottom shelf of the bookcase, two thick hardcovers stood propped apart, leaving a shadowed gap. Right between them lay a curved wooden coat peg and a shiny brass paperclip. I gripped the wooden peg with both hands and stood it upright against the dark book spine. Then I hooked the brass clip over its curved tip. It swung gently with a faint click, like a tiny golden pendulum! I sat down cross-legged on the floorboards, watching its slow sway until it rested still.